Brits Turning to DIY Dentistry to Avoid Costs
British people are turning to DIY dentistry in a bid to avoid rising dental fees, according to some news reports.
Ian Boynton is just one of many people who have taken dental care into their own hands. The 42-year old Gulf War veteran has used pliers to extract a total of 13 teeth since 2006. Mr Boynton said that he has tried to get a place at 30 dental surgeries in the last 8 years, but he has never been successful. He decided to take his own teeth out as an alternative to paying £100 for extraction treatment at a private dental clinic. Mr Boynton now has just 2 of his own teeth remaining on the upper arch and he cannot afford tooth replacement treatment.
Although Mr Boynton’s case is an extreme example, research carried out by the British Dental Association showed that 1 in 5 people would consider pulling their own or a friend’s tooth out if they could not afford to see a dentist. However, statistics show that more and more people are registered with an NHS dentist. A spokesman for the Department of Health also issued a reminder that dental care is free to people who receive income-based benefits from the government and urged people who are struggling to afford dental fees to find out about access to free care. Information about available NHS dental places can also be found online at the NHS Choices website.
Dr Nigel Carter OBE, chief executive of the British Dental Health Foundation, said that DIY repair kits can be useful in a genuine emergency when other alternatives are not available. However, they should not be used as a permanent solution and patients should not be taking their oral health into their own hands. Extracting your own teeth and attempting to repair fillings or crowns can have negative consequences, including higher dental fees in the future.
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