Poor oral health hitting food bank users

Food bank clients often suffer from poor oral health

Tackling the poor oral health of food bank users should be part of a council's anti-poverty strategy, a report has found.

Research found "horror stories" of people in Gateshead performing their own dentistry, with one food bank client having to refuse a bag of apples due to having no teeth.

According to Gateshead Council figures, as of 2024/25 alone, food banks have helped 7,891 people with emergency food parcels.

However, as well as food insecurity, there were concerns some of those needing help were also suffering from poor mental and physical health.

The Local Democracy Reporting Service said Gateshead Council's health and wellbeing board was told research was ongoing about how best to help.

Lead researcher Dr Kate Haddow said: "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."

The report on the council's current food bank collaboration also states official statistics do not show the full extent of food insecurity.

The report reads: "This only accounts for a part of the picture of food aid, with some food aid outlets not covered.

"Therefore, food insecurity is likely to be higher than evidence shows."

It is hoped the report will help form the council's anti-poverty strategy and help the work of a "food steering group" within the local authority.