Battle to beat East Lancashire tooth decay

2:30pm Thursday 8th May 2008

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By Camilla Sutcliffe »

PHARMACISTS are to receive special training in a bid to promote better teeth and gum care across East Lancashire.

Dental health in the area is a long-running cause for concern among health experts - figures from 2007 showed that 63% of Blackburn with Darwen's five-year-olds had decayed, missing or filled teeth, compared to a national average of just 33%, and a North west average of 47%.

And Blackburn with Darwen Primary Care Trust's pharmaceutical advisor Shauna Reddy has warned that poor dental health, leading to gum disease, was linked to heart disease and strokes.

To coincide with National Smile Month, which begins on May 18, Blackburn with Darwen Primary Care Trust is encouraging everyone to "brush for health".

Community pharmacists will receive training next week to give extra awareness advice.

And members of the East Lancashire Oral Health Team will visit schools across Blackburn with Darwen to presentations to children, with the theme "Don't forget your toothbrush and eat five a day".

Each child will receive a free toothbrush and toothpaste, along with a sticker chart to monitor when teeth have been brushed and how much fruit and vegetables have been eaten.

Blackburn with Darwen's Living Health specialist will talk to the children about the importance to general and oral health of replacing sugary snacks with healthy fruit.

Poor oralhealth is linked to poor diet and social deprivation in what has traditionally been a low wage area.

Mrs Reddy said: ""Pharmacies are often the first point of contact to a health professional and have a lot to contribute in ways such as promoting sugar-free medicines, being vigilant to early signs of oral cancer, signposting to NHS dental services, and promoting brushing twice a day with fluoride toothpaste.

"Oral health is a huge concern for Blackburn with Darwen. As part of Smile month we've worked collaboratively with the East Lancashire Oral Health Promotion Team to get community pharmacy staff proactively involved in promoting good oral health.

"There is an increasing body of evidence to suggest that people with gum disease are at higher risk of other problems such as heart disease, diabetes, strokes and low birth-weight babies."