Millions of people across the UK are living with preventable dental problems because oral health has been “pushed down the list of health priorities for too long”, the Oral Health Foundation has warned.
The charity says years of poor access to dental care and a lack of focus on prevention are leaving children and adults in pain from problems that could often be avoided.
The consequences are already being felt across the country.
Tooth decay remains the leading cause of hospital admissions among children aged six to ten in England, with thousands needing treatment under general anaesthetic each year. At the same time, gum disease affects around one-in-two adults, making it one of the most widespread health conditions in the UK.
Experts say many of these problems are preventable – yet millions continue to suffer because oral health has not received the attention it deserves.
Dr Ben Atkins, dentist and trustee of the Oral Health Foundation, said oral health has been treated as an afterthought within the wider healthcare system.
“The result is that many people are living with pain, struggling to eat and drink or feeling embarrassed about their smile – all because of problems that could often be prevented,” he says.
“A healthy mouth allows people to eat comfortably, speak clearly and smile with confidence. When oral health suffers, it can affect every part of daily life.”
The charity is using World Oral Health Day, taking place today [20 March 2026], to highlight the need for greater focus on oral health throughout life.
This year’s campaign theme – “A Happy Mouth Is… A Happy Life” – emphasises the role oral health plays in wellbeing from childhood through to older age.
Dr Atkins adds: “Looking after your mouth doesn’t require complicated solutions. Brushing twice a day with fluoride toothpaste, cutting down on sugar and visiting a dental professional regularly can make a huge difference.
“But people must also be able to access the care and advice they need to protect their oral health throughout their lives.”
However, the charity says improving oral health across the country will require more than individual action.
Millions of people are struggling to access NHS dental care, with increasing numbers turning to private treatment as appointments become harder to find.
Recent figures show around £900 million in unused NHS dental funding has been returned to government in recent years through the so-called “clawback” system – money originally intended for patient care.
Dr Rachael England, Head of Policy and Advocacy at the Oral Health Foundation, said returning such large sums of funding while patients struggle to access care shows the system is not working.
“The fact that hundreds of millions of pounds meant for dentistry are being handed back while patients struggle to find an NHS appointment shows something is clearly wrong,” she says.
The charity says the underlying problem lies in the current NHS dental contract, which many dentists argue does not properly support prevention or modern dental care.
“The current contract simply isn’t fit for purpose,” Dr England adds. “It discourages prevention and does not support dentists to deliver the kind of care patients need.”
In the meantime, the Oral Health Foundation says immediate action is needed to ensure funding intended for dentistry is used to improve oral health outcomes.
The charity is calling for any clawed-back NHS dental funding to be reinvested directly into the dental system, with a stronger focus on prevention and reaching people most at risk.
This could include expanding preventive programmes, increasing flexible commissioning to treat high-need patients, and directing more support into community dental services.
Dr England says: “If money allocated to dentistry cannot be spent because the system isn’t working properly, the solution cannot be to simply return it to the Treasury.
“That funding should be reinvested into prevention, targeted care for vulnerable groups and community dentistry – areas where it can make a real difference to people’s lives.”
The Oral Health Foundation is using World Oral Health Day to urge policymakers, health professionals and communities to put oral health higher on the national agenda – calling for stronger prevention programmes, better access to care and urgent reform of the NHS dental system.
