THE Government is massively underestimating the costs and to the extent to which people are seeking free dental treatment at hospital accident and emergency departments, it is claimed.

A Newcastle University study said the cost – put annually at £18m by the British Dental Association (BDA) – was much higher than official Government estimates.

The university’s Centre for Oral Health Research, which carried out a three year study of patients attending A&E in Newcastle with dental problems, said they accounted for almost one per cent of the overall number who attended A&E, of which half complained of toothache.

Official Government figures show 14,500 patients with dental problems attended England’s A&E in the last 12 months.

But the BDA talked of “systematic under reporting” and placed dental attendees at closer to 135,000 patients per year.

It claimed the Government was “indifferent” to dentistry and cited inflation-busting increases in NHS charges as deterring people from going to their dentist.

Dr Justin Durham, a Senior Lecturer in Oral Surgery at Newcastle University, warned of “potentially significant problems” in the care pathways for toothache and other related conditions.

He said: “If you experience toothache without significant other symptoms, then heading to a hospital’s A&E department isn’t necessarily the best option.

“Ensuring that patients are treated in the right place, at the right time, is essential not just to ensure appropriate diagnosis and treatment, but also to reduce unnecessary care and personal costs.

Henrik Overgaard-Nielsen, Chair of General Dental Practice at the BDA, said: “We are seeing patients who need care pushed towards medical colleagues who aren’t equipped to treat them.

“As long as Government keeps slashing budgets and ramping up charges we will keep seeing more of the same.”

A Department of Health spokeswoman said a review body last year showed the number of dentists was rising and that money was reinvested into the NHS through increased dental charges.

NHS England said access to NHS dentistry was continuing to imrpove with 51.7 per cent of the adult population being seen by a dentist in the 24 months to June last year.

A spokeswoman said: "A small number of people with a dental emergency, such as bleeding, may need to attend A&E.

"Patients who need advice on pain relief can also get help from their local pharmacist as most causes of dental pain don’t need antibiotics.

"Anyone in need of an NHS dentist should contact their own dental surgery or NHS 111, who can signpost them to the most appropriate service for treatment.”