Asked by: Lord Colwyn (Conservative - Excepted Hereditary)
Question to the Department of Health and Social Care:
To ask Her Majesty's Government what assessment they have made of trends in primary care dental antibiotic prescribing in England since 2013.
Answered by Lord O'Shaughnessy
The English Surveillance Programme for Antimicrobial Utilisation and Resistance Report 2018 provides information on National Health Service dental prescribing in dental practices and consultations. From 2013 to 2017, the trend of antimicrobial prescriptions which includes antibiotics, continued to decrease by 24.8%. The number of daily defined doses of antimicrobials per 1,000 inhabitants per day prescribed by dentists was 0.19 in 2013 and 0.16 in 2016; with an 8.3% decrease from 2016 to 2017. The decline was largely attributed to less amoxicillin being prescribed between 2013 and 2017. A copy of the report is attached.
Information on how many children have been prescribed antibiotics or more than one course of antibiotics for dental problems in England over the last five years is not available as this data is not collected.
No assessment has been made of the potential impact of prescribing antibiotics to children who are waiting for tooth extractions due to tooth decay on their immune system and the levels of antimicrobial resistance.
Asked by: Lord Colwyn (Conservative - Excepted Hereditary)
Question to the Department of Health and Social Care:
To ask Her Majesty's Government what proportion of all antibiotic prescriptions in England were issued by general dental practitioners in each of the last five years.
Answered by Lord O'Shaughnessy
Information on the numbers of prescriptions for all antimicrobials, including antibiotics, issued by general dental practitioners is only available for the complete years of 2016 and 2017. In these years 3,198,411 and 2,977,302 National Health Service prescriptions were issued respectively.
From 2013 to 2017, the trend of antimicrobial prescriptions continued to decrease by 24.8%. The number of daily defined doses of antimicrobials per 1,000 inhabitants per day prescribed by dentists was 0.19 in 2013 and 0.16 in 2016; with an 8.3% decrease from 2016 to 2017. In the previous five years the proportions of daily defined doses of antibiotics issued by general dental practitioners out of all prescriptions, from hospital inpatients and outpatients, general medical practitioners and other community practitioners, were 4.8% in 2013, 4.8% in 2014, 4.5% in 2015, 4.6% in 2016, 5.2% in 2017.
Asked by: Lord Colwyn (Conservative - Excepted Hereditary)
Question to the Department of Health and Social Care:
To ask Her Majesty's Government how many antibiotic prescriptions were issued by general dental practitioners in England in each of the last five years.
Answered by Lord O'Shaughnessy
Information on the numbers of prescriptions for all antimicrobials, including antibiotics, issued by general dental practitioners is only available for the complete years of 2016 and 2017. In these years 3,198,411 and 2,977,302 National Health Service prescriptions were issued respectively.
From 2013 to 2017, the trend of antimicrobial prescriptions continued to decrease by 24.8%. The number of daily defined doses of antimicrobials per 1,000 inhabitants per day prescribed by dentists was 0.19 in 2013 and 0.16 in 2016; with an 8.3% decrease from 2016 to 2017. In the previous five years the proportions of daily defined doses of antibiotics issued by general dental practitioners out of all prescriptions, from hospital inpatients and outpatients, general medical practitioners and other community practitioners, were 4.8% in 2013, 4.8% in 2014, 4.5% in 2015, 4.6% in 2016, 5.2% in 2017.
Asked by: Lord Colwyn (Conservative - Excepted Hereditary)
Question to the Department of Health and Social Care:
To ask Her Majesty's Government how many patients presented to Accident and Emergency departments in England with dental problems in each of the last five years; and, in each year, how many of them were prescribed antibiotics.
Answered by Lord O'Shaughnessy
The Department does not hold information on whether patients have been prescribed antibiotics following an attendance at an accident and emergency department.
Asked by: Lord Colwyn (Conservative - Excepted Hereditary)
Question to the Department of Health and Social Care:
To ask Her Majesty's Government when the next Adult Dental Health Survey will be published.
Answered by Lord O'Shaughnessy
No decisions have been taken yet on the timing of the next Adult Dental Health Survey.
Asked by: Lord Colwyn (Conservative - Excepted Hereditary)
Question to the Department of Health and Social Care:
To ask Her Majesty's Government what assessment they have made of the prevalence of oral health problems amongst care home residents.
Answered by Lord O'Shaughnessy
The 2009 Adult Dental Health Survey contains information about the oral health of adults aged 65 and over including the proportion retaining one or more natural teeth, prevalence of tooth decay and the proportions reporting current dental pain. There has not been a subsequent national survey of this age group since then to assess whether oral health has improved or deteriorated. A copy of the Executive Summary: Adult Dental Health Survey 2009 is attached.
There has been no national assessment of the prevalence of oral health problems amongst care home residents.
In 2016, Public Health England (PHE) reported on oral health in older people in England and Wales using data from existing surveys.
The report found that older adults living in care homes were more likely to have no natural teeth and less likely to have a functional dentition; older adults living in care homes were more likely to have higher levels of tooth decay; care home managers experienced greater difficulty in accessing dental care for residents than household resident older adults did and; residents resisting oral care routines was the second most common oral health issue raised by care home managers. A copy of the report What is Known About the Oral Health of Older People in England and Wales: A review of oral health surveys of older people is attached.
In 2017, PHE reported on a nationally coordinated survey of the oral health of adults using domiciliary services in England undertaken between 2009-10 and 2010-11. Results showed that adult users of domiciliary care had fewer teeth present than their peers as reported in the 2009 Adult Dental Health Survey. A copy of the report Dental health among adults in contact with domiciliary care dental care services in England is attached.
