Soaring numbers of children have had to be admitted to hospital to have rotten teeth removed while thousands more are enduring lengthy and painful waits.
The number of youngsters undergoing procedures due to tooth decay has risen in each of the last four years from 2,584 in 2020/21 to 5,372 in 2023/24.
However, despite this huge amount, the number of children waiting for dental surgery in hospital has also soared to 3,559 as of December 2024 – the most recent figures to date.
The majority of those are believed to be children who need large numbers of teeth removed or have conditions, such as autism, that mean they cannot undergo treatment in dental practices.
The huge backlog comes amid evidence that some children in Scotland waiting more than a year and a half to be seen.
It’s feared dentists are struggling to secure enough time in hospital theatres around the country to start making a dent in the bulging waiting lists.
Charlotte Waite, director of the British Dental Association Scotland, said: ‘Children facing sometimes year-long waits for extractions need priority, and shouldn’t be left at the back of the queue for theatre space.
‘Demand for these procedures never went anywhere. What we’re seeing is significant backlogs fuelled by capacity issues and widening inequality, meaning more children struggling to eat, to sleep and to learn.’
Scottish Labour Health spokesperson Jackie Baillie MSP said: ‘These shocking figures expose the SNP’s rotten record on dentistry.
‘NHS dentistry in Scotland is fighting for survival as a result of SNP mismanagement and these are the shameful consequences.
‘The SNP must step up, deal with the backlog and up the rate of procedures to ensure that every child in Scotland has access to the dental care they need.’
Figures show the number of patients waiting for community dental practice lists stood at 861 in March 2020 – prior to the introduction of lockdown restrictions.
However, the number on the list, the vast majority of which relates to children, rose to 1,872 as of December 2024 – the most recent figures to date.
Similarly, the number waiting for a paediatric dental appointment rose from 669 to 1,687 during the same period.
Prior to the introduction of lockdown restrictions, approximately 8,000 paediatric dental extractions were carried out in hospitals every year.
However, new data published by Public Health Scotland (PHS) show that number fell to a low of 3,757 in 2020 and had only climbed to 6,525 by 2023 – the most recent figures to date.
Meanwhile, some health boards have already raised the issue of lengthy waiting times for children to have dental procedures at hospital.
For example, a report by Scottish Borders Health and Social Care Partnership in November stated: ‘A significant challenge is the rising waiting times for Paediatric Dental General Anaesthesia, which have escalated to an average of 447 days, up from 92 days in 2019.’
A document published by NHS Tayside also shows that the longest ongoing wait it recorded for children referred for tooth extractions under general anaesthetic stood at 77 weeks in 2024.
There are concerns that the proliferation of sugary foods on Britain’s shop shelves is playing a huge part in driving the sheer number of children needing teeth removed under general anaesthetic.
In some heartbreaking situations children as young as two have had to have every single tooth removed due to decay.
Ms Waite added: ‘Of course diet plays a role here. The food industry is out of control, pedalling breakfast cereals based on chocolate bars and baby foods more sugary than coke.
‘Now more than ever we need to double down on tried-and-tested preventive policies.’
Scottish Conservative shadow health secretary Dr Sandesh Gulhane MSP said: ‘As a GP, I have seen far too many children showing signs of dental decay and the SNP must do more to promote healthy diets from an early age and stop these problems before they start. Children need to be taught that brushing your teeth twice a day is absolutely crucial.
‘Neil Gray should back our common sense plans to cut bureaucracy and surge resources to the front line — where they’re needed most.’
A Scottish Government spokesman said: ‘NHS Boards tightly manage their paediatric dental waiting lists, with a clear system for fast-tracking children in pain and urgent clinical need, including general anaesthesia if required.
‘We have had considerable success with programmes such as Childsmile in improving the oral health of our children, in order to minimise their future need for dental extractions under general anaesthesia.
‘Any long wait for surgery is highly regrettable. However it is important to note that the overwhelming majority of NHS dental care is delivered in a primary care setting. We are supporting NHS Boards to drive improvements in waiting times and are targeting resources to ensure people waiting the longest are treated as soon as possible.’