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More than a quarter of five-year-olds have tooth decay A shocking report has revealed this in England.
ChildrenAccess to NHS dentists and rate of tooth decay remain poor despite government intervention To cut down on children’s sugar intake and educate them about oral hygieneHealth experts have warned.
Although there have been some improvements, analysis of the latest government figures shows that 26.9 per cent of five-year-olds in England have tooth decay.
Children living in the most deprived communities of England are still more than three times as likely to be admitted to hospital for a tooth extraction than those living in more affluent areas.
The data also revealed that 950 school days were lost due to dental reasons across nine schools in West Yorkshire in one academic year.
The researchers leading the report, which was the seventh to be released as part of Child of the North’s #ChildrenFirst campaign, stressed that there is a need to scale up and strengthen government schemes to meet the needs of youth across the country.
“There has been no real improvement in children’s oral health for almost 10 years and our first national report, published in September 2024, called for urgent action. Since then major new ambitious initiatives have been announced with real potential to address this worrying trend,” said Zoe Marshman, Professor of Dental Public Health at the University of Sheffield, who co-led the report.
Last year’s report prompted the government to launch a toothbrushing programme, with plans to expand water fluoridation in the north east of England; Consultation on extension of soft drinks industry levy; And both the sale of high-caffeinated energy drinks to children and advertising of junk food before 9pm is banned.
But many children still suffer from tooth decay – the breakdown of the tooth surface, often caused by eating too much sugar and not brushing regularly.
NHS England figures show that tooth decay is the leading cause of hospital admission for children aged five to nine – with 21,162 children admitted to hospital in 2024/2025 due to tooth decay.
Professor Marshman and Peter Day, Professor of Children’s Oral Health at the University of Leeds School of Dentistry, both acted as consultants Government‘Supervised Toothbrushing Programme’, which aims to reach 600,000 children in the most deprived areas.
Since its launch in March this year, it has been delivered to 240,000 children in schools and nurseries.
Professor Mark Maughan-Williams, who edited the report series, said: “The number of children with decayed teeth is a powerful indicator of the wider decline in children’s health that is impacting millions of young lives across the UK.
“Good oral health is one of the essential components if we are to give every child the best possible chance to achieve and thrive in school and beyond,” she said.
Baroness Anne Longfield, founder of the Center for Young Lives, said: “The reality is that too many children are suffering the effects of poor oral health, particularly in areas of high deprivation.
“The Government’s proposal for a supervised teeth brushing program in schools is a positive step forward, as is its overall focus on promoting children’s well-being. But we know much more can be achieved – whether through local oral health strategies, supervised toothbrushing, or supporting healthy food and drink choices.”
A spokesperson for the Department of Health and Social Care said: “Every child deserves a healthy smile, no matter where they live and this report shows why our national oral health programs matter – from supporting toothbrushing in schools to expanding water fluoridation and removing barriers to NHS dental care.
“But we are clear that even bigger change is needed and through our 10-year health plan, this government is fixing the broken NHS dental system we inherited. We have already introduced additional urgent dental appointments and we are reforming the NHS dental contract, focusing on prevention and retaining NHS dentists.”