There were 49,112 tooth extractions for children in hospital in 2023/24, the equivalent of 134 a day, new official figures reveal.
© jarmoluk/pixabay
The data also shows that the costs to the NHS was £74.8m for all tooth extractions.
Liberal Democrat health and social care spokesperson Helen Morgan, said: ‘This dental decay epidemic is leaving children in pain and parents sick with worry. It is utterly harrowing to see this many children being failed by the broken dental care system.'
She added: ‘The government needs to get a grip of this scandal to ensure everyone that needs a dentist appointment can get one.'
A raft of reforms announced today amount to the ‘most significant modernisation of the NHS dental contract in years’, the Government has claimed.
The Liberal Democrats have called on the Government to set up a £90m winter discharge unit after revealing patients were waiting months to leave hospital.
Surgeons have warned the Governments pledge on waiting lists will be ‘near impossible’ without investment in operating theatres and surgical staff.
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