PRIME MINISTER Sir Keir Starmer has been handed a petition calling on him to properly fund NHS dentistry, signed by more than 250,000 people.

One of its organisers, the British Dental Association (BDA), warned that the service is now in a more fragile state than it was at the time of the July election.

Labour is yet to deliver on its pledges to provide 700,000 extra urgent dental appointments, and supervised brushing programmes in early years settings.

BDA chairman Eddie Crouch said: “The public and this profession have a simple message for the PM. 

“The clock is ticking on NHS dentistry and this government must make good on its promises.

“If reform is kicked into the long grass there won’t be a service left to save.”

The petition was handed into Downing Street on Tuesday.

In it, hospital consultant Tom Thayer said: “I treat patients left with horrifying mouth injuries after trying to pull out their own teeth out.

“Everyone who needs an NHS dentist should be able to get an appointment.

“Dentistry isn’t a nice to have, or an optional extra. 

“Day in, day out my colleagues are seeing scenes that belong in the Victorian era. Simply because they can’t get an NHS appointment.

“None of this is inevitable. This is a wealthy 21st century nation. This is all the result of choices made in Westminster.

“Our new Prime Minister Keir Starmer ran for office promising to tackle this crisis, and reform the dental contract to rebuild NHS dentistry for the long term.”

Toothless in England’s Mark Jones said: “We support the ambition behind this petition.

“Toothless in England, dentists, therapists, hygienists are all in agreement that government has the power to make the necessary changes to the current NHS system. The question is whether it will ever use it.”

Health Secretary Wes Streeting told the Commons on Tuesday that NHS dentistry is at “death’s door” as he restated his commitment to rolling out an extra 700,000 urgent dental appointments.