Tuesday 10 May 2022 05:08 PM 20,000 children with rotten teeth missed out on agony-relieving op during Covid trends now
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Child tooth extractions fell by more than half in the first year in the pandemic, as dentists warn youngsters have been left in pain waiting for treatment.
Official figures released today show just 14,615 under-19s in England had teeth removed due to tooth decay in the first year of the pandemic, 20,000 (58.5 per cent) fewer than one year earlier.
Health chiefs do not publish data on the number of children waiting in the queue for tooth removal.
But the British Dental Association (BDA) say the 'collapse' of the service does not 'reflect any change in the demand' for the operations, which take place in hospitals under general anaesthetic.
They have called for 'full disclosure' on how many youngsters are waiting for tooth extraction as well as a 'properly funded plan' to address the backlog.
Tens of thousands of
