More than one third of children in Islington have tooth and enamel decay, according to a government study of five-year-olds.
Experts say lack of access to dentistry is one of the reasons for worsening dental health.
Half of dentist surgeries in Islington are not currently accepting new NHS patients.
Health Minister Stephen Kinnock said: “It is shocking that a third of 5-year-olds in the most deprived areas have experience of tooth decay- something we know can have a lifelong impact on their health.”
Tooth decay is one of the leading causes of hospital admissions for children aged six to 10 years old.
Dr Charlotte Eckhardt, Dean of the Faculty of Dental Surgery at the Royal College of Surgeons, said: “Areas like London demonstrate how fragile improvement can be without sustained intervention.
“We need a consistent, targeted approach in hard-hit areas, with the government taking swift action to improve NHS dental access for all children.”
Last week, the government announced a supervised toothbrushing programme for children aged three to five in deprived areas.
It is providing £11m in funding for local authorities beginning in April. Schools and nurseries will be able to sign up voluntarily, and councils are to encourage take-up in the most in-need areas.
Kinnock said the government “will reform the dental contract to get dentists providing more NHS work as we fundamentally reform the sector… so it is there for patients once again”.
Government guidance suggests children should be taken to the dentist from the time their milk teeth appear.
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Clare Walsh is the beat reporter for St Mary's and St James'. She is passionate about keeping locals up to date on important stories. She is a freelance journalist, and has written for publications including Varsity and Cambridge Creatives.