Horrifying new figures have revealed just how bad our kids’ teeth are in the UK, with surgeons having to get involved to pull rotten teeth out from children’s mouths
New data has shown that over 150 kids are having to have rotten teeth pulled out in hospital every day. These figures also revealed a worrying surge in the number of extraction operations in England.
The data, provided by the Office for Health Improvement and Disparities (OHID), revealed that the number of operations needed to remove teeth in children up to the age of 19 rose by almost a fifth in the space of just one year. And it appears there is a North-South split, with the North of England being hit hardest.
A spokesperson for the British Dental Association (BDA) has described the findings as “horrific”, calling for more access to toothcare for young kids. It comes as NHS patients continue to struggle to be seen by local dentists, with many having to go private or even pull out their own teeth.
According to the Sun, the data — which was for the financial year ending in 2025 — found there was a total of 56,143 tooth extractions for the 0-19 age group. This is up some 14% on figures from last year.
Figures revealed the main cause of the operations was due to decay, where bacteria eats away at the surface of the teeth. Once your chompers have been decayed, it can cause serious pain, infections and cavities.
The problem was so widespread, according to the Hospital Episodes Statistics, that teeth issues was the most common reason children aged 0-19 were admitted to hospital. It comes amid a concerning increasing trend of teeth extractions in children.
Comparing the data to that from 2021, the rate of extractions in children has been gradually increasing over the past five years. And with the NHS dental crisis only getting worse, it appears the lack of practices taking NHS patients is even reaching the younger generations.
Concerning figures released last year found that just 2 in 5 people in England had a check-up of their teeth in the past two years. While experts at the NHS suggested the new data could be a sign of the effects of the pandemic, BDA chairman Eddie Crouch said care should be improved and expanded.
“These horrific statistics are a badge of dishonour for governments past and present,” Crouch explained. “Tooth decay can’t go unchallenged as the number one reason for child hospital admissions.
“Targeted preventive programmes are now in place, but there’s still little sign government is willing to rebuild access to care. Dentists can’t nip these problems in the bud if we don’t get to see them.”
Even within England there appeared to be a split over which areas were worse off than others. Yorkshire and the Humber topped the list, with as many as 504 extractions per 100,000 children up to the age of 19.
The North East of England and North West of England came a close second and third, with 433 and 376 cases respectively. But on the other side, the East Midlands had the fewest cases of extractions, with only 72 cases per 100,000 children.
Dr Charlotte Eckhardt, Dean of the Faculty of Dental Surgery (FDS) at the Royal College of Surgeons of England (RCS England), said: “If the government is to meet its goal of transforming the NHS dental system by 2035, it must ensure every child can see a dentist when they need to. A postcode must never dictate a child’s health.”
Ensure our latest headlines always appear at the top of your Google Search by making us a Preferred Source. Click here to activate or add us as a Preferred Source in your Google search settings.