NEARLY one in five three-year-olds in Bury suffers from tooth decay, according to new statistics.

The figures, published by Public Health England (PHE), show 18.41 per cent of 209 three-year-olds surveyed in Bury have decaying teeth, as parents increasingly give their children sugary snacks and drinks.

This figure is above the national average, which stands at 11.7 per cent, and also above the North West average, of 14.3 per cent.

Bury is the fifth in a table of the 10 Greater Manchester boroughs, with Oldham topping the list with 30.37 per cent of three-year-olds surveyed suffering from tooth decay.

The figures also show that on average, three-year-olds in Bury have about three decayed teeth.

Youngsters had their teeth examined in their nursery, children’s centre or playgroup during 2012/13, to form Public Health England’s first national survey of tooth decay in three-year-olds.

A survey of teeth decay in five-year-olds was conducted in 2012, which found 33.5 per cent of children surveyed were suffering from tooth decay.

PHE leaders have called on parents to reduce the amount of sugary drinks and food that the children consume, and for children to brush their teeth twice a day with fluoride toothpaste, as soon as their first tooth appears.

Lesley Jones, director of public health for Bury, said the figures were worrying, but that plans are in place to deal with the problem.

She said: “Any level of tooth decay among young children is a big concern. It causes unnecessary pain and suffering to children and can lead to the need for hospital treatment.

“Whilst we have programmes in place to promote good oral health, we will be working with Public Health England in light of this survey to review current practice and see what more can be done.

“The best thing parents can do is to minimise the frequency and amount of sugary food and drinks children have and establish good tooth brushing routines as soon as a baby’s first tooth appears.”

Adam Nulty, a dentist who runs Ramsbottom Dental Surgery, in Bridge Street, said tooth decay is a visible problem in his surgery.

He said: “There are more and more kids who come in and being seen by the dentist for the first time, and have an awful lot of problems.

“I recently saw a girl, who is about nine-year-old, who had nine fillings. For me, that is a gross form of neglect, but sometimes parents can’t get their children in to a dentist to get it corrected.”

Historically, Bury has had problems with tooth decay, with a survey published in 2003 by the British Dental Association finding that Bury children’s teeth were the worst in the country.

Dr Sandra White, director of dental public health at PHE, added: “While there have been significant improvements to the nation’s oral health, some areas still experience problems with tooth decay among young children.

“Tooth decay is an entirely preventable disease, which can be very painful and even result in a child having teeth removed under general anaesthetic, which is stressful for children and parents alike.”