MORE than 400 children in Bradford had a tooth removed in hospital last year due to dental decay, new figures reveal. 

According to Public Health England (PHE) data for 2016-17, 437 children in Bradford had rotten teeth extracted in hospital. 

That figure stands at 7,080 for Yorkshire and the Humber and almost 40,000 for England, which means around 141 children are being operated on across the country every working day. 

PHE has called on parents to protect their children’s teeth by swapping sugary soft drinks for healthier alternatives, as the Government’s sugar tax comes into force today. 

Campaign supporter Judith Cummins, MP for Bradford South, said: “It’s good to see that the Sugar Tax has already encouraged some big brands to reduce their sugar content, but it is just one part of the battle against childhood obesity and tooth decay.

"What families in Bradford need right now is better access to NHS dentists."

Mrs Cummins said while a slight dip in the number of children having teeth extracted in hospital from 2015-16 is welcome, there is still "a long way to go". 

"Every tooth removed from a child due to decay is an avoidable tragedy and that is why the Stop the Rot campaign is so important.

“The number of extractions in wealthier areas of Yorkshire are only in double figures. There is no reason why Bradford cannot aim for that.

“I will continue to make the case to government that reform to the dental contract is urgently needed so that places like Bradford can have increased access to NHS dentists.”

The official response to the “tooth decay epidemic” has been “woefully inadequate”, the British Dental Association (BDA) said.

A total of 39,010 children aged 0 to 19 had teeth removed due to preventable tooth decay last year, the figures show.

The number is almost unchanged from 2015 to 2016, when 39,278 had extractions for that reason.

But tooth extraction remains the most common reason for hospital admissions among five to nine year olds, PHE said.

Dr Sandra White, dental lead for PHE, said: “It’s upsetting to see so many children admitted to hospital with tooth decay, but swapping out sugary drinks could be an easy win for busy families.

“Parents can also help prevent decay by making sure their children’s teeth are brushed twice a day with fluoride toothpaste and reducing how much sugar they’re eating and drinking.”

Juice drinks, energy drinks and fizzy drinks are one of the main sources of sugar in children’s diets, according to PHE’s Change4Life campaign.

Parents are advised to swap these products for less sugary alternatives including water and low fat milk.

Dr Tony Kilcoyne, local dentist, specialist and campaigner, welcomed the sugar tax. 

He said: "It's a great idea and overdue. While education is important in the long-term, in the short-term this will help.

"I think it will be a huge impact, already ahead of it, the good food and drink producers are reducing sugar.

But Dr Nigel Carter, CEO of the Oral Health Foundation, said: "We do not feel the 'sugar tax', which comes into effect today, does enough to address the current oral health crisis we're experiencing in England.

"It fails to address the issue of excessive sugar in fruit juices, milk-based drinks and multi-packs and also does not generate any funds to improve oral health education in the UK.

"These appalling levels of tooth decay must be addressed by reducing childhood sugar intake, in the form of snacks and fizzy drinks."

Henrik Overgaard-Nielsen, the BDA’s chairman of general dental practice said: “In the face of a tooth decay epidemic the official response remains woefully inadequate.

“While devolved governments have rolled up their sleeves, authorities in England have chosen to rest on their laurels. The result is an oral health gap that shows no signs of closing.”

Claire Stevens, president of the British Society for Paediatric Dentistry, said: “Tooth decay causes pain and discomfort for young children.

“In some cases decay is so serious that children need most or all of their teeth removed in one go – it’s heartbreaking when this can be prevented through small changes.”