The Lib Dems said the number of people under 18 attending A&E due to tooth decay had grown by 18% since 2019 with 16,100 attendances last year.

Liberal Democrat health and social care spokesperson, Helen Morgan, called for ‘a complete overhaul of the dental contract to boost the numbers of dentists and appointments and finally rid this country of dental deserts'.

The Lib Dems are also urged the Government to introduce an emergency scheme to guarantee access to free NHS dental check-ups for those already eligible, including children and new mothers.

FOI requests showed 2,800 children attended A&E due to tooth decay last year.

Northumbria Healthcare Trust saw the largest rise in the number of A&E attendances due to tooth decay, going from 126 in 2019 to 177 in 2024.

North West Anglia's Trust saw a 40-fold rise in all cases, going from just 6 in 2019 to 238 last year. 

In total, at least 93,400 patients have gone to A&E due to issues relating to tooth decay since 2019.

A spokesperson for Northumbria Healthcare Trust said: 'This is a really challenging time for emergency care and dentistry and we are aware this is a particular issue in some of our rural communities. We have just made a significant investment in our dentistry and oral surgery department for those who have needs that can't be accommodated by high street dentists.

'Our local ICB are also aware of the issues across the region and are investing in dentistry during 2025/26.'