IT'S all smiles after a report that shows the dental health of Chorley's 12 year-olds is getting better.

Following a survey of 95,000 children, the North West Dental Public Health Resource Centre says that levels of tooth decay have fallen by over a third in the past eight years in the North West.

And the centre says it's all thanks to schools, the NHS and community dentists working in partnership to see more than 10,000 children in nearly every secondary school in the region.

However, despite the improvements, North West children's teeth are in a worse state than others.

Compared to the West Midlands, where the water has been fluoridated since the late 1960s, there is still twice as much decay in the North West as there should be.

On average, Chorley's 12-year-olds have 1.24 decayed, missing or filled teeth compared to a national average of 0.97.

Dr Gary Whittle, consultant in dental public health at South Lancashire Health Authority, said: "All the health authorities in Lancashire and Greater Manchester asked North West Water to fluoridate its water ten years ago, but they refused.

"At the moment the Government is in the process of putting together a white paper on health. We hope there will be something to convince North West Water, for the health of the children in the region, they need to get fluoride in the water to take away the pain and discomfort of rotten teeth."

John Carberry, spokesman for North West Water, said: "We have been approached in the past, but the company takes the view that it's not a matter that we should decide upon, it's a matter for the Government.

"Fluoridating water is not a simple matter and isn't a regulatory requirement. We have no plans to introduce additional fluoride outside those areas that have it."

The report also outlined a shortage in the number of dentists in the region. This is, according to Dr Whittle, due to the fact that the majority of people who study dentistry at university are from outside the North West who then return to their home town to work.

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