Thousands of adults and children in Brighton and Hove are potentially putting their health at risk because they are not seeing a dentist regularly.
Latest figures show 147,826 people saw an NHS dentist in the two years leading up to March this year, compared to 154,846 in the two years before March 2006.
This was when a new charging system was introduced, which led to large numbers of dentists leaving the NHS, making it more difficult for people to get an appointment.
New practices have been set up in the city since and services expanded in a bid to increase the number of people getting treatment.
In East Sussex the number of people using a dentist rose from 288,136 to 295,961 and in West Sussex it increased from 420,767 to 434,006.
Routine check-ups are recommended as they can detect cavities, gum disease and mouth cancer.
To find your nearest NHS dentist, call 0300 1000 899.
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