I was forced to take drastic action after being turned down by 15 dentists – I had no choice, the system is broken
WHEN Catherine George’s tooth cracked just before Christmas, she knew that getting a dentist appointment would be all but impossible.
So she reached for an unconventional item to solve the problem – superglue.
Catherine, from Romford, Essex, said: “In 2023 I never thought I’d have to use superglue to repair cracks in my teeth but this is how bad things are.
“I have been begging dentists for an appointment on a daily basis but no-one will see me.
“It’s awful but I don’t know what else to do.”
Dentists urge against taking such drastic action but Catherine is far from alone.
Millions of Brits are resorting to dangerous DIY dentistry, with one in five admitting to pulling their own teeth out.
The state of the nation’s dental care was on display in West Norfolk recently, when 300 people joined a snaking queue outside a Kings Lynn practice after the clinic advertised that it would be taking on new NHS patients.
British Dental Association (BDA) chair Eddie Crouch said: “In recent months we’ve seen DIY dentistry that belongs in the Victorian era, and now queues outside NHS practices you’d expect to see outside bakeries in the Soviet Bloc.
“The fact that normally quite rational people – mums, nurses, teachers – could be resorting to super-gluing their own teeth or pulling them with pliers, it beggars belief.
“If nothing else, this shows the system’s officially broken.”
Almost 90 per cent of dentists in England are currently closed to new patients, according to recent research – and people are getting desperate.
A new survey of 2,000 people, by dental app Toothfairy, found that 19 per cent of Brits have removed a painful tooth themselves without seeing a dentist.
The exclusive poll also revealed that a third of us have suffered prolonged toothache over the past five years, with 20 per cent admitting to feeling “terrified” about not being able to see an emergency dentist.
Dentist Dr Deepak Aulak, who has treated stars including Rita Ora and Paul Pogba, said: “Britain’s teeth now are worse than they were before the Second World War because of NHS dentist shortages.
Britain’s teeth now are worse than they were before the Second World War because of NHS dentist shortages
Dr Deepak Aulak
“Little wonder people are turning to DIY dentistry if they’re in severe pain and can’t get professional help.
“It’s shocking to see how many people are walking around in pain due to the unavailability of dentists.”
Educational health care assistant Catherine George, 30 and her partner Billy Boys, 38, haven’t been able to see a dentist in over two years.
Catherine has been making her own fillings using a mix of superglue and a filling repair kit purchased from her local pharmacy.
And Billy, a dog breeder, has also been suffering.
In January he pulled out a painful tooth, cracked down to the nerve, using a pair of tweezers.
He said: “I kept the tooth to show the NHS what it means to have to do your own dental work.
“I’ve also done three of my own fillings using the superglue and filling mix.”
The majority of the UK’s dentistry is provided by independent high street dental practices, which are contracted to deliver NHS services.
But dentists have been increasingly prioritising private care.
A recent BDA survey of dentists found that half had cut back on NHS work since the pandemic, with 43 per cent planning to go fully private in the near future.
I’ve done three of my own fillings using the superglue and filling mix
Billy Boys
Some areas of England now have only one dental practice offering NHS treatments for every 13,000 people.
These ‘dental deserts’ like Bolsover in Derbyshire – with one health service-funded dentistry per 13,333 people – have been blamed for the rise in people forgoing professional dental treatment altogether, unable to afford private charges.
The BDA’s Eddie Crouch said: “There’s a growing and worrying divide when it comes to those who can afford to maintain decent dental health.
“The Prime Minister has repeatedly claimed that NHS dentistry is benefiting from more money, more dentists, and a ‘new’ contract. None of these claims are accurate.”
Constant pain
Mum-of-four Hannah Golding hasn’t been able to see an NHS dentist since 2019 – leading her to pull out FOUR of her own teeth.
Teaching assistant Hannah, 47, from Bury, Lancashire, said: “My husband Daniel was in the army in Hampshire, where we had a fantastic NHS dentist, but when he retired in November 2018 we moved up north and since then I haven’t been able to see a dentist once.”
Hannah says her teeth have gone from “bad to shocking”.
She added: “I’m in pain all the time, popping painkillers and using salt wash several times a day to stop any infections and manage the pain enough so I can work and look after our children.
I’m in pain all the time, popping painkillers and using salt wash several times a day to stop any infections and manage the pain enough so I can work and look after our children
Hannah Golding
“When things have got really bad and I can visibly see a tooth is rotting, I’ve had no choice but to pull it out myself using my fingers – I’ve done four molars so far.
