Falling numbers of state dentists in England has led to some people taking extreme measures, including extracting their own teeth, according to a new study released Monday.
Others have used superglue to stick crowns back on, rather than stumping up for private treatment, said the study. One person spoke of carrying out 14 separate extractions on himself with pliers.
...Overall, six percent of patients had resorted to self-treatment, according to the survey of 5,000 patients in England, which found that one in five had decided against dental work because of the cost.
...Almost half of all dentists -- 45 percent -- said they no longer take NHS patients, while 41 percent said they had an "excessive" workload. Twenty-nine percent said their clinic had problems recruiting or retaining dentists.
The blog of Freedom and Individual Rights in Medicine (FIRM)
Wednesday, October 17, 2007
Dental Care in the UK
Although the socialized British National Health Service provides "universal care", the deterioration in dental care has gotten so bad that some desperate patients are resorting to pulling their own teeth:
