Children are having adult teeth extracted instead of routine treatment because of a lack of anesthetic services, a dentist has warned. 

In theory, all children in Ireland should receive three free dental check ups when they are in primary schools. 

In practice, many do not and Dr Gillian Smith of the Fitzwilliam Clinic Bray said “thousands” are waiting for treatment. 

“The treatment of children and adults who require special dentistry has been one of firefighting and, as dentists, that’s heartbreaking,” she told The Hard Shoulder.  

“We have so much innovation in the field of dentistry when it comes to preventative oral healthcare. 

“But we can’t even consider that because we are in a realm where we are putting out fires and dealing pain.

“We’re dealing with adults and children suffering for months and months - even years - in pain.” 

Close-up of a female dentist in a white coat and a sterile medical cap treats teeth from tooth decay and grinds a seal in a child, the dentist's assi. Image shot 09/2017. Exact date unknown.

Dr Smith said there are problems “across the board” but gave one example of where the health service if failing its most vulnerable patients. 

“In Dublin, at the moment, there is no general anaesthetic service for children,” she said. 

“And we’re not just talking about Dublin - Dublin, Kildare and Wicklow - there is no general anesthetic service within the HSE. 

“So, you’re talking about thousands and thousands of children.” 

Currently, the HSE has a contract with Clane  Hospital in Kildare - but it is for extractions only. 

“So, if you have a child who has a cavity in their adult tooth - which should be there for the rest of their life and they need treatment with general anaesthetic - there is no service to treat that,” Dr Smith said. 

“That tooth has to be pulled out if you’re going through the public service and it has to be done in Clane Hospital.” 

The HSE recommends a child be taken for “regular” dental checkups as soon as their milk teeth appear at six months.

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Main image: A child at the dentist. Picture by: Igor Kardasov / Alamy