Tooth decay in children costing the NHS more than £40m a year, figures show

Sign up for our free Health Check email to receive exclusive analysis on the week in health Get our free Health Check email Get our free Health Check email SIGN UP I would like to be emailed about offers, events and updates from The Independent. Read our privacy policy Hospitals carried out almost 180 operations every day on children and teens last year to remove rotting teeth, costing the NHS more than £40m. Local health officials now fear lockdown will drive up levels of tooth decay as youngsters snack on more sugary foods and drinks while stuck at home and community oral health programmes are interrupted. The LGA is now calling for extra funding for oral hygiene programmes, and for the £700m cut to local councils’ public health grant since 2015/16 to be reversed. “We need to do all we can to reduce how much sugar our children eat and drink, including investing in oral health education so that everyone understands the impact of sugar on teeth and the importance of a good oral hygiene regime.” Mick Armstrong, chair of the British Dental Association, said: “It’s inevitable these figures will go from bad to worse, as lockdown diets, the suspension of public health programmes and the collapse in access take their toll.