Dental Check-Ups Among Children Fell 50% in 2020

A new report has found dental check-ups among young children fell by 50% in 2020.

As a result, millions of children are at risk of facing years of dental decay as figures show those attending check-ups dropped by 50% during the first year of the pandemic.

Data recently published by the National Health Service (NHS) shows the worst attendance rates are among those infants in the youngest age category.

It’s estimated less than 470,000 appointments went ahead for the under 5s in 2020, marking a 60% drop. In 2019, almost 1.2 million attended the dentist.

Similarly the number of under 15s who attended the dentist decreased to 2.9 million from 5.8 million. As a result, less than three in 10 children underwent dental checks.

Leading dental experts say that a lack of dental care in the early years could lead to a generation at risk of future decay.

The latest statistics show tooth decay is the most common reason for hospital admissions among children between five and nine years old. Admission figures are twice as high as those with acute tonsillitis. Additionally around 45,000 children were hospitalised for tooth extractions in 2018/19.

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