Britain's dental crisis: Charities that assist third world countries are forced to step in to cope with the 'national disaster' because dentists are too busy to properly treat patients
Britain's dental crisis is forcing charities that assist third world countries to step in.
Dentists
in the UK are so inundated with targets and admin, they lack the time
and resources to properly focus on dental health, resulting in a
'national disaster' that is making patient treatment a low priority,
according to a letter signed by more than 400 dentists.
Described
as 'an international disgrace', Dentaid, a charity which works across
parts of Africa, Asia and Central America, set up its first UK scheme in
West Yorkshire two years ago and provides free care to low-income
patients.
The charity has since expanded its reach, with mobile services being set up in Hampshire, Cornwall and Buckinghamshire.
Previous research reveals one in six areas in the UK have no dentists left taking NHS patients.
Some
31 per cent of adults in the UK have tooth decay, which is defined as
the destruction of the enamel, leading to holes in the teeth, gum
disease or the collection of pus in the teeth or gums. Tooth decay is
caused by acids produced by plaque.
Dentists are said to be struggling to work
in a system that is 'under-resourced and focused more upon experimental
targets and tick boxes than patients,' according to a letter sent to The Telegraph.
Dr
Tony Kilcoyne, a dentist from Haworth, West Yorkshire, who organised
the letter, said: 'It is a terrible situation when you have got
charities looking at Britain and seeing there is a desperate need to
provide basic care.
'This letter is a
wake-up call; we are urging [the] Government to act now to improve the
state of dentistry and tackle the inadequacies in our system.'
As well as Dentaid, the US charity Remote Area Medical also wants to set up temporary dental clinics across the UK.
NHS is boosting aid to at-need under five-year-olds
An
NHS England spokesperson referenced a recent survey showing patients in
need of an NHS dentist appointment are nearly always able to get one,
with their experience being positive almost nine out of 10 times.
The
spokesperson adds the NHS has recently launched a campaign known as
'Starting Well', which helps children under five from high-risk
communities see a dentist.
This comes
after research in August revealed one in seven toddlers have tooth
decay, with experts worrying parents do not appreciate the importance of
brushing their children's teeth as they juggle the responsibility of
raising a family.
Study author Maria
Morgan from Cardiff University, said: 'People don't realise that you
should start that early. We are having some children at five, six or
seven who are having five, six, seven, eight, nine teeth removed in one
go.'
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