Periodontal Health
Plaque and gum disease on the rise
Proportion of children with plaque (United Kingdom, 1993, 2003)
Since 1993, the proportion of children with plaque has risen in 5, 8, 12 and 15 year olds. For example 63 per cent of 15 year olds had some plaque in 2003 compared to 57 per cent a decade earlier. Between 1993 and 2003 an increase in the proportion of children affected by gingivitis was observed among 5, 8 and 12 year olds. The proportion of children with some calculus increased among 8, 12 and 15 year olds.
Among 15 year olds, boys were more likely than girls to have some plaque and gingivitis. 68 per cent of 15 year old boys had some plaque, compared to 57 per cent of 15 year old girls; while 56 per cent of 15 year old boys had some gingivitis, compared to 48 per cent of girls.
A larger proportion of 8 year olds (78 per cent) from schools classed as 'deprived' (based upon free school meals uptake) had some plaque compared to 8 year olds from non-deprived school who had plaque (70 per cent). Conversely, a lower proportion of 8 year olds from deprived schools had some gingivitis (54 per cent) and calculus (17 per cent) compared to 8 year olds from non-deprived schools (65 per cent with gingivitis and 25 per cent with calculus).
Three quarters of children in all age groups report brushing their teeth twice daily. Electric toothbrushes are commonly used and adjuncts such as mouthwashes and dental or sugar-free chewing gum are used by almost half of 15 year olds.
Parental attitudes towards the restoration of their children’s permanent teeth show that a majority would prefer decayed permanent teeth to be filled: at least 96 per cent would prefer this option for front teeth and 89 per cent for back teeth. However, this is not the case for baby teeth where parents were more likely to prefer an extraction (at least 39 per cent) or to leave the tooth alone (at least 27 per cent) rather than filling it.
Notes: The 2003 Children's Dental Health Survey, commissioned by the four UK Health Departments, is the fourth in a series of national children's dental health surveys that have been carried out every 10 years since 1973 in England and Wales and in the whole of the UK since 1983.
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