Levels of toothdecay are now as bad as they have been for 25 years.

A major national survey shows over one in four adults in England have rotten teeth after a collapse in access to NHS dentists over the last decade. The latest Adult Oral Health Survey (AOHS) showed 41% had obvious signs of rotten teeth when examined, up from 28% in 2009 and similar to levels in 1998. Both came after a sustained period of Conservative rule in Britain.

The AOHS 2023 provides the first picture of adult oral health in England for more than a decade. Some 2,285 people were interviewed and 1,619 also had an oral examination.

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George Tsakos, professor of dental public health at University College London, said: "These findings are deeply alarming. Earlier oral health gains have been reversed, and we are now back to the levels of untreated tooth decay last seen in 1998. More adults are reporting that the poor state of their teeth and mouth is affecting their quality of life, such as causing difficulty eating, than in previous surveys."

The Mirror has partnered with the British Dental Association (BDA) and campaigning group 38 Degrees for the Dentists for All campaign, which launched the petition demanding “Fund NHS dentistry NOW”. A decade of Tory austerity policies created a situation where most dentists are no longer taking on new adult patients and desperate people are being forced to rip their own teeth out.

The total budget for NHS dentistry in England has remained at around £3 billion since 2010, with no attempt to keep pace with inflation or population growth. The British Dental Association estimates that this has translated into a real-terms budget cut of over a third.

The Conservative Party was in power in the UK from 1990 to 1997 and then from 2010 to 2024. This second period of Tory rule started with the Government led by ex-PM David Cameron and his Chancellor George Osborne.

The UK government has responsibility for running the NHS in England while for Scotland, Wales and Northern Ireland it is a devolved matter. However the financial settlement sits within a framework of public funding set largely in Westminster.

The AOHS 2023, published today, showed that when using the most sensitive measure of tooth decay - which also assesses enamel decay - some 64% had decay in one or more teeth. The report showed 42% said their oral health impacted their daily life, up from 33% in 2009, while 19% had potentially urgent conditions such as dental pain and deep decay.

BDA Chair Eddie Crouch said: “Hard won gains on oral health are going into reverse. The Government needS to double down and deliver promised reforms and vital investment. Without real commitment NHS dentistry won’t have a future and the nation’s oral health gap will widen further.”