Norfolk man removes 18 of his teeth after failing to get a dental appointment

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A man from Norfolk has removed eighteen of his own teeth after failing to get a dental appointment.

David Spoors, an antique dealer, took the decision to extract his teeth after being turned down by every dental surgery in the area. Mr Spoors, a 65-year-old army veteran, tried to get an appointment with several dentists but none were able to offer help. Struggling with severe, ongoing pain caused by receding gums, Mr Spoors tied string around his teeth and used brute force to remove his teeth.

Mr Spoors described the pain he experienced as “agony” and said that it had started to radiate into his neck and head, causing migraines and swelling. Talking about the situation, he said that he could no longer bear the pain and added that he felt like nobody cared. Every time he tried to contact a dentist, he was turned away and nobody was able to offer any help or hope of getting an appointment in the near future.

Eddie Crouch, chair of the British Dental Association, said that the story was not an isolated tale and added that dentistry was “in crisis” long before the Covid-19 outbreak hit. Patients have been struggling to get dental appointments for some time and the pandemic has exacerbated the situation, causing hundreds to experience pain, anxiety and increased risks of potentially severe infections and dental conditions.

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