Almost 50,000 children aged 0 to 19 had a tooth extraction in NHS hospitals last financial year, according to newly-released data.
More than 30,000 of these extractions were due to a primary diagnosis of tooth decay – 62% of the total. While the number of extractions due to tooth decay had decreased by 2% the previous year, the total number of childhood extractions had increased by 3%.
Significant geographical disparity was also identified by the research. The highest rates of childhood extraction were found in Yorkshire and the Humber, at 454 per 100,000 zero to 19-year-olds. The lowest were in the east Midlands, at 70 per 100,000 children.
Decay-related extraction levels were 3.5 times higher in the most deprived areas compared to the least.
Tooth decay remains the most common reason for hospitalisation of children aged between five and nine.
The Department of Health and Social Care estimates that childhood tooth extraction cost the NHS £74.8 million in total during this period. For decay-related extraction, the figure was £45.8 million.
Extraction levels are a ‘horror story’
Care minister Stephen Kinnock described the findings as a ‘horror story’ and a ‘truly Dickensian state of affairs’. Speaking to Dentistry.co.uk, he said: ‘We know that poor oral health will affect children’s ability to eat, learn and socialise.
‘But today’s data also shows that £45 million of taxpayers hard-earned money was spent last year on removing teeth affected by decay which is almost always preventable. That equates to more than £125,000 for every day of the year.
‘We will not compromise when it comes to children’s health. We will provide families with the support they need to ensure good habits continue at home, setting children up for a lifetime of good oral health to prevent problems we see far too often.’
The MP also commented on the ‘disastrous state’ of NHS dentistry. He said: ‘Shocking photos of patients in Bristol, queuing in the bitter winter weather, desperate to see a dentist.
‘Patients taking matters into their own hands to take their teeth out. And now, in some parts of the country, almost two-thirds of children with rotten teeth.’
Making NHS more appealing
Stephen Kinnock pledged to ‘get the nation smiling once again’, naming several government plans to improve oral health and NHS dentistry. These were:
- An extra 700,000 urgent dental appointments, announced last week
- A focus on prevention through supervised toothbrushing programmes
- Reform of the NHS dental contract
- The ‘golden hello’ scheme offering dentists a one-off £20,000 payment to relocate to underserved areas.
The British Dental Association said: ‘Progress is now urgently required on promises to reform the broken contract.’
Stephen Kinnock added: ‘We will also bring forward the changes needed to reform the contract for our dentists, making NHS work more appealing to get patients the care they deserve.’
Follow Dentistry.co.uk on Instagram to keep up with all the latest dental news and trends.
