One in five adults in Wiltshire have carried out DIY dentistry at home
ONE in five adults has carried out DIY dentistry at home to relieve their pain because they have been unable to access an NHS service, according to a new survey.
And figures show the number of people who have seen an NHS dentist in Wiltshire has plummeted in recent years.
Only three in ten adults in Wiltshire were able to secure an appointment with an NHS dentist in the past two years. This is down from five in ten who saw an NHS dentist in the year up to 2019.
Meanwhile, only four in ten children in Wiltshire have been able to see a dentist in the last 12 months, despite the NHS recommending under-18s see a dentist at least once a year. This is down from over half who had seen an NHS dentist in the year to 2018.
The stark figures were compiled by the House of Commons Library following a request by the Liberal Democrats.
It comes as polling has found that one in five (21 per cent) adults unable to see a dentist have carried out DIY dentistry in a desperate attempt to relieve their pain.
The Liberal Democrats are calling on the Government to set out an NHS winter rescue plan this week as soon as Parliament returns, to provide urgent help to those living in dental agony.
This would also include immediate action to reduce dangerously long ambulance waiting times and speed up access to healthcare for the almost seven million people stuck on NHS waiting lists.
One in five adults in Wiltshire have carried out DIY dentistry at home | Wiltshire Times