Hucknall councillor says no NHS dentists is reason for 'shameful' rate of child tooth decay

Coun John Wilmott (Ash Ind), who represents Hucknall North at County Hall, was speaking at meeting of Nottinghamshire Council’s health scrutiny committee on January 16.

The meeting heard levels of tooth decay in local children are better than the England average but there are still ‘significant inequalities’ in oral health in the county.

The board says more than a third – 34.2 per cent – of five-year-olds in Nottingham city have visual signs of tooth decay.

The meeting was also told a fifth of five-year-olds in the county have experienced tooth decay – a situation described as ‘shameful’.

Adding fluoride to water into tap water in the city and county has been supported by councils to improve oral health – but this could take up to 10 years to implement.

Nottingham and Nottinghamshire Integrated Care Board (ICB) has responsibility for organising dental services in the city and county.

However, in Hucknall, the town’s BUPA practice stopped taking NHS patients in 2002, leaving just one NHS dental provider in the town.

Coun Wilmott said: “There is still a crisis in NHS dental care.

“People are saying they can’t see a dentist and it is a real problem.

“In Hucknall, getting access to an NHS dentist is like finding a needle in a haystack.

“Practices have to prioritise urgent dental care, vulnerable patients including children and those at higher risk of oral health issues – how can you do this if you haven’t got the dentists?”

The shortages are partly due to the current NHS dental contract, which was introduced in 2006.

Rose Lynch, senior commissioning manager at the ICB, said: “We aren’t going to sit back and wait for the contract because the inequalities will be devastating.”

Cllr Michelle Welsh (Lab) said: “Health inequalities are increasing in Nottinghamshire without a doubt and I would suggest those children with tooth decay problems are some of the poorest in our county.

“That is shameful and needs dealing with urgently.

"What isn’t the answer is fluoridating water.

"It is a slippery slope when children get tooth decay.

"Challenges have always been there and its been exacerbated by the pandemic unfortunately.

“It’s about educating practitioners in terms of how to treat children.

“It is ultimately about expanding capacity.”

Dr Pavni Lakhani, local dental network chair, said: “I completely agree with you on every single point.

“Water fluoridation will take a long time and it will not address this issue.

“The reason we are talking about it is prevention.

“In terms of the imminent issue, we are acutely aware of this.

"We are working with the ICB and engaging with that population who a dentist may never have access to.”

Dr Lakhani added there is a national initiative called ‘first check by one’ to encourage parents to take their children to the dentist before the child is one.

She said: “The challenge is that parents are aware of this but can’t get in with a dentist.

“We also have an oral health promotion team and they have engagement with the healthcare workforce and they go into schools to get the education in with children early on.”