Britons Pull Out Their Teeth With PLIERS Resort To ‘DIY Dentistry’ Amid NHS Crisis

From pulling out teeth with pliers to making their own with superglue, 20% of Brits have resorted to ‘DIY dentistry’ amid the NHS crisis, a poll suggests.

According to UK Mail, a shocking survey shows that one in five Britons are resorting to ‘DIY dentistry’ because of the NHS dental appointments drought.

Desperate people have resorted to a few methods that include pulling off black teeth with pliers and making homemade dentures with resin and superglue. It is the latest sign of the ongoing NHS dental crisis in the UK, which has left people with no choice but to pay heavy private fees or go without.

A Liberal Democrat-commissioned poll found that nearly a quarter of Britons had failed to get an appointment with their local NHS dentist in the past year.

Of these, 21 percent resorted to DIY dentistry. Almost one in three quit seeking NHS dental care altogether. Lib Dems called the result a ‘national scandal’ and are calling on the government to present an NHS winter rescue package, which also includes plans to recruit more dentists.

In response to the survey, the British Dental Association (BDA) said ministers should lend more support to stop the ‘horror show’ of ‘Victorian era’ DIY dentistry. The findings follow official NHS data from last month showing that two-thirds of English adults have not seen an NHS dentist since the early days of Covid.

NHS dentistry has been in crisis for many years, but the situation has worsened since the UK emerged from the pandemic. There are increasing reports of Britons resorting to DIY dentistry as they struggle to see an NHS dentist and cannot afford private fees

Thousands of NHS dentists have left during COVID and industry polls suggest even more are considering going fully private shortly.

Dentists argue that it is no longer economically viable to offer NHS procedures due to a lack of government investment.

As a result, dental deserts are now emerging in parts of the UK, with a recent analysis finding that 9 in 10 NHS dentists are refusing to take on new patients.

The Lib Dem survey of 2,234 people conducted last month found that London and the South West were most likely to report failing to obtain an NHS appointment over 12 months at 28 percent.