More than 25,000 children had decaying teeth removed in hospital last year, figures suggest. Data from the Government’s Office for Health Improvement & Disparities shows that 42,180 operations for tooth extraction took place in NHS hospitals in England in 2021/22 for youngsters aged 19 and under.
Of these, 26,741 had a main diagnosis of tooth decay, representing 63% of tooth extractions for the age group. Tooth decay is the most common reason for hospital admission in children aged six to 10.
Overall, there was an 83% increase in extractions for tooth decay compared with 2020/21, though the report said “this increase is likely to reflect a partial recovery of hospital services following the Covid-19 pandemic”. The data showed that children living in the most deprived communities are around 3.5 times more likely to have teeth out due to decay than those in the most affluent areas.
