Just Three In 10 Parents Take Children To Dentist For Oral Pain, Says Study | HuffPost Life

'Not treating a decayed tooth can result in more pain.'

Ella Pickover, Press Association Health Correspondent— PA for HuffPost UK

A study says NHS England could save millions of pounds if children with oral pain saw their dentist before going to another health worker, as figures showed only 30% of parents took their child to a dentist.

Researchers said there is a “concerning” under-use of dental services after it found that some children have multiple contacts with other health officials such as GPs, nurses or A&E trips.

Experts from Queen Mary University of London examined data on almost 7,000 parents who visited community pharmacies in London to pick up pain medication for their child.

Of these, 65% were picking up medication for oral pain.

These parents were quizzed on where they had sought help from prior to their pharmacy visit.

Just 30% said they had taken their child to see their dentist and 15% said they had been to see a GP or practice nurse.

Overall, 28% of children had seen between one and four different health professionals.

A total of 31 parents said they had taken their child to A&E and 57 said they had taken their youngster to an NHS walk-in or an urgent care centre.

The researchers, who published their study in the journal BMJ Open, calculated that the NHS spends an estimated £2.3 million every year when children with oral pain inappropriately use multiple health services.

Lead researcher Dr Vanessa Muirhead, from Queen Mary’s Institute of Dentistry, said: “The fact that only 30% of children with oral pain had seen a dentist before going to a pharmacy highlights a concerning under-use of dental services.

“Children with oral pain need to see a dentist for a definitive diagnosis and to treat any tooth decay.

“Not treating a decayed tooth can result in more pain, abscesses and possible damage to children’s permanent teeth.

“These children had not only failed to see a dentist before their pharmacy visit; they had seen GPs and a range of other health professionals outside dentistry.

“This inappropriate and overuse of multiple health services including A&E is costing the NHS a substantial amount of money at a time when reducing waste is a government priority.”

Before You Go

10 Foods That Will Stain Your Teeth

White Wine(01 of10)

“White wine is more acidic than red, which may cause more damage and discolouration to the teeth. Its acid and tannins make your teeth fair game for other types of stains. Cutting down will definitely help to keep your teeth white.” (credit:Hemera Technologies via Getty Images)

Pasta Sauce(02 of10)

“Tomatoes in pasta sauce can leave your teeth vulnerable to staining because of their acidity, bright red colour and tendency to cling to the teeth. You can protect your teeth beforehand by dining on some dark green vegetables - broccoli, kale, rocket or spinach - to create a protective film over the teeth. The film will ward off tomatoes’ staining effect, so opt for a green salad as a starter.” (credit:EzumeImages via Getty Images)

Soy Sauce & Balsamic Vinegar(03 of10)

"Soy sauce and balsamic vinegar are a nightmare to get off your clothes if you spill them while eating a Chinese takeaway or a salad. They are best avoided if you want to keep your smile bright." (credit:Maximilian Stock Ltd. via Getty Images)

Curry(04 of10)

"All Indian food which is rich in colour is bad for your teeth. It tends to be made with lots of artificial colouring. Go easy on turmeric when you are making a curry at home or doing other spicing." (credit:Andrea Pistolesi via Getty Images)

Ice Lollies(05 of10)

“Lollies contain colourants that will transfer to the teeth and embed in the porous enamel.” (credit:Iryna Melnyk via Getty Images)

Fruit Tea(06 of10)

"We all know that tea and coffee can stain our teeth but this is not just confined to regular teas and coffee - all types of tea stain your teeth, particularly fruit based teas: green tea and strawberry and raspberry teas. They are rich in colour and rich in tannins which leave surface staining on your teeth." (credit:beyond foto via Getty Images)

Pickles(07 of10)

“Again it is the acid - which makes your teeth vulnerable to staining.” (credit:meteo021 via Getty Images)

Berries(08 of10)

“Strawberries, raspberries and blueberries - all berries rich in colour should be avoided if you want a bright smile. The acid and the strong colours easily stain your teeth.” (credit:FlorianTM via Getty Images)

Cola(09 of10)

“They are highly acidic and rich in colour - very bad for staining.” (credit:Judy Unger via Getty Images)

Tomato Ketchup(10 of10)

“Ketchup is acidic and rich in colour - not good for teeth staining. Just think how tough it is to get a ketchup stain of a t-shirt. It’s the same with your teeth.” (credit:Ryuhei Shindo via Getty Images)

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