The Guardian view on the dental divide: ministers must brush up their policy as well as children's teeth | Editorial

"Disadvantaged primary school pupils at the government's first wave of new breakfast clubs can expect to be trained in toothbrushing, as well as fed. Data showing that a fifth of all five-year-olds in England have experienced tooth decay persuaded ministers to make improved oral health part of the early years and reception class curriculum. But the prevalence of decay is not evenly spread across the country."

"New analysis from the Local Government Association highlights the differing availability of dental care across council areas a situation sometimes described as a dental divide. It found no specific correlation between the numbers of NHS dentists and young children with tooth decay. But it adds to a body of research showing that people in poorer areas are generally less well provided for. In Middlesbrough, for example, there are just 10 NHS dental practices per 100,000 people, while in wealthy Richmond upon Thames there are 28."

"Health inequalities are, of course, nothing new. Ensuring a more equitable distribution of healthcare one of the greatest of all social goods was Labour's aim when setting up the National Health Service in the first place. But as the number of people living in deep poverty has increased, while healthcare costs and expectations have risen, disparities in health experiences and outcomes between people from different socioeconomic backgrounds have become more starkly apparent. This includes a widening gap in life expectancies."

New breakfast clubs for disadvantaged primary pupils will include toothbrushing training alongside food provision. One in five five-year-olds in England has experienced tooth decay, with decay unevenly distributed across the country and worse in deprived areas. Local Government Association analysis highlights a dental divide, showing differing availability of dental care across council areas and examples such as 10 NHS dental practices per 100,000 in Middlesbrough versus 28 in Richmond upon Thames. Rising deep poverty, higher healthcare costs, and growing expectations have amplified disparities in health outcomes, including life expectancy gaps and higher A&E admissions in poorer communities.

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