The Irish Dental Association is warning of a severe decline in children's teeth, as fewer than half are being seen by a dentist through the state screening programme.

Under the scheme, children are entitled to see a dentist three times before they turn 12.

According to the Irish Examiner, there were 200 thousand children waiting to be screened last year - yet fewer than 100 thousand were seen.

It reports children are facing serious dental problems as a result, with kids as young as ten needing to get teeth pulled.