Suffolk campaign group calls for urgent action, as woman extracts six of her own teeth
A campaign group based in Suffolk is calling for urgent action to be taken to improve access to NHS dental services after a local woman extracted six of her own teeth.
Representatives from Toothless in Suffolk said that patients in the area were growing increasingly anxious about access issues, which are leaving them with no choice but to attempt DIY treatment or endure severe dental pain. One woman, the campaign group reported, removed six of her own teeth because she couldn’t get an appointment with a dentist.
More than 5,000 people have now signed a petition launched by the group calling for immediate action to support local patients. Although health bodies have announced plans to increase capacity and open new practices, there are concerns that thousands of patients will suffer in the months ahead. Some of the plans will not take shape until 2022 and there are currently long waiting lists in the region.
Campaigner, Mark Jones said that “far too many people are suffering” and being forced to decide between dealing with pain and paying for private treatment, which is not affordable for many.
Single mother, Lina Hogan, is one of hundreds of people searching for an NHS dentist. She has been looking for a practice since 2017 and waited five months for treatment for an abscess before having to undergo treatment to extract two teeth.
She ended up visiting her GP because she couldn’t get a dental appointment and was prescribed antibiotics as a one-off to avoid having to go to A&E. Ms Hogan explained that like most people, she couldn’t afford to pay for private dental treatment or a private monthly dental plan.
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