Today marks World Oral Health Day and in the latest of our Stop the Rot reports, the campaign is sharing simple steps and measures you can take to help keep your teeth and mouth healthy.

The awareness day is organised by the International Dental Federation and aims to make oral health a priority for government and policymakers across the globe.

As part of the campaign, which has received support from the British Dental Association, Bradford MP Judith Cummins and Labour Peer Lord Roy Kennedy, the Telegraph & Argus has revealed shocking statistics on dental health in Bradford.

Figures have revealed that in the last five years – between 201/12 and 2015/16 – 3,199 children in Bradford were admitted to hospital for multiple tooth extractions. More than 70 per cent of these were primarily due to severe decay.

Based on NHS data, this cost the service in Bradford more than £2.5 million since 2011.

On a national level, the British Dental Association (BDA) has previously estimated annual costs for both adults and child patients at A&E services at £18 million and GPs at £26 million.

The BDA has called for funded emergency slots for children and adults, as well as sustained public information campaigns.

Tooth decay is the number one reason for hospital admissions among children – procedures are estimated to cost the NHS £36.2 million per year - but it is preventable and dentist leaders are campaigning Government for a contract which puts prevention first.

Henrik Overgaard-Nielsen, the BDA's chair of General Dental Practice, said: "Dentists are trained and equipped to treat oral pain. Ministers must take their share of responsibility for the fact that so many parents are now heading elsewhere when their children have problems.

"The failure to take oral health seriously is now piling pressure across our NHS. Parents and dentists are seeing no leadership here, and pharmacists and medics are struggling to fill the gap.

“Tooth decay, a wholly preventable condition, remains the number one reason for child hospital admissions.

"It's a scandal that government indifference is coming with a multi-million pound price tag."

Meanwhile, the BDA say the latest patient charge increases, which come into effect on April 1, will discourage people from seeing an NHS dentist.

The body says this will bring charges for basic check-ups to £21.60 and charges for procedures like crowns or dentures to £256.50.

Mr Overgaard Nielsen said: “Cost is a huge barrier to many patients on moderate incomes. The result is patients bottling up problems and requiring more extensive treatment, which hurts their health and costs the NHS millions.

"We are health professionals, not tax collectors. These hikes don't go to us or towards improving the services our patients receive, they simply provide cover for cuts in state contributions.

"Prevention works in dentistry, but we can't deliver that focus when Government keeps choosing quick savings over sustainable investment."

A spokesperson for the Department of Health and Social Care said:

“Dental charges remain an important contribution to the overall cost of dental services and this increase will ensure there is no shortfall in the costs paid by service users and those met by the NHS through patient contributions.

“We consistently strive for good patient access. Access to dental services continues to increase, 22.1 million adults were seen by a dentist in the 24 months ending 31 December 2017 and almost 7 million children were seen by a dentist in the 12 months ending 31 December 2017."

Tips:

• Encourage your child to brush their teeth as soon as their first teeth come through

• Take your child to the dentist when their first milk teeth appear

• Appointments for children are free

• Children should go for check-ups at least once a year, from 18 months old

• Severe decay in baby teeth can cause abscesses that can harm later, permanent teeth

• Make sure your child brushes with a fluoride toothpaste and ALWAYS supervise brushing for children under seven years old

• To help protect teeth you must brush for at least two minutes, twice a day

• Spit and do not rinse after brushing – this is so the fluoride in your toothpaste works for longer and protects your teeth better

• Nothing beats brushing. Using a mouthwash that contains fluoride can help prevent tooth decay, but it doesn’t replace brushing to ensure food build-up and plaque are removed from teeth

• Don’t use mouthwash straight after brushing teeth, or it will wash away fluoride in toothpaste

• Cleaning between teeth is important and can be done with either interdental brushes or floss

• Reduce sugary snacks and watch out for ‘hidden’ sugars in things like pure fruit juice

• And remember – teeth need to be looked after at any age. Dentures also need to be looked after and should be cleaned daily.

In Bradford, rates of decay, missing and filled teeth in children remains above regional and national averages.

The Council says oral health improvement is a “priority” in the district and commissions a range of programmes to this end, including:

• Oral health promotion by Health Visitors at six to 12 months for all infants

• Community based fluoride varnish programme for children aged two to four years

• Tooth brushing programme in 40 primary schools

• Around 1,200 children taking part in oral health programmes in Islamic schools, Mosques and Madrassas per year

• E learning packages are also being developed to ensure training on key messages for oral health improvement is available

Councillor Val Slater, Bradford Council’s Health and Wellbeing Portfolio Holder, said: “Giving children the best start in life is one reason why improving the oral health of our children remains a key public health priority for the Bradford district.

“No child should suffer from tooth decay, but it's still a significant problem nationally and it remains one of the most common reasons for hospital admissions for children aged five to nine despite the fact it is almost entirely preventable.”

“Early intervention with families is key to making sure parents and their children understand the importance of having good oral health.

“Learning to brush teeth properly with a family fluoride toothpaste as soon as they appear, reducing the amount of sugary food and drinks children consume and regular visits to a dentist are steps every parent can take to help ensure their children’s teeth remain healthy.”