Plymouth councillor raises concerns over NHS dental access, as patients talk of pulling their own teeth out
A Plymouth councillor has raised concerns over access to NHS dental care after hearing from patients who resorted to pulling their own teeth out and using alcohol to try and numb tooth pain.
Labour councillor for St Peter and the Waterfront, Sue McDonald, said that she had been contacted by anxious patients who had adopted extreme measures to deal with dental pain, including extracting their own teeth. Speaking at a meeting of a committee set up to investigate dental health in the city, Cllr McDonald claimed that people were forced to try and treat themselves and numb pain using drugs and alcohol because they couldn’t get an appointment with an NHS dentist.
The committee was established in light of the publication of a report, which highlighted major access issues in the city. The South West is one of the worst affected regions, with thousands of people on waiting lists for an NHS dentist. One of the main problems facing the NHS is a shortage of dentists. Currently, there are thirteen vacancies for dentists in Plymouth alone, and trusts are experiencing difficulties filling positions across the UK. Around 90 children are having teeth extracted in hospital each month. This rate is four-times higher than the average for the region. An urgent helpline, which was set up to help those in need of emergency treatment, has also enjoyed limited success due to a shortage of resources. Currently, only around 25% of patients who call are getting an appointment.
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