“So many people can’t get an NHS dentist appointment, they’re in pain, they’re anxious, some people can’t eat or speak properly.
“And suddenly, indeed, it’s not unusual for us to hear stories of DIY dentistry, things like making teeth out of resin and sticking them into their gums with superglue, which is an absolute desperate situation for somebody to be in.
Asked if she had heard of people pulling out their own teeth, Ms Ansari added: “Yes, absolutely.”
It comes amid a damning new survey by the British Dental Association and the BBC, which found 91 percent of NHS practices across England were not accepting new adult patients, with this figure rising to 97 percent in the east midlands, and 98 percent in the south-west, north-west and Yorkshire and the Humber.
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