A new varnish treatment is helping reduce tooth decay in Warrington.

Dentists in Warrington are offering fluoride varnish treatments to children in the area to help tackle tooth decay, it has been revealed.

The procedure has been shown to reduce problems with tooth decay by between 30 to 40 per cent in some children, helping many avoid a trip to the emergency dentist with toothache.

Kerry Davis, NHS Warrington’s acting primary care lead, said: “Dentists … responded positively to the new scheme and [are] now using it twice as much as the rest of the dentists in the north-west.”

Elsewhere, a survey of 3,000 children in New Hampshire recently showed the economic downturn has actually prompted an improvement in the oral health of the majority of children in the state.

Dr Jose Montero, director of public health, noted a push towards healthy eating at home has had a definite positive impact over the last 12 months.