Issue - meetings

To receive a report from the Consultant in Dental Public Health, PHE.

RECEIVED the briefing paper on oral health and dental services in Enfield.

NOTED the presentation by Desmond Wright, Consultant in Dental Public Health, including:

•  Dental health of children in Enfield was improving, but in relation to other London boroughs there was still work to be done.

•  Dental decay showed inequality across wards, with areas of least deprivation having the lowest levels of tooth decay.

•  The Public Health Team had commissioned a prevention programme, with an action plan being delivered by Whittington Health. Oral health promotion activities were provided at schools, children’s centres, community groups, and care homes. Additionally, a national programme was being rolled out.

IN RESPONSE, comments and questions were received, including:

1.    Members welcomed the report and were pleased to note improvements over recent years; and noted the links with obesity and other risk factors.

2.    In response to queries, it was advised that older people were retaining teeth longer, and demand for crowns, bridges and implants was growing.

3.    With loss of stay and play groups in the community, networks for sharing information with parents were lost, including appropriate advice about child dental health. Social media could sometimes contain misinformation. A child’s first dentist visit should be when the first teeth erupt. Health Visitors were being asked to distribute toothbrushing packs.

4.    It was advised that increasing fluoride levels in water in London was difficult technically and politically, but alternative measures were available including toothpaste and varnish.

AGREED that Health and Wellbeing Board noted:

•  Importance of oral health improvement programmes for children including the school fluoride varnish programme in addressing trends in dental decay.

•  Continued public health investment in oral health programmes.

•  Embedding oral health within the Health in All Policies agenda.

•  Oral health embedded within the 0-19 health visiting and school nursing contract. This includes health visitors disseminating toothbrushing packs and oral health messages.

•  Encouraging settings to sign up to Sugar Smart.

•  Embedding oral health policies within settings through healthy early years and healthy schools.

•  Oral health to be included within the Making Every Contact Count programme.