While the Public Health England (PHE) statistics represent a slight fall overall in the number of five-year-olds with tooth decay on the previous year, down to 23 per cent from 25 per cent, there are wide regional variations with children in deprived areas more likely to be affected.
A breakdown of the figures by area show the North West had the highest number of five-year-olds with tooth decay at 34 per cent, followed by Yorkshire and The Humber at 30 per cent.
The best performing areas were the South East where 16 per cent of five-year-olds presented with tooth decay in 2016-17, and the East of England (18 per cent).
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