Improving the Oral Health

of Children

Developing best practice in the acute hospital setting

James RobinsonEquality and Inclusion Facilitator

Alison FenwickDental Therapist

Royal Hospital for Sick ChildrenLothian University Hospitals

Edinburgh, Scotland, UK

Scotland’s Dental Health Inspection 2003 Dental Health Service Research Unit, University of Dundee

Degree of Dental Health by Health Board

• Each year over 250,000 teeth are extracted from Scottish school children

• Dental extraction is the largest single reason for children receiving general anaesthesia in hospital

• By age 14 years 68% of Scottish school children have decay in their adult teeth

Dental health has shown no sign of improvementN

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Scotland’s Dental Health Inspection 2003 Dental Health Service Research Unit, University of Dundee

Based on 98% of 10,080 children surveyed

Dental health shows clear linkages with deprivation levels

Actions to improve dental health

• Great deal of effort to encourage good dental health

• Scottish Intercollegiate Guidelines Network

• Community based

• Schools

Best practice statement for oral health care in hospital setting

• Joint effort to encourage and support action by hospital staff

• Brings together staff from the three Scottish Children’s hospitals

• Edinburgh• Glasgow• Aberdeen

Children’s unit of a major teaching hospital, Dundee Children’s unit of a district general hospital, Livingston University of Dundee, Dental Health Service Research Unit Public health practitioners

http://www.sign.ac.uk/pdf/sign47.pdf

Best practice statement for oral health care in hospital setting

Best practice statement for oral health care in hospital setting

Screening programme as part of admission procedure

Best practice statement for oral health care in hospital setting

Encouraging good oral hygiene

Encouraging healthier drink choices

Best practice statement for oral health care in hospital setting

Encouraging healthier eating choices

Best practice statement for oral health care in hospital setting

Encouraging family members to use alternative rewards and gifts

NHS Grampian ‘Toothnology’ campaign

Best practice statement for oral health care in hospital setting

Our GoalBest practice statement for oral health care in hospital setting