MORE than a third of 12-year-olds say they have been embarrassed to smile or laugh due to how they felt about the condition of their teeth, research has found.

Figures released by the Health and Social Care Information Centre (HSCIC) also show that nearly half of eight-year-olds have decay in their milk teeth.

Dr Sandra White, director of dental public health at Public Health England (PHE), said: “Children from low-income families are twice as likely to have tooth decay, which is not only painful but affects their confidence and self-esteem.”