Hospitals in England have reported a growing number of children needing tooth extractions because of dental decay, according to new NHS data. In the financial year ending 2025, hospitals performed 56,143 extractions on patients up to 19 years old, showing a 14 percent rise from the previous year. Of these procedures, 33,976 were caused by tooth decay, representing an 11 percent increase. Tooth decay accounted for over 60 percent of extractions within this group and made up 80 percent for children aged four or younger. For those aged five to nine, the proportion was even higher at 86.5 percent.
Health experts have raised concerns about the increase. Tooth decay remains the leading reason that children between the ages of five and nine are admitted to hospitals. While some analysts believe the jump in numbers could be linked to dental services returning after the COVID-19 pandemic, dental organizations say more action is needed. The British Dental Association (BDA) has called for the government to make dental care more accessible. BDA chairman Eddie Crouch criticized both current and former governments, stating that these statistics highlight the need for reform. He added that dentists are unable to prevent problems if children cannot get dental checkups early on.
The report also showed clear differences in extraction rates across England. In Yorkshire and the Humber, the rate of decayed teeth extractions reached 504 per 100,000 children, while the East Midlands had only 73 per 100,000. Children from the most underprivileged areas were found to be more than three times as likely to need a decayed tooth removed compared to those from wealthier areas.
The British Society of Paediatric Dentistry (BSPD) noted that the data likely shows the continued recovery of general anaesthetic services after the pandemic, but it does not include treatments in community dental clinics. BSPD president Dr. Oosh Devalia urged policy makers to keep focusing on effective steps, such as supervised toothbrushing, adding fluoride to community water, and promoting early dentist visits for children. Cutting sugar intake among children was also highlighted as essential, alongside ensuring every child can establish a “dental home” by their first birthday.
Officials from the Royal College of Surgeons of England emphasized the seriousness of the problem, saying that a child in England now needs a tooth removed for decay every 15 minutes. Dr. Charlotte Eckhardt remarked that no child should be hospitalized for a disease that can almost always be prevented. She called on the government to keep improving access to dental care so that no child’s health is affected by where they live. Without further efforts, more children may continue to suffer unnecessary pain and miss school because of tooth problems.
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