Just 3% of children in England visit dentist before their first birthday, experts warn

The NHS says early dental visits help familiarise children with the environment and reduce future anxiety

Only three per cent of children visit the dentist before their first birthday, rising to 12 per cent by the age of two, a study reveals.

The study, which was carried out by the University of Birmingham in collaboration with the University of Edinburgh and Public Health England, analysed data from the 2016/17 NHS Dental Statistics for England Annual Report.

The researchers said they were surprised to find that most children miss out on dental appointments in the first few years of their lives.

One of the lowest rates of dental attendance for children aged under one was in West Berkshire (less than one per cent), where deprivation is ranked as low.

Meanwhile, the highest rate of attendance in children aged under one was 12.3 per cent in South Tyneside, which is considered to be one of the most deprived local authorities in England.

The researchers also found that children from deprived backgrounds were more likely to attend check-ups than their wealthier counterparts.

Lead author Candy Salomon-Ibarra, from the University of Birmingham, said the findings were “unexpected” and that more research is needed to find out why there is such a variation in dental visits.

“The fact that so few children nationally under the age of two attend the dentist, no matter where they live or their economic circumstances, shows that policymakers face enormous challenge attempting to improve this situation,” Salomon-Ibarra said.

Dr John Morris, senior lecturer in dental public health at the University of Birmingham, added that early dental visits are vital to upholding good oral health in children.

“There is broad consensus that children should have a dental examination from a dentist as soon as the first teeth erupt, and no later than the child’s first birthday,” Morris said.

“Early dental visits not only provide parents with information they require to prevent early childhood oral health issues, but it is also believed that such dental visits familiarise children with the dental environment and reduce future dental anxiety.”

The research also revealed that the NHS spends around £3.4bn per year on dental services.

From 2014 to 2016, tooth extraction was found to be the main reason for hospital admission in five to nine-year-olds and the sixth most common procedure in those aged under five.

The British Dental Association (BDA) said successive governments have failed to offer a ”joined-up“ approach to children's dental health.

”Tooth decay is the number one reason young children will end up in hospital, and it won't be solved with token efforts,” said Mick Armstrong, chairman of the BDA.

The findings follow recent figures that revealed the number of children aged four and under being hospitalised for tooth extractions has risen by almost a quarter in the last decade.

There were 9,206 extractions among this age group from 2015 to 2016 – up from 7,444 in 2006/7, according to data obtained by the Faculty of Dental Surgery at the Royal College of Surgeons (RCS).

This 24 per cent rise is particularly significant in relation to the 16 per cent rise in population of children aged four and under over the same period, said the RCS.

The NHS recommends that parents take their child to the dentist when their first milk teeth appear.

This is so the child can become familiar with the environment and get to know the dentist. The dentist can also advise the parent on how to prevent decay and identify any oral health problems at an early stage.