Survey finds young Scots have poor dental hygiene

The recent results of the Scottish Health Survey show that only 88 per cent of Scots aged 16 years and over possess some of their natural teeth, which misses the target set for this year by two per cent.

The NHS Live Well website suggests that the oral hygiene in early years of life has a great effect on the dental health in later stages, with unhealthy diet seen as one of the main causes of tooth decay.

The survey carried out on adult Scots finds that those aged 16 to 24 are less likely to restrict sugar intake than those aged 25 to 64.

The NHS stresses the importance of regular check-ups to deal with any dental problems and prevent potential ones in the future. Despite these being free of charge for students in Scotland, many still miss out on visiting the dentist, due to cost (13 per cent say it is too expensive), getting suitable appointment times (14 per cent), commuting (9 per cent) and getting time off work (8 per cent).

On top of these, familiarity with the practice seems to affect the regularity of students’ visits, especially for those living away from home. A University of Edinburgh student said: “I don't know where the nearest dentist is or how you register. And I don't trust dentists round here anyway, so I only visit one when I'm back at home.”

Emma Conroy from Edinburgh Nutrition, told The Journal: “Sugar is without question, terribly bad for teeth. Fizzy drinks are doubly bad because they are already acidic, and the sugar they contain produces more acid when consumed by bacteria in the mouth.”

“Stress is another factor impacting students,” said Dr Nigel Carter, Chief Executive of the British Dental Health Foundation when speaking to The Journal.

“Despite the demands of studying, students need to allow time to relax as stress can have a detrimental impact on dental health, and therefore a negative effect on their general body health. It has been found that stress can cause tension in the jaw and also lead to the grinding of teeth, known as bruxism, which in turn can lead to damage to the teeth or headaches and migraines.

“A final problem is the risk of mouth cancer. Although, the disease is more common in people over 40, more and more young people are being diagnosed. The key risk factors are smoking and drinking. Students in Scotland are particularly at risk, as Scotland has the highest mouth cancer incidence rate of the whole UK.”

The British Dental Health Foundation advise that a healthy, balanced diet is key to healthy teeth and new research has suggested that an increase in Omega-3, found in fish and eggs, and food high in fibre, such as nuts, seeds, whole wheat pasta and brown rice, will help decrease risks of mouth and other types of cancer.