Shocking Stats Reveal HALF Of Eight-Year-Old Children Have Fillings Or Missing Teeth

There’s been a huge amount of concern over tooth decay in children for a couple of years now, with health experts warning that fruit juices and smoothies should be limited – despite their other health benefits.

And now new stats have revealed just how bad children’s teeth really are.

Figures published by the Health and Social Care Information Centre has revealed that almost HALF of eight year olds have fillings or missing teeth – and a third of five year olds. But the saddest thing is it’s leaving them too embarrassed to smile or laugh.

Some 46 per cent of 15 year olds and 34 per cent of 12 year olds also had signs of ‘obvious decay’ in their adult teeth.

The survey of over 13,500 children and almost 10,000 dental examinations showed that tooth decay was more obvious in families with a lower income.

Some 40 per cent of five year olds from poorer families were found to have tooth decay – 11 per cent more than those from affluent areas. It was the same pattern for 15-year-old children, too.

The stats also showed the areas with the highest rates of dental issues. A little over 72 per cent of 15 year olds in Northern Ireland have oral disease, 44 per cent in England and 63 per cent in Wales. But this figure is slightly less than it was a decade ago.

It’s not just older children who are suffering from dental issues. Over 1,200 toddlers under two were hospitalised last year with rotten teeth - after having fruit juice in their bottles, say experts.

Many of the children had to have teeth removed, the Health and Social Care Information Centre said. The numbers have increased by 10 per cent since 2010, which could be a result of all of the sugary drinks available.

In recent years, doctors and dentists have warned how bad fruit juices and smoothies are. They may seem like a quick and easy way to get in a few of our ‘five-a-day’ but they’re actually crammed with sugar – more sugar than in biscuits and sweet treats.

Although less appealing, children are best off drinking water and regular dentist trips are a must, even with very young children.

NHS dental treatment for children is free and as soon as your tot’s teeth start pushing though you can make an appointment to check everything’s OK – and to put your mind at ease.

Do you think more needs to be done to help stop dental decay in children? Let us know in the comments.

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