Every 15 minutes a child has a tooth pulled out in hospital as figures reveal soaring levels of teeth extraction operations

Data for the financial year ending 2025 showed there were 56,143 tooth extractions in NHS hospitals for those aged up to 19, which is an increase of 14% on the previous year.

NHS data experts suggested the rising figures since 2021 may reflect the recovery of NHS work after the pandemic, but the British Dental Association (BDA) said more needs to be done to improve access to care.

The data showed there were 33,976 tooth extractions with a primary diagnosis of tooth decay in those aged up to 19, an increase of 11% on the previous year.

The number of tooth extractions because of tooth decay represents 60.5% of all tooth extractions for this age group, rising to 80% for those up to four years old and 86.5% for those aged five to nine.

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Tooth decay remains the most common reason for hospital admissions in children aged five to nine.

The highest rates of teeth extraction because of decay were in Yorkshire and the Humber (504 per 100,000 population of children up to 19), and the lowest rates were in the East Midlands (73 per 100,000 population).

Children and young people living in the most deprived communities were more than three times more likely to have a tooth extracted due to decay than those in more affluent areas, the data showed.

BDA chairman Eddie Crouch said: “These horrific statistics are a badge of dishonour for governments past and present.

“Tooth decay can’t go unchallenged as the number one reason for child hospital admissions.

“Targeted preventive programmes are now in place, but there’s still little sign government is willing to rebuild access to care.

“Dentists can’t nip these problems in the bud if we don’t get to see them.”

The British Society of Paediatric Dentistry (BSPD) said the NHS data likely represents the continued recovery of general anaesthetic services after the pandemic and does not include community dental services.

Dr Oosh Devalia, BSPD president, said: “BSPD urges policymakers to keep a steady focus on the priorities that we know will help turn around children’s oral health – such as supervised toothbrushing, community water fluoridation and early access to dental teams.”

She said there was also a “need to cut under-16s’ sugar consumption and, importantly, push for every child to have a ‘dental home’, with access to a dental check by their first birthday”.

The Royal College of Surgeons of England said the figures equate to one young person needing extraction due to tooth decay, likely under general anaesthetic, every 15 minutes.

Dr Charlotte Eckhardt, from the college, said: “No child should be hospitalised for a disease that is almost entirely preventable.

“Tooth decay is causing unnecessary pain, missed school days and avoidable hospital admissions at a higher rate in 2025 than the year before. This direction of travel must be reversed.

“Evaluation of the supervised toothbrushing scheme is a welcome step. It will give us a clearer picture of what works and where further improvements are needed.

“If the Government is to meet its goal of transforming the NHS dental system by 2035, it must ensure every child can see a dentist when they need to. A postcode must never dictate a child’s health.”