NHS campaign encourages Essex children to smile brightly

The campaign aims to empower parents and carers of young children to adopt good oral health habits in their children to ensure a lifetime of healthy smiles.

Sophia Morris, a dentist and clinical lead for NHS Mid and South Essex, said, “Tooth decay leading to early teeth extraction in children is entirely preventable for all children no matter where they live. Our goal is to equip more families and children with the tools and knowledge to minimise tooth decay and to help reduce the number of children needing teeth extracted.

“The campaign is particularly important in Mid and South Essex where our data shows that we have some areas of high need. We are seeing more and more children experiencing significant levels of tooth decay, with children aged 10 years and under having teeth removed under general anaesthetic.