SCOTTISH Labour called on the SNP government to “brush up” its act on NHS dentistry today.

Backlogs have shot up across the country, with one patient languishing in an orthodontic surgery queue for more than three years.

All 14 Scottish health boards have seen average waits for dentistry grow between 2019 and 2023, figures obtained via freedom of information requests show.

One of the largest, NHS Lanarkshire, saw average waits jump from five to 25 weeks over the period. 

Scottish Labour’s Paul Sweeney said: “Being in pain every time you eat a meal or try to talk is agony for a few days, let alone months or years. But that is the reality for many of those unfortunate enough to be on a waiting list for dental surgery.

“The SNP has presided over a rot in local NHS dentistry over the past 17 years and it needs to brush up its act fast.”

A Scottish government spokeswoman said: “We are supporting NHS boards to drive improvements in waiting times and are targeting resources to ensure people waiting the longest are treated as soon as possible.”