In 2015/16, as part of the PHE National Dental Epidemiology Programme, a pilot dental survey was undertaken nationally of older people who have a mild level of dependency. The results are due to be published in summer 2018.
Asked by: Lord Colwyn (Conservative - Excepted Hereditary)
Question to the Department of Health and Social Care:
To ask Her Majesty's Government what assessment they have made of (1) standards of oral health for people aged 65 and over, and (2) whether standards of oral health have improved or deteriorated over the last five years.
Answered by Lord O'Shaughnessy
The 2009 Adult Dental Health Survey contains information about the oral health of adults aged 65 and over including the proportion retaining one or more natural teeth, prevalence of tooth decay and the proportions reporting current dental pain. There has not been a subsequent national survey of this age group since then to assess whether oral health has improved or deteriorated. A copy of the Executive Summary: Adult Dental Health Survey 2009 is attached.
There has been no national assessment of the prevalence of oral health problems amongst care home residents.
In 2016, Public Health England (PHE) reported on oral health in older people in England and Wales using data from existing surveys.
The report found that older adults living in care homes were more likely to have no natural teeth and less likely to have a functional dentition; older adults living in care homes were more likely to have higher levels of tooth decay; care home managers experienced greater difficulty in accessing dental care for residents than household resident older adults did and; residents resisting oral care routines was the second most common oral health issue raised by care home managers. A copy of the report What is Known About the Oral Health of Older People in England and Wales: A review of oral health surveys of older people is attached.
In 2017, PHE reported on a nationally coordinated survey of the oral health of adults using domiciliary services in England undertaken between 2009-10 and 2010-11. Results showed that adult users of domiciliary care had fewer teeth present than their peers as reported in the 2009 Adult Dental Health Survey. A copy of the report Dental health among adults in contact with domiciliary care dental care services in England is attached.
In 2015/16, as part of the PHE National Dental Epidemiology Programme, a pilot dental survey was undertaken nationally of older people who have a mild level of dependency. The results are due to be published in summer 2018.
Asked by: Lord Colwyn (Conservative - Excepted Hereditary)
Question to the Department of Health and Social Care:
To ask Her Majesty's Government, further to the Written Answer by Lord O'Shaughnessy on 20 December 2017 (HL3994), what was the total number of fines issued for incorrectly claiming an exemption on NHS dental fees in the first six months of the financial year 2017–18.
Answered by Lord O'Shaughnessy
The NHS Business Services Authority reports that a total of 217,539 fines were issued to patients on the grounds of incorrectly claiming an exemption from NHS Dental Patient Charges in the first six months of the financial year 2017–18.
Asked by: Lord Colwyn (Conservative - Excepted Hereditary)
Question to the Department of Health and Social Care:
To ask Her Majesty's Government what was the total number of (1) primary care courses of treatment that contained tooth extractions, and (2) teeth extracted in primary care, in each year from 2010–11 to 2016–17, for adults aged 18 and over.
Answered by Lord O'Shaughnessy
The following table shows the total number of primary care courses of treatment that contained tooth extractions, and teeth extracted in primary care, in each year from 2010–11 to 2016–17, for children aged 0–17.
Year | Course of Treatment | Teeth |
2016-17 | 513,646 | 909,745 |
2015-16 | 514,576 | 917,346 |
2014-15 | 524,163 | 946,142 |
2013-14 | 539,908 | 976,794 |
2012-13 | 533,694 | 963,514 |
2011-12 | 540,626 | 964,856 |
2010-11 | 540,689 | 964,841 |
Source: NHS Digital
The following table shows the total number of primary care courses of treatment that contained tooth extractions, and teeth extracted in primary care, in each year from 2010–11 to 2016–17, for adults aged 18 and over.
Year | Course of Treatment | Teeth |
2016-17 | 2,147,135 | 3,120,812 |
2015-16 | 2,156,023 | 3,125,999 |
2014-15 | 2,185,518 | 3,150,456 |
2013-14 | 2,226,054 | 3,217,552 |
2012-13 | 2,214,974 | 3,194,509 |
2011-12 | 2,190,245 | 3,164,881 |
2010-11 | 2,125,120 | 3,061,914 |
Source: NHS Digital
Asked by: Lord Colwyn (Conservative - Excepted Hereditary)
Question to the Department of Health and Social Care:
To ask Her Majesty's Government what was the total number of (1) primary care courses of treatment that contained tooth extractions, and (2) teeth extracted in primary care, in each year from 2010–11 to 2016–17, for children aged 0–17.
Answered by Lord O'Shaughnessy
The following table shows the total number of primary care courses of treatment that contained tooth extractions, and teeth extracted in primary care, in each year from 2010–11 to 2016–17, for children aged 0–17.
Year | Course of Treatment | Teeth |
2016-17 | 513,646 | 909,745 |
2015-16 | 514,576 | 917,346 |
2014-15 | 524,163 | 946,142 |
2013-14 | 539,908 | 976,794 |
2012-13 | 533,694 | 963,514 |
2011-12 | 540,626 | 964,856 |
2010-11 | 540,689 | 964,841 |
Source: NHS Digital
The following table shows the total number of primary care courses of treatment that contained tooth extractions, and teeth extracted in primary care, in each year from 2010–11 to 2016–17, for adults aged 18 and over.
Year | Course of Treatment | Teeth |
2016-17 | 2,147,135 | 3,120,812 |
2015-16 | 2,156,023 | 3,125,999 |
2014-15 | 2,185,518 | 3,150,456 |
2013-14 | 2,226,054 | 3,217,552 |
2012-13 | 2,214,974 | 3,194,509 |
2011-12 | 2,190,245 | 3,164,881 |
2010-11 | 2,125,120 | 3,061,914 |
Source: NHS Digital