Woman, 70, forced to pull out her own teeth due to lack of NHS dentists

A 70-year-old woman was forced to pull out her own teeth as she couldn’t find an NHS dentist and couldn’t afford to go private.

Linda Colla, from Devon, said she carried out the extractions “with great difficulty and lots of pain” after her teeth had become loose.

Ms, Colla, who receives pension credit, said she was left with no other choice as she could not find an NHS dentist after she moved house six years ago, and she could only eat soft food because of the pain.

“It’s not nice pulling your own teeth out. When they’re big molars and canine teeth which I pulled out, it’s no joke,” she said.

Research carried out by the BBC in 2022 found nine out of 10 NHS dental practices were not taking on new adult patients.

Eddie Crouch, chairman of the British Dental Association responded by saying:

“In a civilized society no one should have to try their hand at DIY dentistry.

“These horrors are the direct result of decades of political choices.”

Mr. Crouch said the next government has “a moral responsibility to provide the reform and funding NHS dentistry desperately needs”.

“Failure to do so will spell the end of a service millions depend on.”

Ms. Colla said she still had to pay about £300 for work on her dental plate following the extractions so that she could eat again.

Dental negligence

Teeth play an important role in our appearance and our oral health must be cared for professionally.

We place trust in Dental Health professionals to recognise and correct any dental complaints that we may have. Mistakes and delays caused by dentists can cause significant pain and can even affect our mental wellbeing.

Some common examples of dental negligence include:

• Incorrect and delayed diagnosis of teeth health and even oral cancer
• Nerve injury
• Cosmetic dentistry
• Periodontal Disease Misdiagnosis
• Mistakes in treatment leading to the loss of a tooth or multiple teeth
• Surgical Errors in extraction and root canal treatment

Here at Oakwood Solicitors, we have a lot of success in dealing with Dental Negligence Claims. Please see here for more information on the different types of dental negligence.

What can I claim for Dental Negligence?

If you have suffered due to Dental Negligence then you may be able to claim for the following:

• Pain and suffering
• Any loss of earnings as a result of the dental treatment
• Further treatment that may be required including cosmetic treatment
• Psychiatric damage

Why make a dental negligence claim?

We trust Dental Health Professionals to provide advice and treatment to do the best for our oral health. Sometimes this trust is betrayed and the symptoms that we may have could become worse and teeth can be lost as a result of a mistake.

Dental pain can be traumatic and can affect your daily life. Dental Health Professionals have a duty of care to correctly assess your oral health and keep you from suffering further pain and trauma.

Here at Oakwood Solicitors, we have first-hand experience dealing with people whose lives have been changed by dental negligence. Bringing a Dental Negligence claim has allowed our clients to receive the financial support that is needed to aid in recovery.

Further reading

Dental negligence – Oakwood Solicitors

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