In April’s edition, we address the current crisis in children’s oral health, as new figures show as many as 140 children in England are having teeth removed from hospital every day.
These levels of tooth decay are simply appalling and must be tackled as a matter of urgency. Reducing childhood sugar intake, in the form of snacks and fizzy drinks, as well as revisiting the issue of community water fluoridation are critical if we are to change the landscape of dental health for children.
Additionally, initiatives such as Designed to Smile in Wales and Childsmile in Scotland, have both demonstrated the importance and necessity of engaging young people in oral health. It is long overdue that England too has its own fully funded system to improve child oral health.
Also in this issue, we comment on the new Sugar Tax regulations which came into force earlier this month and report on the new-announced NHS dental charges for the coming year.
We have research regarding how looking after oral health could help those recovering from heart attacks, as well as why dental anxiety has a negative effect on quality of life.
We reveal what snoring could be saying about the health of your mouth, and have lots of information about next month’s National Smile Month. Discover how you can help support our charity campaign and engage people about the importance of good oral health.
I hope you enjoy this month’s edition of Word of Mouth and once again, thank you for all your support.