“But the front teeth are looking bad now as well, which means I’m so self-conscious my reflex is to hold a hand over my mouth when I’m talking.
“The effect this has on my confidence is terrible.
“Last month I called 15 dentists trying to get an appointment, but they’re not accepting any new patients, even to waiting lists.
“I just feel completely let down – my husband gave 24 years of his life to serve his country, and this is how we’re being repaid?”
Quota scheme
Dr Raj Juneja, from Face Teeth Smile Dental Clinic in Gerrards Cross, Bucks, places some of the blame on NHS contracts introduced in 2006.
Under these contracts, dentists get paid by the NHS for Units of Dental Activity (UDAs). Each practice is allotted a set number of UDAs a year and given the cash to cover them.
A routine check-up might fetch one UDA, but more time-consuming work, such as fillings, could use up three UDAs.
Once dentists have exhausted their quota, they don’t get paid for treating any more NHS patients.
Dr Raj explained: “Because the current scheme is banded, dentists are discouraged from offering the full mouth treatment they’d like to.
“Instead they’re encouraged to only treat immediate situations because they’re not paid adequately to do more – and then they turn to private work.”
And increased demand is exacerbating the problem.
Because the current scheme is banded, dentists are discouraged from offering the full mouth treatment they’d like to
Dr Raj Juneja
Dr Raj added: “The backlog caused by the pandemic has meant that many people’s oral health has deteriorated, and conditions that could have been prevented have now become an emergency.
“As a result many patients are seeking emergency dental care, which puts a strain on the available resources.
“I’ve seen patients reglue decaying crowns back on the teeth, patients who’ve pulled their own teeth out, and worse. On Christmas Eve last year I had a dental emergency with a patient who tried to take his own tooth out, but the tooth snapped in his mouth.
“He then left the roots which eventually became infected and he had a severe dental abscess.
“This required an emergency surgical removal of the roots and abscess to be drained. “Although he has recovered it could have been a lot worse if left untreated.”
‘Urgent situation’
When hotel account manager Charlotte Johnson cracked a tooth last spring she was urged to call the NHS 111 service for a referral to an emergency dentist.
She was told she could either have a temporary filling or have the tooth removed.
Mum-of-two Charlotte, 39, said: “I was told I really needed a crown, but I’d have to find a dental practice to do that.
“I called over half a dozen NHS local dentists for help, but only one was accepting new patients, and even then, there was a two-year waiting list.”
Single mum Charlotte says she has been forced to start treating the problem herself with off-the-shelf treatments from Boots – including a dental repair kit with a filling paste.
She said: “It’s desperate. My boys, Mason, nine, and Oliver, 16, haven’t been able to see a dentist since before Covid, and I can’t see them having a check-up anytime soon.
“They’ll be like me soon, with an urgent situation and no dentists available to fix it.”
I called over half a dozen NHS local dentists for help, but only one was accepting new patients, and even then, there was a two-year waiting list
Charlotte Johnson
And many are turning to social media and YouTube to learn how to look after their teeth.
Rens Kivits, a 37-year-old graphic designer from Looe in Cornwall, has learned how to make his own DIY solutions from everyday kitchen staples to avoid having to find an NHS dentist.
Rens says: “My wife Rhian and I moved in 2016, and since then we’ve been unable to find an NHS dentist who’ll see us.
“We’re basically waiting for Cornish people to die before we can see a dentist, which is insane.
“Last year I bought a set of dental tools from Amazon to do my own descaling and stain removal.
“I’m also a regular subscriber to Dr Berg on YouTube who shows you how to make your own mouthwash to provide extra protection as well as tooth-whitening pastes.
“I mix water, hydrogen peroxide and bicarbonate of soda, along with peppermint essential oil – it definitely seems to whiten my teeth and creates a biofilm which stops plaque and tartar.
“I genuinely think this is what everyone in the UK should be doing now – taking their dental health into their own hands before you actually need a dentist. Because when you need one, you sure as hell you won’t be able to find one.
“I’m originally from Holland, where several of my family still live, and I have to say that the contrast between the two counties is staggering – I keep telling Rhian I want us to move over there, if only so we can see a dentist.”
But experts warn against DIY dentistry. Dr Raj says: “It may seem like a quick and cheap solution, but in the long run, it can cost you way more, both in terms of your health and financially.
“If you have a dental emergency you should call NHS 111 who will be able to advise you on the best options.”