Children waiting over a year in pain for NHS tooth removal

Children in some areas of England are waiting up to 18 months on average for dental general-anaesthetic treatment and teeth extractions, an investigation reveals.

Some have been left with prolonged dental pain, according to information shared with BBC News.

The parents of one girl who has waited three years for extractions say the pain keeps her up at night.

At the start of this year, more than 12,000 under-18s were on waiting lists for assessment or treatment at community dental service (CDS) providers, data obtained by the Liberal Democrats from the NHS Business Services Authority and shared with BBC News earlier this year reveals.

Children are referred to a CDS provider when they have tooth decay too severe to be treated in general practice.

They also treat those with physical or learning disabilities when general practice is not a practical option.

The longest average wait faced by children for general-anaesthetic treatment at a CDS provider is 80 weeks, at Harrogate and District NHS Foundation Trust.

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Source: BBC News, 19 July 2023