PARENTS were today urged not to panic about having children's teeth extracted under general anaesthetic, despite the death of a little girl.

A leading dentist spoke after five-year-old Karla Selley died having a tooth out under a general anaesthetic at a Leyland dental practice.

Karla, of Golden Hill Lane, Leyland, who was terrified of going to the dentist, was being brought round when she began suffering breathing difficulties at Towngate Dental Surgery on Monday.

She died later at Chorley Hospital despite efforts to revive her.

Oswaldtwistle dentist Geoffrey Garnett, a former president of the British Dental Association, said the tragedy had had a profound effect on the profession.

He said: "This is absolutely devastating for everyone. You don't go to the dentist for something like this to happen.

"You can count on the fingers of one hand how many times this happens every year across the whole country."

Mr Garnett said there had been a major drive to reduce the number of general anaesthetics in East Lancashire and to improve the standard of the procedure.

Under new rules which were introduced by the General Dental Council last year, dentists are banned from personally administering general anaesthetics

Mr Garnett said: "General anaesthetics are now only administered by trained anaesthetists in special centres which have the latest equipment.

"For example, people in Hyndburn have to go to one of the two specialist centres in Blackburn where there is a fully trained team. "It is more difficult with smaller children because you cannot get co-operation from every four or five year old.

"There is always some trepidation with any operation and I can only try and reassure parents and urge them not to panic unnecessarily."

Karla had one tooth removed at an appointment before the holiday but was frightened when she saw the needle for the second treatment.

Her stepdad Stephen Armstrong, 28, said: "She was absolutely terrified of the needle and the dentist didn't want to put her off because she was so young, so it was arranged for an anaesthetist to come from Preston. Her mum Tracey took her in and she went to sleep and that's all we know - she didn't wake up. It's just devastating.

"When I got to the hospital Tracey was with Karla. She would not let her go. She just kept asking her to wake up." Detective Superintendent Mike Arnold said the cause of death was asphyxiation.

He said: "At this stage we have not been able to establish why she died.

"We will be interviewing members of staff at the dental practice as well as members of the family to establish what caused this tragic death."

Staff at the town centre surgery declined to comment.

South Lancashire Health Authority will be conducting an inquiry into the incident.

A spokesman said it will be reviewing the arrangements that were in place within the practice for the provision of general anaesthesia and that they were in line with the guidance issued by the General Dental Council, which is responsible for the registration of dentists.

A spokesman for the General Dental Council said: "We would only consider an inquiry if there was a conviction or complaint of misconduct."

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