NHS dentist delays: 'I tried tweezers to remove teeth'

The NHS said its dental teams were working hard to see patients as quickly and safely as possible

A woman says she tried to remove her own rotten teeth with tweezers after struggling to get dental treatment.

She is among a number who have contacted the BBC to report continuing problems booking NHS appointments.

A dentist in Birmingham said his practice was currently open six days a week, 12 hours a day, attending to NHS and private patients.

NHS England said upheaval due to Covid had disrupted care and dentists were prioritising those with urgent needs.

'I could not sleep'

Many people have not seen their dentist for well over a year due to the pandemic

Bolu Muheeb started having issues with four of her teeth just as England's lockdown was announced in March 2020.

Over the past 18 months she estimates she has rung the NHS 111 service more than 200 times because of the pain she was in with her teeth.

The 23-year-old said: "I got so desperate at one point, I tried to take my teeth out with tweezers."

The infection also started to affect her hearing and everyday life as she tried to carry out her job as a teacher for children with additional needs.

Miss Muheeb added: "I couldn't think straight. It affected my mood. I didn't want to go out, I could not sleep."

In July, Miss Muheeb, from West Bromwich, in the West Midlands, received a referral to Birmingham Dental Hospital and four rotten teeth were extracted.

Her search continues to find an NHS dentist who will take her on, after being told she could have to wait 12-18 months to go on an NHS dentist's books.

'We haven't got money to throw around'

Laura Hedges said she was considering having private dental treatment as she could not afford to take more time off work

Laura Hedges sat in A&E for two hours waiting to see a doctor because an abscess in her mouth had burst and she was in so much pain she had "spent the morning crying".

Mrs Hedges, who lives in Shrewsbury, Shropshire, "was left with no other option other than to go to hospital" after she said her own NHS dentist had refused to prescribe a second dose of antibiotics for an infection in her tooth and gums.

After calling the surgery she said she had been told she was no longer on the system due to the length of time since her last visit, in 2019.

The hairdresser spent much of 2020 unable to work due to lockdowns. She has since had days off due to the "throbbing infection in her ear and mouth" and is now in a quandary about whether to pay for private treatment.

"We haven't got money to throw around and I feel embarrassed that we [need] to put finances before our health. I'm looking [at] at least a few hundred pounds if I pay privately.

"It's really difficult to try and find an NHS dentist who will see you. I've been trying to get on a list.

"I'd like to try and continue within an NHS practice if I can but it's proving difficult."

Official advice from the NHS is to contact the England Customer Contact Centre if you are unable to find a dentist who is accepting NHS patients - or dial 111 if you are in pain and need emergency treatment to access an emergency dentist.

Increase in dental problems

Dentist Anoup Nandra is not able to offer appointments to new patients until January as he is prioritising existing ones

A dentist in Birmingham says his practice is open for more than 12 hours a day, six days a week, to cope with the increase in demand post pandemic.

Anoup Nandra, who runs a mixed NHS and private practice in Edgbaston, is seeing a high proportion of patients who have broken or cracked teeth.

"We are also seeing higher instances of gum problems because patients have not been able to access treatments to have their teeth cleaned or see the hygienist as frequently as they would've done previously," he said.

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'Making do with veneer'

Claire, pictured with her husband and son, needs to see a dentist after swallowing a cap on one of her teeth

Claire was advised by a health visitor earlier this year to see a dentist about her son's top lip tie, which is causing a gap in his front teeth.

"I've emailed at least six dentists in Solihull and not one of them has an NHS space - though I've been told they do have private spaces available," she said.

Claire needs to see a dentist too after swallowing a cap on one of her teeth - leaving her with only half a front tooth.

A childhood accident left her requiring the caps.

She is "making do" and now wearing a plastic veneer, but said it was not a long-term fix as she was unable to eat wearing it and worried about her other teeth and caps.

"I have gotten in touch with every dentist in our area, but nothing. I honestly don't even know where to look next to try and find someone who can help us."

'NHS dental teams working hard'

An NHS spokesman said: "It's inevitable that the upheaval caused by Covid has disrupted some people's dental care, but dentists have been prioritising treatment for patients in urgent need, in part through the rapid establishment of 600 urgent dental centres - with millions still getting care through the pandemic.

"NHS dental teams are working hard to see patients as quickly and safely as possible and provision of urgent care has been at pre-pandemic levels since December 2020."