There were more than 31,000 hospital operations last year to remove rotten teeth in children and teenagers – equating to 119 per working day, according to new official figures.
The LGA says the numbers – up 17 per cent – highlight an alarming increase in the rate of childhood tooth decay.
It is calling for an increase in funding for oral health improvement schemes, which help councils to work with school children to improve oral hygiene – for example, via supervised tooth-brushing schemes.
Cllr David Fothergill, Chairman of the LGA’s Community Wellbeing Board, said: “These stark figures reveal that a lack of access to affordable dentistry is having a worrying impact on the state of children’s teeth.
“The fact that, because of the severity of the decay, on average 119 operations are taking place each working day to remove decaying teeth in children and teenagers is concerning, and adds to current pressures on our health service.
“Untreated dental care remains one of the most prevalent diseases affecting children and young people’s ability to speak, eat, play and socialise.
“We need to do all we can to reduce tooth decay in children. The Government should invest in council-run oral health improvement programmes, which can help introduce a good oral hygiene regime and prevent more serious problems from developing in the future.”
Meanwhile, the Government has launched its dental recovery plan, which aims to increase access to NHS dentists.
Previous LGA analysis has shown that shortages in NHS dentistry are having a disproportionate impact on high-needs patients, particularly in more deprived and rural communities.
