YOUNGSTERS in East Lancashire have some of the 'sweetest teeth' in the UK.

But their weakness for sugar is leaving them down in the mouth.

Local children have one of the highest rates of tooth decay in the country.

Public health chiefs have outlined reasons for the rotten teeth which include children putting too much sugar in their tea and coffee.

They also consume almost twice as many cans of fizzy drink.

East Lancashire Health Authority is stepping up its campaign to improve the poor dental health of children in the district.

The area lags at the bottom of the dental health national league tables for both 14-year-olds and five-year-olds.

Health bosses want to raise awareness about the appalling state of children's teeth in the district.

They have suggested ways of improving oral health, including reducing the consumption and frequency of sugar-containing food and drink. Public health workers have also revealed that local people spend less on toothpaste than the more prosperous southern regions.

Dr Gary Whittle, consultant in dental public health, said: "As a result East Lancashire children suffer a great deal of toothache and many of them have teeth extracted under general anaesthesia, which in itself carries health risks.

"In 1994/95 42 East Lancashire children in every 1,000 had a dental general anaesthetic, twice the naitonal average."

A dental health working group has published a discussion paper, Dental Health in Children, which is aiming to raise awareness of the poor state of children's health.

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