Cardiff/Swansea - Nibbling away at tooth decay

Dentists in Wales are investigating the effectiveness of two methods of preventing child tooth decay in a £1 million project that they hope will be of benefit to deprived communities. Despite an overall decline in dental decay in recent years, 57 per cent of 15-year-old Britons still require a filling or extraction, with the proportion three times higher in the most disadvantaged communities than in the most affluent. The study, carried out by researchers at the universities of Cardiff and Swansea, will establish whether fissure sealants or fluoride varnish - both of which are used by the NHS - are more effective in preventing decay.