North Yorkshire families frustration at lack of dentist appointments for children

We're hearing about the frustrations of trying to get a dentist appointment for children in North Yorkshire.

Alison Davies from York says she's found it impossible to find help for her grandson - despite him being in pain.

She's calling on the Government to do more: "Why are they not tackling the number 1 concern of everybody I've spoken to since I've been so incensed by this? Everybody's in the same boat. We want our children's teeth to be a priority."

"I feel as though we need to actually go outside Downing St and tell the government this is a priority for every single parent in this country, not a few of us. Everyone, our children, matter. Stop this cruelty towards our children."

A Department of Health and Social Care spokesperson said:

“NHS dentistry is broken. That’s why getting the sector back on its feet is one of our main priorities, and we’re committed to tackling the immediate crisis by delivering 700,000 more urgent appointments a year to ensure everyone who needs an NHS dentist can access one.

“But we will also focus on prevention, implementing long term change that will cut poor oral health issues at source to ensure we never end up in this state again.”

What do the Humber and North Yorkshire ICB say?

'We are aware that a number of people are experiencing difficulties accessing NHS dental services and recognise the frustration this can cause. This is something which is impacting people across the Humber and North Yorkshire region as well as nationally.

Dentists are working hard to make as many NHS appointments available as possible to meet high levels of demand. However, unlike with GP practices, patients are not registered with a dental practice. Each dental practice manages its own appointment system and may not always have the capacity to take on new NHS patients.

Patients with an urgent dental need can call NHS 111 and will be offered an appointment if it is deemed clinically appropriate following a telephone triage. This may include symptoms such as severe tooth pain.

For those struggling to book a routine NHS dental appointment with a dentist, we recommend some steps which can help to care for your teeth, helping to prevent urgent dental needs.

1. Brush your teeth – brushing for two minutes, twice a day is key to maintaining good oral health. Try a fluoride toothpaste and brushing last thing before going to sleep. Brushing regularly helps to prevent tooth decay and gum disease by removing plaque.

2. Cleaning between your teeth – before brushing, try using interdental brushes, floss or water/air flossers to help loosen bacteria between your teeth. This makes brushing more effective at removing plaque, helping to reduce your risk of tooth decay and gum disease.

3. Don't rise with water – after brushing, don't rinse. This can wash away the fluoride from your toothpaste and will reduce its effectiveness. Instead, try rinsing with a fluoride mouthwash to boost your oral health.

4. Be aware of your diet – sugary foods and drinks can be bad for your teeth. Try to avoid snacking throughout the day and maintain a healthy diet, low in sugar when you can.

5. Continue to contact NHS dentists – dentists do not have a 'registered list' like your GP. They may start taking new NHS patients at any time so continue to contact the dentist of your choice and ask to join their waiting list (if they have one).'

Hear all the latest news from across the UK on the hour, every hour, on Greatest Hits Radio on DAB, smartspeaker, at greatesthitsradio.co.uk, and on the Rayo app.