A CHILD in Dumfries and Galloway had to wait for one year and three months to get a tooth removed by dentists, it has been revealed.
The delay happened in the last year and was not the only incident either, with one adult also enduring a wait of a year and seven weeks for an extraction.
Furthermore, the official figures show it’s not uncommon for people in the region to have a long wait for teeth to be removed, with the average length in 2023-4 being 43 weeks.
The times relate to oral and maxillofacial surgery in theatres, and were revealed in a freedom of information request made by Scottish Labour.
They also claim that average waits locally for adults have surged since 2019, when it was ten weeks.
Meanwhile, the situation is not much better for children either, who on average waited 42 weeks last year, compared to nine in 2019.
Commenting, South Scotland MSP Colin Smyth said: “Rotten teeth can cause excruciating pain but these figures show some people in our region are forced to wait for almost a year before getting the surgery they need.
“These statistics are completely shocking but sadly, no-one in our region will be remotely surprised that once again, people are forced to suffer while waiting for teeth to be removed.
“Being in pain every time you eat a meal or try to talk is agony for a few days, let alone months or years, but that is the reality for many.”
He blames the Scottish Government for failing to properly fund the dental service, adding: “The Scottish Government and previous UK Government were warned over and over that this would happen but they completely ignored those warnings.”
