Eight-five children under 11 in Cheshire East were admitted to hospital for tooth extraction last year, new government figures show.

People are finding it increasingly difficult to get an NHS dentist, as dentists quitting in droves. 2,000 dentists quit the NHS last year, around 10% of all dentists employed in England.

An estimated 4 million people can't access NHS care and with some parts of the country now described as 'dentistry deserts', because remaining NHS dentists aren't taking on new patients.

According to the British Dentistry Association, emergency teeth extractions are now the most common reason for children to go to hospital.

Latest figures show that around one in every 10 dentists in England quit last year, leaving 4 million people unable to access an NHS

Labour councillor Nick Mannion (Macclesfield West & Ivy pictured) said: "Backlog Britain is holding Cheshire East back and our children are paying the prices. From GPs and A&E to courts, passports and driving licences our country is stuck in a queue. And now we know that children in Cheshire East are ending up in hospital because they can't get the dental treatment they need.

"We need a government that will prioritise the health and well-being of children and families in Cheshire East, instead we have a Conservative Government too mired in scandal and fighting amongst themselves to act."

advertisement

A shadow health and social care spokesperson said: "What kind of country have we become, when children are forced to attend hospital to have their teeth removed?

"The Conservatives are overseeing an exodus of dentists from the NHS, leaving people who can't afford to go private unable to get any care at all.

"The longer we give the Conservatives, the longer patients wait. Labour will put patients first and make sure they can be seen on time."