A Birmingham dentist with 40 years of experience has issued a stark warning about a child dental health crisis, revealing that he has treated children as young as three with teeth completely rotted to the gum. Dr Muslim Khoja, principal practitioner at Lozells Road Dental Practice, blames child poverty for the alarming rise in severe decay.
Shocking Cases of Tooth Decay
Dr Khoja reports seeing children whose milk teeth are so decayed that they are "completely rotten all level to the gum level." Many of these young patients require their first set of teeth to be removed under sedation. The problem is not limited to toddlers; children as young as 11 are also needing permanent teeth extracted. Dr Khoja describes this as "very strange" and "very rare," noting that teeth intended to last 80 to 90 years are being removed in early adolescence.
Parental Responsibility and Poverty
Dr Khoja emphasises that teaching dental hygiene is a parent's duty, stressing the importance of ensuring children have proper toothbrushes and toothpaste and learn to use them correctly. However, he attributes the most severe cases to child poverty, observing that siblings often present with similar dental problems. He admits finding it "gutting" to see such young children requiring extractions, questioning how they will care for their permanent teeth if they cannot maintain their milk teeth.
A Call for Action
The dentist's warning highlights a growing crisis in Birmingham's child dental health, with poverty identified as a key factor. Dr Khoja urges parents to prioritise dental care and calls for broader support to address the underlying issues of child poverty that contribute to this preventable condition.
