Two different stories of patients using superglue to treat their own dental problems were recently shared within hours of each other online.

BBC News shared the story of Sharon Grey, from Suffolk, who was “was forced to take matters into her own hands and turned to DIY dentistry after waiting for NHS treatment for over a year”.

She told the broadcaster, "I've filed them down with a metal file, I've superglued them back in and managed to superglue most of my mouth as well.

"I've used Fixodent to try and hold a bridge onto my teeth that doesn't work either. I think I must have covered most things by now.

"I've worked my whole life. I've paid my national insurance. I've worked for the NHS even, and I was left in this situation. I think its diabolical."

Meanwhile, the Sailsbury Journal reported the experiences of Steve Glazebrook, whose denture “broke in half at the start of 2021”.

The publication explained how “Steve tried to get an appointment at his Salisbury dental practice, but he had been removed from the list.

“This is standard for NHS patients who haven’t attended their dentist for two years or more, but when he tried to find another dentist he discovered that all dental practices in Salisbury were not accepting new NHS patients.

“This was also the case for the Andover practices he had been recommended after contacting the NHS helpline on 111.

“After six months of trying to find a dentist that would accept NHS patients, Steve finally got an appointment at a Bupa Dental Care in Bournemouth for three months later.

“There were nine months in total between his denture breaking and him first seeing a dentist, and he had to drive between Bournemouth and his home in Bemerton a total of five times for consultations and fittings.

“But Steve, who worked in the Navy, considers himself ‘lucky’ to have been treated at all, even if it was nearly a year later.”

He said, “I would think it’s probably similar to a lot of other people’s experience with NHS dentists.

“It did have an effect on me. I wouldn’t like to go out and socialise when you can’t smile because your teeth are a mess, but one has to eat. And the only way I could eat without having to resort to eating soup or baby food was to superglue my teeth together which I’m sure isn’t very healthy.

“It is very frustrating, but I'm lucky because there must be people who are in pain and still suffering from it."

“The other option NHS 111 gave him was to get treated privately, but as Steve is on Universal Credit after losing his job due to his health, this was not something he could afford,” the news story explained.

“For a choice you need to have two options, and if only one of those options are available you do not have a choice, do you?” Steve added.

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