Tens of thousands of children may suffer from decaying teeth, and the number of in-hospital extractions drops by more than half during the Covid pandemic
Procedures for young people up to the age of 19 hit an all-time low in 2020-21
Public health directors suggest this could contribute to NHS dentistry crisis
The government is urged to support oral hygiene in school-age children
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Tens of thousands of children may suffer from decaying teeth – while the number of in-hospital extractions has fallen by more than half during the Covid pandemic.
Procedures for under-19s hit an all-time low in 2020-21, with 35,000 fewer surgeries compared to the previous year — a 55 percent drop.
According to data from the Office for Health Improvement and Disparities, there were only 22,549 hospital extractions performed under general anesthesia in 2020-21, compared to 55,137 the previous year.
Tens of thousands of children may suffer from decaying teeth – number of in-hospital extractions has fallen by more than half during the Covid pandemic
Public health directors at councils are concerned that the dramatic reduction suggests that many extractions that would have taken place during the pandemic were postponed or canceled – the crisis is compounded by NHS dentistry.
The Local Government Association is urging the government to use the fall statement to provide long-term funding for public health services, including support for oral hygiene in school-age children to take the pressure off an already overburdened system.
Procedures for under-19s hit an all-time low in 2020-21, with 35,000 fewer surgeries compared to the previous year – a 55 percent drop
David Fothergill, of the LGA, said: ‘It is alarming that there could be children whose teeth are left to rot as hospitals work on a growing backlog of procedures.
“It is very concerning that the type of dental treatment required is beyond the capacity of a local dentist due to the severity of the decay…”
Eddie Crouch, of the British Dental Association, said: ‘The Prime Minister … and his Chancellor have the power to take this service off the brink or condemn it to oblivion.’
The Ministry of Health said: ‘We are committed to improving dental health across the country.’