A man from Newquay who grew up in care is lending his voice to new research calling for better access to oral health care for care-experienced young people.

Lawrence Lloyd, a lead youth worker at Carefree Cornwall, has spoken out after research showed care-experienced children and young people are more likely to have poor oral health and are less likely to go to the dentist than people who haven’t been in care.

This can result not only in bad teeth, but other long-term health and social issues.

Now the University of Plymouth has embarked on new research to explore the reasons underpinning why this is the case with a view to finding solutions.

Mr Lloyd, who entered the care system aged nine, contributed to the recent study as his knowledge of oral health and the importance of toothbrushing was non-existent until he moved to live with relatives in Newquay.

Keen that others see the value of basic oral hygiene, Mr Lloyd now takes a strong interest in his teeth and wider health of those he supports in his job.

Mr Lloyd said: “Looking back, oral health simply wasn’t something that was prioritised when I was growing up.

“Basic things like having an appropriate toothbrush or developing a daily routine around brushing just weren’t in place.

“My toothbrush was so worn and well-used that it wasn’t suitable for daily brushing. People don’t realise that the health of your mouth is an indicator of overall health, so by keeping it healthy it can prevent additional problems.”

“My early experiences are a big part of why I now recognise the importance of good oral health and why I’ve been keen to contribute to research like this, while also being open to discussing these issues with the young people I work with today.

“The more we can do to promote good oral health care among children in care, and care leavers, the better.

“When I moved to Cornwall, agencies really cared and wanted to help with my oral health and ensure we could access the support we needed. I now want to translate that care and ambition into action – not just for us, but for all care experienced children across the UK.”

The University of Plymouth’s research took place to understand if and how care experienced children and young people look after their oral health, how easy it is for them to visit the dentist and what happens to them when they get there.

Crucially, it’s the first study of its kind to involve care experienced young people directly, as well as health professionals.

The research showed that barriers range from systemic issues such as lack of appointment availability to more situational issues such as a lack of stability.

The feedback has now resulted in a policy brief containing co-designed recommendations on the areas that need to be addressed, which include strengthening oral health training and education.

Ensuring timely and professional dental assessments, optimising treatment pathways, creating trauma-informed clinic environments and enhancing oral health support for care leavers.