Covid dental health risk to children
The Covid-19 pandemic may increase inequality in the health of children’ s teeth, senior dentistry figures have warned.
The British Dental Association Scotland has warned that“decades of progress” in closing the gap between child dental health in rich and poor areas could be undone by the effects of the Covid-19 pandemic.
The collapse of routine services, suspension of public health programmes and sugar-rich lockdown diets may all contribute to worse outcomes for children’s teeth, the association said.
The Covid-19 pandemic may increase inequality in the health of children’ s teeth, senior dentistry figures have warned.
The British Dental Association Scotland has warned that “decades of progress” in closing the gap between child dental health in rich and poor areas could be undone by the effects of the C ovid -19 pandemic.
The collapse of routine services, suspension of public health programmes and sugar-rich lockdown diets may all contribute to worse outcomes for children’s teeth, the association said.
Primary 1 children from the most deprived areas in Scotland experience more than four times the level of tooth decay than their counterparts in the least deprived areas, according to the latest National Dental Inspection Programme figures released yesterday. Just 58.1 per cent of P1 children in the poorest areas have no obvious decayed, missing or filled teeth, compared to 86.9 per cent in the wealthiest areas.
The Scottish Government Child smile programme to improve children’s oral health and reduce inequalities has been paused since the country entered lockdown in March. Programme leaders are working on a remobilisation plan, but this has yet to be finalised.
"C ovid risks undoing decades of progress in improving the dental health of our children,” said Rob er t Donald, chair of the British Dental Association’s Scottish Council. “Dentistry in Scotland is at a turning point.
"Routine check-ups remain off the cards for most families, our public health programmes are struggling, and high street practices face a deeply uncertain future. “The oral health gap between rich and poor-which has proved so stubborn - will widen unless we see real commitment from the Scottish Government.”
The results of the report showed a large improvement since the inspection programme began in 2003, with 73.5 p er cent of P1 children overall showing no obvious decay, compared to 45 per cent in 2003.
This improvement rose sharply between 2003 and 2012, to 67 p er cent, but has showed a more gradual improvement from 2012 to 2020.