Lack of NHS dentists means kids lose teeth

of children, aged under 18, to hospital for teeth extractions in the area covered by Greater Huddersfield Clinical Commissioning Group (CCG).

That’s a rate of 159.4 per 10,000 children which is 3.7 times the England rate of 42.7 per 10,000.

The admissions included 184 for children, aged between one and four, who had multiple teeth extracted.

This also included 513 admissions for children aged five to nine.

Across England last year, there were 86 occasions when a child had all his or her teeth removed. This was the highest level since at least 2005/06. BADMINTON star Jenny Wallwork put youngsters through their paces when she visited Dalton Junior, Infant and Nursery School.

About 450 children joined the five-times national champion in four one-minute fitness exercises – spotty dogs, leg drives, press-ups and star jumps. Jenny, whose honours competing in women’s and mixed doubles events include Commonwealth Games silver and bronze medals, also demonstrated badminton drills and

Rory Deighton, of official health watchdog Healthwatch Kirklees, criticised NHS England for failing to provide sufficient affordable dentists.

Mr Deighton said: “Healthwatch have been making these points to NHS England for over three years now.

“We’re rarely critical of local NHS answered questions from the youngsters.

Her visit was organised by Sports for Schools, which was set up in 2005 by former Great Britain gymnast Ben Brown to encourage children across the UK to take up sport and lead healthy lifestyles.

The organisation teams up with sportsmen and women to visits about 1,300 schools a year UK-wide.

Jenny was joined at Dalton by Sports for Schools “sportivater” Jay Robertson. organisations working in difficult circumstances, with limited resources. But this is one area where the failure to address the basic issue of access to NHS dentists in Kirklees is costing hospitals more money, and people the use of their teeth.”

The Examiner contacted NHS England. It failed to respond.