How does NHS dentistry aim to reduce childhood tooth decay?

The main way that NHS dentistry aims to tackle childhood tooth decay is through education and prevention.

The aim of preventative dentistry is to eliminate the root causes of disease, instead of having to treat it. In this context, preventative measure would include:

• Fluoride varnish
• Fissure sealants- this is applied over the grooves of the tooth to prevent sugar interacting with the grooves of the tooth as these are the harder areas to clean
• Encouraging regular checkups

Education is equally as important as prevention. Patients need to know why they get tooth decay so they can prevent it from happening. Some methods of providing education include:

• Supervised toothbrushing schemes
• Educating parents about good oral hygiene habits and making better food choices
• 'Smile for Life' initiative

Water fluoridation is also a good talking point as it overcomes oral health inequalities, it's also a population-wide preventative strategy. It reaches those high-risk areas, giving them some protection against tooth decay.