DIY dentistry: What is safe to do to your own teeth?

Like many patients, Debroy Parrington has been unable to get dental treatment during lockdown. Toothache had left him in so much agony he decided to pull out one of his own teeth using a pair of pliers.

Currently, any patient with an emergency dental problem is supposed to be referred to an Urgent Dental Care (UDC) hub for treatment.

NHS England has said dentists and orthodontists can reopen from 8 June if they put in place appropriate safety measures, but the British Dental Association has warned that practices will take a while to get fully up and running.

Scotland, Wales and Northern Ireland have not set a date for routine dentist appointments to restart.

But can you treat your own teeth while waiting to see a dentist? Dentist Catherine Tannahill explains what you could do.

Produced and edited by Caroline Lowbridge