HEALTH chiefs say tackling poverty is the key to combating County Durham's appalling record on child tooth decay.

A report by the County Durham and Darlington Health Authority reveals that half of all five-year-olds have suffered some form of decay.

The report, discussed by health and education professionals at a conference in Darlington yesterday, reveals the area has one of the worst dental records in the country.

David Landes, dental health advisor for the County Durham and Darlington Health Authority, said its report identified three concerns:

* The poor diet and high sugar intake of youngsters whose families are on a low income.

* A low ratio of dentists to patients in the county.

* No fluoridation in the water, which can cut tooth decay.

Mr Landes said the health authority surveyed more than 6,000 five-year-olds across the county.

In Darlington, 56 per cent of those included in the survey had suffered some form of decay, compared with the national average of 38 per cent.

He said: "Tooth disease is increasingly linked to poverty and, unfortunately, we are in a poor area of the country.

"We have discussed concerns about the diet of young children, which tends to be very poor with high levels of sugar.

"We also have in the county not as many dentists as we would like."

Mr Landes said work would be taking place to raise awareness of the importance of an improved diet and to provide better access to health care.

He also said the authority was looking at expanding the provision of school milk