British Asian Children Miss Dental Checkups
May 31st, 2009
Research has shown that British children from Bangladeshi, Indian and Pakistani backgrounds visit NHS dentists less often than any other ethnic group.
Around three quarters of all under 16s in England have been for check ups in the past year, but the figures for children from all British Asian groups indicate they use NHS dental care less frequently.
The Department of Health (DoH) said that cultural and economic reasons were behind the statistics and suggested that the Asian community used dental services in a different way, such as only visiting the dentists when they have a problem, rather than for routine check ups.
According to the research Bangladeshi children from deprived backgrounds were the least likely to use NHS dentists, with just under half of children having visited a dentist in the past year.
Health experts believe that lack of information in the Asian community is part of the problem — for example many parents do not realise that NHS dental care is free for under 18s.
The DoH is trying to tackle this problem and is producing a set of guidelines for all Primary Care Trusts across the country, incorporating ideas about how best to promote these health issues to the Asian community.
It is hoped this initiative will promote the importance of routine dental check ups in preventing dental problems such as tooth decay and gum disease, and encourage the Asian community to bring their children more regularly.
A strategy to prevent dental disease, with information outlining effective oral hygiene, is also being sent to all dental surgeries in England.
Source: muslimnews.co.uk
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