Poor oral health is of major national concern, with many government plans hoping to tackle the dental deserts and inadequate oral hygiene. However, a recent report has highlighted another challenge that is cause for concern: British food bank users.
Research in Gateshead, Tyne and Wear, found horror studies where people were performing their own dentistry as they were unable to seek help. The report shows that tackling the poor oral health of food bank users should be an integral part of the council’s anti-poverty strategy.
As of 2024-2025, food banks in Gateshead have supplied emergency food parcels to nearly 8,000 people. But among the noted stories from food bank clients, one person had to refuse a bag of apples as they did not have the teeth to bite into them. Such circumstances can then limit the foods that are available to the impoverished, making it a greater challenge to ensure that everyone has food that they are able to eat.
The research was undertaken by Dr Kate Haddow. She elaborated: “This was about me going into the food bank and saying ‘how can you guys, as experts, help me going forward and how can we work together to build on what the council wants to do?’. After many debates we decided that the poor health of the food bank visitors was the priority. It was evident that people are in poor physical and mental health, and there is a real interest in the poor oral health of food bank clients.”
One limiting factor is that the report on the council’s current food bank collaboration does not show the full extent of food insecurity. What the Gateshead report emphasises is that a lot of the health problems of food bank clients – be they physical, mental or oral – are likely to be even higher.
The timing of the report comes with the opportunity to act quickly and find solutions to improve dental care for those in poverty.
>Since you’re here, why not read about the link between childhood trauma and dentophobia?
Main image credit: Unsplash
