Swindon Council Launches Initiative to Combat High Tooth Extraction Rates

Dental specialists are educating families from Swindon’s underserved communities on effective oral hygiene practices. A council initiative seeks to decrease the number of tooth extractions within the town, particularly among children under five, who face a nearly threefold higher likelihood of having teeth extracted compared to their counterparts in the wider south west region. Given the nationwide scarcity of NHS dental appointments, the council stated that promoting oral health awareness is “more important than ever” for disease prevention. The Labour party has committed to reforming the national dental contract and delivering an additional 700,000 urgent dental appointments. In response to the disproportionately high rates of tooth extractions in Swindon, the project was designed to tackle inequalities in oral health outcomes affecting underserved communities. This encompasses families experiencing poverty and homelessness, migrant, refugee, and asylum-seeking families, along with children with special needs and individuals from South Asian communities. In addition to instructing families on proper oral hygiene, participants also receive a toothbrushing pack, and families identified as high-risk are directed to dental access centres for urgent treatment. The Early Years Oral Health Inequalities initiative by Swindon Borough Council operates in collaboration with dental nurses from Great Western Hospital NHS Foundation Trust. Zlata, a 12-year-old Ukrainian refugee, attended a session with her family and commented, “I learned a lot.” She added, “We’re trying to find a dentist but we can’t find [one].” Zlata also stated, “I had problem with my teeth and I went to the Ukraine with my mum and brother.” She concluded, “They did my teeth fully.” Fareen Mohammed, who arrived from Sri Lanka with her two sons, remarked, “I haven’t been to any dentist for my kids.” She continued, “Today I learnt a lot and my kids has learnt they have to take care of their own tooth.” Mohammed also mentioned, “We have a form with a QR code it’s really easy to register for support.” She concluded with, “Thank you so much.” Steve Maddern, Swindon Borough Council’s Director for Public Health, observed that “oral health in the town isn’t great” and, despite the town’s “wonderful” diversity, “bigger challenges” existed among migrant families. This initiative is an element of Swindon Borough Council’s commitment to Build a Fairer Swindon. Mr. Maddern stated, “Tackling oral health is a key part of our programme.” He added, “It is a national issue around having access to dentistry which is why oral health is more important than ever to try and prevent disease.” Mr. Maddern expressed, “Hopefully we can reduce the number of extractions we’re seeing in the under fives.” The program has engaged over 200 local parents and children from various community groups, with plans for expansion to additional locations in the upcoming months. For updates, follow BBC Wiltshire on Facebook, X, and Instagram. Story ideas can be submitted via email or WhatsApp at 0800 313 4630. Copyright 2024 BBC. All rights reserved. The BBC disclaims responsibility for the content of external sites. Information regarding their approach to external linking is available.