New figures have revealed that tooth decay outpaces other common childhood conditions, including acute tonsillitis, as the leading cause of hospital admissions among 5- to 9-year-olds in England.
The data, published by NHS England data showed that 21,162 children aged 5 to 9 were admitted to hospital in 2024/2025 due to tooth decay, compared to 13,667 children admitted for acute tonsillitis, making decay the leading cause of hospital admissions in this age group. The number of 5- to 9-year-olds admitted to hospital due to decay has also risen slightly when compared to the previous year.
Figures released by the NHS Business Services Authority last month showed more than 43% of children have not seen an NHS dentist in the past year. The government has also said that as many as 70 children a day undergo tooth extractions due to decay. Taken together with today’s findings, the data reveals a deeply troubling picture of children’s oral health in England.
Dr Charlotte Eckhardt, Dean of the Faculty of Dental Surgery (FDS) at the Royal College of Surgeons of England (RCS England), said: "These figures are a public health emergency. Tooth decay is entirely preventable, yet thousands of children are hospitalised every year for procedures that could have been avoided with simple daily habits and better access to an NHS dentist. The government’s dental contract must be boldly overhauled if they want to improve patient access and outcomes.
"The government’s commitment to supervised toothbrushing schemes is welcome, but it is not a fix-all solution. The programme must be sustained, not a one-off, reaching as many children as possible and helping families build lasting brushing habits at home.
"We also urge the government to strengthen the Soft Drinks Industry Levy by lowering the sugar threshold from 5g to 4g per 100ml and extending it to milk-based drinks. This would be a major step towards protecting children’s oral health.
"Every child in hospital with tooth decay is proof that prevention has failed. We must act now to spare children needless pain, time off school, and avoidable surgery.”
