17 March 2024 , 22:37
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Removing teeth with pliers, screwdrivers, hammers and string. Living in agony, struggling to eat or smile. Forced to travel 200 miles to access basic healthcare.
Just some of the reasons thousands of people have said “enough is enough” and that something has to be done to fix NHS dentistry. Protesters will today descend on the Houses of Parliament after a Government funding squeeze caused most dentists in England to stop taking on new NHS patients.
And a Mirror petition to end the dental dark age has hit 200,000 signatures, with people from across the country sharing their horror stories.
Alan Raymond, from Southport, Merseyside, said: “I was unable to get an NHS dentist for two years. I had to pull out my own wisdom tooth.” Alex Gibson, of Stoke-on-Trent, added: “I’ve not been able to see a dentist in over five years. I’ve removed one tooth with a screwdriver and another with pliers.”
Michael Hodge, of Liverpool, said: “I had to pull out one of my wisdom teeth with a pair of sterilised pliers.” Elizabeth Johnson-Idan, of Frome, Somerset, said: “I can’t get an NHS dentist, I can’t afford to go private. I’m living on painkillers and fear.” Brian Mascall, from Totnes, Devon, said: “It takes a round trip of about 200 miles to reach our dentist. I have advanced prostate cancer.”
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Alison Curley, from Sunderland, said: “I’ve lost my confidence, my smile and faith in the system. My health has suffered with weight loss due to not being able to eat properly.”
Eddie Crouch, chairman of the British Dentistry Association, said: “Choices made in Westminster have left people across the country taking matters into their own hands. Ministers need to pull dentistry back from the dark ages.”
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The Mirror’s petition on the 38 Degrees platform, launched in partnership with the BDA, comes after an exodus of dentists from the NHS. Today’s protest by dentists and patients in Westminster comes a day before the Minister responsible for NHS dentistry will be grilled by MPs on the Health Select Committee.
Andrea Leadsom will defend the Tories’ much-derided dentistry “rescue plan”, which the Mirror can reveal comes with no new funding. The Government had pledged “an additional £200million” for the plan but the BDA understands this will be a reallocation from within the existing £3billion budget.
David Creamer, 62, has been left in 'agony' (Lee McLean / SWNS)Mr Crouch added: “This isn’t a postcode lottery any more. It’s the whole phone book. It won’t be solved with a few warm words and an unfunded, unambitious plan.”
Lib Dem leader Sir Ed Davey used part of his speech at his party’s conference to pledge reforms to the NHS and dentistry. Shadow Health Secretary Wes Streeting said: “After 14 years of Conservative neglect, patients are pulling their teeth out, and tooth decay is the number one reason for 6- to 10-year-olds going to hospital.
“The revelation that the Tories’ hastily cobbled-together dentistry plan comes with no new funding is what we’ve come to expect from this shameless Government. These horror stories show the real cost of Conservative chaos.
“Instead of using doors and string to remove teeth, people need the chance to show this failed Government the door. The Conservatives need to move out the way and allow Labour to rescue NHS dentistry.”
The Department of Health and Social Care said: “Our plan will create 2.5m more appointments this year by offering cash to dentists taking on new NHS patients and up to £20,000 to encourage dentists to work in underserved areas.”
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The people hit by our NHS dentistry crisis
Ex-miner David Creamer lived on soup and rice pudding because he could not find an NHS dentist. David, 62, from Rotherham, South Yorks, could not pay more than £5,000 for private treatment after losing four crowns.
Three-year old Sid Hall was left with crumbling, black teeth because of a waiting list at least a year long. Sid, from Scarborough, North Yorks, has a condition called hypomineralisation and needed four of his teeth removed.
Sid Hall can't get dental care despite being in agony (Andy Commins / Daily Mirror)Plumber Grant Lakey had to yank out four of his teeth with string after trying all six dentists near his home in Bromley, South East London, but found none was accepting NHS patients.
He added: “I ended up having to tie string around them and kind of garrotted it out."