Number of children having rotten teeth pulled in English hospitals rises by 17%
The number of children having rotten teeth extracted in English hospitals has risen by 17%, with two-thirds of these extractions due to tooth decay, government figures show.
According to figures published by the Office for Health Improvement and Disparities, more than 47,580 tooth extractions took place in NHS hospitals across England in the period 2022-2023 for patients aged 19 and under. Of these, 66% were due to a primary diagnosis of tooth decay.
On average, 119 extractions take place across England every working day, costing £40.7 million a year.
The government this week published its long-awaited dental recovery plan, promising to give NHS dentists a ‘new patient’ payment of between £15 and £50 to help care for the 1 million patients who will be without a dentist in two years seen. years or more.
The plan was heavily criticized by experts, with the British Dental Association saying it was merely “rearranging the deckchairs” and would not “stop the exodus from the workforce or offer hope to millions of people struggling to access concern”.
The BDA also said that the Dental budget of £3 billion has remained static for ten years and has not taken into account inflation and rising demand. It is said that cuts of more than £1 billion have been made in real terms since 2010.
Four in five dentists in England are not taking new NHS patients and 71.1% are not accepting children, according to Labor Party analysis. Tooth decay is the most common reason children between the ages of five and nine are admitted to hospital.
Dr. Charlotte Eckhardt, Dean of the Faculty of Dental Surgery at the Royal College of Surgeons of England, said: “The latest figures are a sobering reminder of the prevalence of tooth decay, something that is largely preventable. The 17% jump in the rate of tooth decay-related extractions in hospitals for 0 to 19 year olds underlines the urgent need for improved access to NHS dentists.
“Children and young people should be encouraged to brush their teeth regularly with fluoride toothpaste, visit the dentist and eat fewer sugary foods that can lead to decay. The data exposes the vast inequalities in dental care and the enormous costs to the NHS, with the rate of tooth decay-related episodes among children and young people in the most deprived communities almost three and a half times higher than among those living in the most affluent communities. communities.”
David Fothergill, chairman of the Local Government Association’s community wellbeing board, said: “These grim figures show that a lack of access to affordable dentistry is having a worrying impact on the condition of children’s teeth.
“The fact that, due to the severity of tooth decay, an average of 119 operations per day are taking place to remove decaying teeth in children and teenagers is worrying and also contributes to the current pressure on our healthcare system.”
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