Nursery World - Tooth decay affects one in eight three-year-olds

Some 12 per cent of children have tooth decay by the age of three, a new report says.

Nurseries can play a key role in encouraging parents to brush children's new teeth, a leading dental expert has said.

Public Health England's oral health survey is the first time that the dental health of three-year-olds has been measured.

Dr Sandra White, director of dental public health at the agency, says the ‘entirely preventable’ disease is affecting 12 per cent of three-year-olds who have an average of three decayed teeth each.

She said, ‘Nurseries have a key role, especially around sugar. A lot of nurseries are absolutely clued up on this, but when we look at where they get their sugar from, previous studies show 14 per cent comes from fruit juice, 12 per cent from confectionery, 12 per cent squash and 8 per cent is from biscuits.

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