THE MAIL readers are reacting after figures revealed the number of patients who have been admitted to emergency wards in the region to receive care for dental issues.

Toothache was the most commonly occurring dental-related admission, while many other patients have reported broken or loose teeth.

According to figures released under freedom of information (FOI) laws, people visited A&E at Furness General Hospital 519 times to receive treatment for dental issues since 2016.

This is what readers had to say:

Michelle Gunter posted: “I can completely understand why so many have gone to A&E because of problems with teeth. Trying to get an appointment can be extremely difficult, especially if you are not registered with a practice.”

Peter Grisdale said: “That is because it is so hard to get an appointment with a dentist. I know my lad kept getting turned away from a dentist with chronic toothache so what are people supposed to do?”

Rus Henry said: “Piece of string round the tooth, tie to door handle, slam door. Simple.”

Read my lips said: “All political parties have been unable to address this.

"Dental care is important but the majority of dentists have moved away to the private sector, pricing people out of their surgeries.

"It needs sorting – imagine if this was the NHS and it was pay-for-treatment. It needs to be looked at. The EU allowed for dentists to work here but this will now be a lot harder to do now.”