Generation GAP

48,000 kids had teeth pulled in a year as NHS dental hell grows

- MARTIN BAGOT

THE lack of NHS dentists due to chronic Tory underfunding is hitting children's oral hygiene the hardest, experts have warned.

Last year, the number of youngsters needing teeth pulled in hospitals surged to 48,000 - with two-thirds due to decay. And 70% of surgeries refuse to accept under-18s as new NHS patients.

British Dental Association chair Eddie Crouch said of the shocking statistics: "The oral health gap is widening for our youngest patients." Office for Health Improvement and Disparities figures show tooth extractions for under-18s surged by 17% in England during 2022/23. There were 119 operations a day for decay.

Many involved multiple removals on the same patient. The Local Government Association compiled the data. Board chairman David Fothergill said: "These stark figures reveal a lack of access to affordable dentistry is having a worrying impact on the state of children's teeth.