The SNP must “end the postcode penalty” which means the poorest families in Scotland are more likely to get rotten teeth as children, Scottish Labour has said.

Two in five children in Scotland’s most deprived areas have tooth decay, compared to less than one in five in the least deprived areas.

Meanwhile, the number of adults dying due to unintentional injuries such as falls, or road traffic accidents was 96 per cent higher in the most deprived areas but 50 per cent lower in the least deprived areas compared to the Scottish average.

Jackie Baillie, Scottish Labour’s health spokesperson, said, “From cradle to grave, in the SNP’s Scotland, your life chances are affected by where you live.

“From an early age, Scots in the most deprived areas are more likely to suffer from tooth decay that will haunt them into adulthood. The SNP must end this macabre situation and break the link between poor health and poverty.

“A Scottish Labour government will rebuild our NHS so that at every age and stage of life, it will be there for those who need it.”

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