Dental surgeons calls for schools to go sugar-free

Dental surgeons are urging for the government to encourage all schools in England to go sugar-free in a bid to combat tooth decay.

Former Prime Minister Theresa May announced plans to improve children's oral health before leaving Downing Street, with the government producing a green paper on tackling the causes of preventable ill health. However, the Faculty of Dental Surgery says that while progress has been made, more needs to be done.

Dentists say that it is essential to cut sugar in school meals to tackle a condition affecting a quarter of five-year-olds, with dental surgeons also seeking more supervised teeth-brushing in schools and guidelines on healthy packed lunches.

The Faculty of Dental Surgery has produced a report containing 12 recommendations to try to cut down on cases of tooth decay, including: all schools in England to introduce supervised teeth-brushing schemes, as exist in Scotland and Wales, before 2022; extending the soft-drinks levy to include sugary dairy drinks; and encouraging all schools to become ‘sugar-free’.

Michael Escudier, dean of the Faculty of Dental Surgery at the Royal College of Surgeons of England, said: "It is incredibly worrying that levels of tooth decay among children in England remain so high - especially when you consider that it is almost entirely preventable through simple steps, such as brushing twice a day with appropriate-strength fluoride toothpaste, visiting the dentist regularly and reducing sugar consumption."