Scarborough woman removes tooth with pliers after struggling to get a dental appointment
A woman from Scarborough resorted to removing her tooth with pliers after struggling to get a dental appointment.
Helen Sheen tried to find a dentist after she experienced bleeding while brushing her teeth, but no local practices were accepting new NHS patients.
Her teeth had started to come loose, her gums were bleeding and she felt that she had no alternative but to take the front tooth, which was wobbly, out. She covered the tooth in a plaster and then pulled it out using a pair of pliers.
Helen then went online and spent £2 on a fake tooth, which she glued in place to fill the gap left by the loose tooth. Helen said that her DIY effort has worked fine so far but she fears for the future. Her dental health has deteriorated, and it seems as though it is getting harder to find a dentist.
Helen’s story is one of a growing number of cases of DIY dentistry in the UK. People are treating themselves at home because they can’t find a dental practice that is taking on new patients and they don’t want to join waiting lists or pay private fees, which are not affordable for many.
Statistics from the British Dental Association suggest that around 38 million dental appointments have been lost since 2020 due to the pandemic.
The government has announced additional funding worth £50 million to provide 350,000 extra appointments outside of normal clinic hours, but there are concerns that this will only cover the tip of the iceberg.
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