Response: £140m spent by hospitals on treating tooth decay in 5 years

Comment on the Local Government Association’s press notice – ‘HOSPITALS SPEND £140 MILLION ON “ROTTING TEETH” IN CHILDREN’

Professor Nigel Hunt, Dean of the Faculty of Dental Surgery at the Royal College of Surgeons, said:

“These figures are shocking. Tooth decay is the most common reason 5-9 year olds are admitted to hospital even though it is 90% preventable through better diet and improved oral health - including regular dental visits and brushing with fluoride toothpaste.

“As dental surgeons who called for a sugar tax, we now urge the Government to put vital resource into developing a children’s oral health strategy to address this.

“However, local authorities can also do a lot more such as introducing water fluoridation in their areas and supporting sugar reduction in schools."