Just over two thirds of 11-year-old children in the tenth most deprived areas of Scotland were found to be decay free – compared to more than nine in 10 in the tenth least deprived.
New data into progress on children’s dental health shows inequalities are widening between Scotland’s most deprived and most affluent communities.
Published today, the latest report of the National Dental Inspection Programme found that just 68.2% of P7 children – those 11 years of age – in the tenth most deprived areas were found to be decay free – compared to 91.5% in the tenth least deprived. This marks a gap of 23.3%, up from 20.1% in 2019.
‘Vital progress tackling deep oral health inequalities has at best plateaued, and at worst gone into reverse’
Gillian Lennox, chair of the British Dental Association’s Scottish Dental Practice Committee
Other findings include:
- In 2025, an estimated 81.5% of P7 children in Scotland had no signs of obvious dental decay, similar to the 2023 figure of 81.9%
- The average number of teeth affected by obvious decay was estimated at 0.40, comparable to 0.36 in 2023
- Since 2005, obvious decay experience has declined – but the downward trend appears to have plateaued since the COVID-19 pandemic.
Vital progress
Gillian Lennox, chair of the British Dental Association’s Scottish Dental Practice Committee, said: ‘Vital progress tackling deep oral health inequalities has at best plateaued, and at worst gone into reverse.
‘As we head into an election year, it’s a stark reminder that there can be no complacency when it comes to dentistry.
‘Our children will pay the price for any indifference here.’
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