‘Half of Irish children have tooth decay by age 12’

A study conducted by the Government’s Oral Health Research Unit has found that half of Irish children have some level of tooth decay by the time they reach 12 years of age.

The research, which was released during the launch of Oral Health Month today, also found that 16% of eight-year-olds already had decay in their permanent teeth.

Dental decay was found to be worst among children who benefit from the medical card scheme.

The growing consumption of convenience foods has been highlighted as a major cause of the problem.