UK dental crisis: Patients resort to pulling out their own teeth
A growing dental care crisis in the UK has left many patients, particularly in regions like Suffolk and Norfolk, unable to access necessary National Health Service (NHS), leading some to resort to desperate measures such as pulling out their own teeth. According to the British Dental Association, a staggering 97% of new patients cannot secure appointments through NHS dental care, Kazinform News Agency correspondent reports.
Mark Jones, co-founder of the advocacy group Toothless in Suffolk and its national counterpart Toothless in England, has called attention to the alarming issue. Jones emphasised that many people are living in “real pain every day” and facing extreme hardships due to a lack of dental care. He criticised the government's lack of meaningful action, despite promises to prioritise dental reforms.
Adrian Ramsay, leader of the Green Party and Waveney Valley MP, has joined the call for the government to address the failing NHS dental contract. Both Jones and Ramsay are advocating for immediate changes to the NHS system, which currently struggles to meet the population's oral health needs.
Despite Downing Street’s assurances that rebuilding NHS dentistry is a priority, with promises of 700,000 additional urgent dental appointments, many feel that these measures fall short. The government also announced plans to reform the dental contract and introduce supervised tooth brushing for young children, but critics argue that the steps are insufficient to meet the immediate crisis.
Jones urged the government to take action before the situation worsens, noting that “words are meaningless” without actual reform. The lack of accessible dental care has led to growing frustration among patients, some of whom, in extreme cases, have had no option but to perform their own tooth extractions.