Rise in number of children in England having decayed teeth extracted in hospital

Lianne Scott-Munden, clinical services lead at Denplan from Simplyhealth, said: “These findings highlight the scale of the challenge faced by both patients and the dentistry sector across the country.

“Preventable dental disease continues to cost the NHS millions each year, and more importantly, it is harming children and leaving them vulnerable to long-term dental and wider health problems.

“Regular and proper toothbrushing is a vital skill that must be taught from a young age and initiatives such as BrightBites, which is helping thousands of children across the country to develop healthy dental habits, demonstrate the real impact that prevention focused programmes can have.

“However, with the number of tooth extractions among those aged up to 19 still rising, we must remain focused on ensuring that urgent care and preventative care are equally prioritised.

“Urgent and meaningful reform that reflects how the dental sector operates whilst supporting both patients and practitioners, and embedding prevention at its heart is essential.

“We know that young people living in the most deprived communities face the greatest barriers to care and are more than three times more likely to have a tooth extracted due to decay than those in more affluent areas.

“Ensuring nationwide access to suitable dental care and removing the barriers that prevent everyday people from receiving timely, frequent treatment is vital.

“Policymakers, dental professionals and the wider healthcare system must continue to champion long-term, prevention led solutions that improve oral health outcomes for everyone.”