‘Toothless’ campaign says people are resorting to “Dickensian” pain relief

Radio host David Prever began by admitting that he himself hasn’t been to the dentist in about two years – largely due to the pandemic.

He then introduced Toothless as “an organisation demanding NHS dentists for everyone and a reform of dental contracts for local practices”.

Mark explains how Toothless in Suffolk formed as a result of the only two dental practices in a small town closing, leaving around 6,000 people without access to an NHS dentist.

Mark shared stories of residents “drinking a bottle of scotch to numb the pain before they lance an abscess,” which he then described as “Dickensian”. Another story he shared included that of a woman who was now pulled out 12 of her own teeth. He even noted that cancer patients undergoing chemotherapy – which is known to have a detrimental impact on oral health, are unable to secure NHS dental care.