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Panorama. Britain's Child Health Crisis.

(33 Posts)
Mollygo Thu 18-Jul-24 10:08:03

Glad to see you pass some responsibility for tooth care to the parents, Sarnia
The scarcity of dentists is a major issue, but parents should instil good dental hygiene from the start.
In our Y2/3, part of science is knowing about and looking after your teeth. We hand out toothbrushes and toothpaste packs and ask parents if children may use disclosing tablets to help them check how good their brushing is.
Maybe that should start at nursery/preschool instead, but it does seem a bit like nanny state.

pascal30 Thu 18-Jul-24 09:49:38

Labour should make it a priority to bring back school dentists and provide free dentistry until the age of 18..

Grandmabatty Thu 18-Jul-24 09:47:19

I stand corrected. There is no added fluoride in Scottish water but it occurs naturally, although not in enough quantities to help tooth decay.

MissAdventure Thu 18-Jul-24 09:45:05

It all ties into a much bigger, grim picture I think.

Grandmabatty Thu 18-Jul-24 09:44:54

There's been fluoride in the water in Scotland for decades, I believe

nanna8 Thu 18-Jul-24 09:39:30

Fluoride in the water needed? Not many children here have bad teeth because of it. Just as well because dentists charge like wounded bulls here.

Grandmabatty Thu 18-Jul-24 09:34:55

Schools have always taught children to brush their teeth. They did it when my ds(38) and DD(33) were young. But I agree that NHS dentistry is in a parlous condition generally.

Sarnia Thu 18-Jul-24 09:32:51

A thought provoking programme highlighting the shocking state of children's dental health in the UK. It is the main reason why children are taken to A&E, which to me is a shocking statistic. 14 years of Tory Government just sat back and watched NHS dentistry hit rock bottom. However, what annoyed me as much as the Government's mismanagement were the parents of some of these children. So many of them did not have a toothbrush at home so never cleaned their teeth. Early years education staff are spending time showing children how to use a toothbrush. I feel for these teachers and their assistants who not only have to deal with an ever increasing number of children who are still in nappies and cannot use a knife and fork and are now adding dental care to their workload.