The rising trend is due to people unable to access an NHS dentist, with increasing dental emergencies resulting from unchecked tooth decay.

NHS data shows that 295 people were forced to attend A&E at North Cumbria Integrated Care NHS Foundation Trust last year for emergency dental decay in 2022/23. 

"Right across the country millions of people are being denied an appointment with an NHS dentist when they need it and thousands of children are missing out on preventative dental treatment," Ms Minns said. 

"The situation in Carlisle is increasingly desperate.

"The nearest dental practice that is accepting NHS patients is over 33 miles away in Hexham. 

"In the last month alone I’ve spoken with a man in his mid-90s who has been removed from his dentist’s list because they have ceased treating NHS patients, a pregnant woman who can't find a dentist where she can get the free check she's entitled to, and a grandmother whose eight-year-old grandchild has never seen a dentist because there isn’t one who’ll accept NHS patients," she said. 

Last year, The Cumberland News analysed records for nearly 60 dentist practices across Cumbria and found none were clearly open to adult NHS patients – and just one was open to children.

Carlisle, Whitehaven and Workington are among the areas where there appeared to be no dental practices accepting NHS patients without a referral.

Survey data reveals that 4.75 million people across England were unable to secure an appointment with an NHS dentist in the last two years.

Labour has vowed to alleviate this issue by providing an additional 700,000 urgent dental appointments and 'revamping the NHS dental contract'.

These proposals, which will cost £111 million annually, are part of a wider plan to restore NHS dentistry if Labour wins the General Election.

This initiative will be funded by scrapping the non-dom tax status, the party claimed.

Lib Dem parliamentary candidate for Carlisle, Brian Wernham, who has championed the issue of insufficient NHS Dentistry services in the area for nearly two years, said: "I had also discussed this in detail with our Cumbrian Lib Dem MP, Tim Farron. 

"In Cumbria there were zero NHS dental practices taking on new patients.  I have written to Carlisle residents asking for their experiences.

"It is good to see the Labour candidate for Carlisle has noticed the problem at last."

Previously, a spokesperson for the Department of Health and Social Care said: "This government is committed to improving access to dentistry.

"We have already introduced a range of measures to improve access to NHS dentistry in England and we will soon publish a plan to boost access and improve services further."

See in your area which NHS practices near you are taking on new patients.