More than 1,000 children aged five and under had teeth extracted last year in Greater Glasgow.

The figures show that almost a quarter of young Scots children having teeth taken out were in the NHS Greater Glasgow and Clyde area.

However, they also show that extractions of kids’ teeth in Glasgow have been cut in half since the Millennium.

The figures were released following a parliamentary question by Scottish Conservative Public Health Spokesman, Miles Briggs MSP.

They include extractions for orthodontic reasons and trauma, as well as decay.

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Glasgow had the highest rate in Scotland with 1,010 children up to the age of five.

As previously reported in the Evening Times, in 2000/01 when records were first kept, the number of teeth pulled out of children’s mouths in the Greater Glasgow health board area was 26,355.

By 2015/16, the latest full year’s figures, the total had dropped to 12,516 - a reduction of more than 50%.

A number of initiatives in schools and nurseries have helped improve dental health leading to less decay.

The Childsmile programme provides fluoride varnishing and dental health education in schools and nurseries.

Scottish Conservative Public Health Spokesman, Miles Briggs MSP, said: “It is hugely concerning that there are still thousands of children aged under five having to have teeth extracted in Scotland every year.

“While in some cases teeth will need to be removed as they are growing in the wrong place or as a result of accidental damage, a big proportion of these children will have teeth extracted due to preventable dental decay.

“The Scottish Government simply isn’t making enough real progress to help address poor dental health in our young children and stop them developing rotten teeth.

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“They need to tackle this problem head on, by providing better education about the problems associated with poor oral health and by encouraging parents to register their new born children with a dentist as soon as possible.”

The Childsmile programme was set up in 2001, and it is estimated to have saved more than £6 million in dental costs.

Speaking earlier this month, Anas Sarwar, Labour health spokesman and a former NHS dentist, said the 50% reduction in extractions was welcome, and partly do with prevention programmes.

He added: "However, we cannot be complacent, as there is still a high level of tooth decay among children."