The number of children aged two and under visiting the dentist has increased by 2.5% between 2016 and 2018.
That’s according to new figures from the Dental Check by One (DCby1) campaign, which was launched in June 2017.
Results are being seen in children across all socio economic groups.
‘So much good work is happening and there are dental practices and corporate chains leading the way,’ Claire Stevens, spokesperson for the British Society of Paediatric Dentistry, said.
‘Let us all learn from them.
‘We know the number of young children aged 0 to five seeing a dentist must improve – this is work in progress.’
DCby1 launches new website
Every 10 minutes a child has teeth removed under general anaesthetic, Dr Stevens highlighted at the Westminster Health Forum yesterday.
This costs the NHS £50.5 million every year.
‘The campaign has outgrown our society’s website, reflecting that it now has its own momentum,’ Dr Stevens said.
‘I encourage any practice that would like to grow the service it offers families to make use of the resources.
‘To all parents, I would say, dental decay is almost always preventable.
‘Taking your child to your dental practice from when their first teeth come through or by the age of one at the latest means you can tap into helpful advice to keep those baby teeth healthy.’
‘Baby teeth do matter!’
CDOs from England, Wales and Scotland backed the launch of the Dental Check by One campaign.
The campaign, by the British Society of Paediatric Dentistry (BSPD), aims to remind parents and guardians of the importance of children seeing a dentist by the age of one.
The BSPD believes the first visit to the dentist is an important opportunity for a child to start a life of positive dental care.
‘Children as young as two and three are being admitted to hospital for extractions under general anaesthetic,’ Dr Stevens said at the launch.
‘Which is why we need to reach families early to provide support on prevention.
‘We hope Dental Check by One will raise awareness of looking after children’s teeth from an early age – baby teeth do matter!’
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