Desperate Brits have been making fake teeth out of resin and sticking them to their own gums with superglue as 91% of NHS dentists snub new patients, an expert warned today.
The shocking stories of “DIY dentistry” also include people pulling out their own teeth.
They emerged as leaders warned the industry is at a “tipping point”, with even children turned away from new sign-ups.
Children and some benefit claimants are meant to get free dental treatment in England.
For those who pay costs are meant to be capped at three bands - £23.80 for check-ups, £65.20 for fillings and £282.80 for crowns, dentures and bridges.
But a survey by the British Dental Association (BDA) and BBC found 91% of NHS practices in England were not accepting new adult patients - 4,933 out of the 5,416 who replied.
That rose to 97% in the East Midlands, and 98% in the South West, North West and Yorkshire and the Humber. For Scotland it was 82%, Northern Ireland 90% and Wales 93%.
Of those practices not taking on adults in England, 23% (1,124) said they had an open waiting list, and 16% (791) said the wait time was a year or longer, or were unable to say how long it would be.
In more than a third of council areas in England, the researchers could not find a single practice offering to accept new adult patients.
And 79% of NHS practices in England were not accepting new child patients - 4,293 of 5,416.
The national director of Healthwatch England warned people have been turning to "DIY dentistry" if they are unable to get an appointment.
Louise Ansari told BBC Radio 4's Today programme: “The situation is pretty dire, isn't it?
"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 in to 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."
Lib Dem Health Spokesperson Daisy Cooper said “our NHS dental system is broken” and “the fault for this lies solely with the Conservative Government.
“They have done next to nothing to tackle this crisis. We have heard nothing from Sunak or Truss on the dental crisis either - whilst they compete to outdo each other in the culture wars, people are being left in pain and at risk of broader oral ill health setting in.
“It is high time that the NHS dentist contract were reformed and plans brought forward to recruit more local NHS dentists, so no matter where you live you know you can get the NHS dental care you need.”
Shawn Charlwood, chairman of the British Dental Association's general dental practice committee, said: "NHS dentistry is at a tipping point, with millions unable to get the care they need and more dentists leaving with every day that passes.
"We're seeing the results of years of chronic neglect, set into overdrive by the pressures of the pandemic. The question now is will ministers step up before it's too late?
"Nothing we've heard from government to date gives us any confidence this service has a future.
"Without real reform and fair funding NHS dentistry will die, and our patients will pay the price."
The BDA previously said that since March 2020, some 3,000 dentists are understood to have moved away from NHS work entirely.
A BDA poll of 2,200 high street dentists in England found that 45% have reduced their NHS commitment since the start of the pandemic.
The figures, shared with the PA news agency, also found that 75% are "likely" to reduce, or further reduce, their NHS commitment in the next 12 months.
A Department of Health and Social Care spokeswoman said: "Improving patient access to NHS dental care is a government priority and the new reforms to the dental contract announced last month are an important step, allowing the best performing practices to see more patients, making better use of the range of professionals working in the sector such as dental therapists, hygienists and nurses, while also rewarding dentists more fairly for providing more complex care.
"The NHS commits around £3 billion to dentistry each year and have made an extra £50 million to help bust the Covid backlogs, building on the unprecedented £1.7 billion support we provided during the pandemic, to protect teams and patients by paying dental practices for the work they would normally have carried out if it were not for Covid regulations."
