Caller resorts to mincing food to swerve £19K dentist bill

2 May 2022, 14:47

Caller quoted 19k to have his tooth condition treated

This caller highlights the staggering issues with dentistry up and down the country as his story leaves David Lammy lost for words.

Dave in Swansea phoned in to LBC during a conversation on the emergence of dentistry "black spots" in the UK, where it is near impossible for Brits to get seen by NHS dentists.

The caller told David Lammy he was prescribed a drug for a heart condition which had the side effect of making one's teeth brittle.

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"Now I'm left with a mouthful of stumps that nobody seems to want to treat!"

The 73-year-old explained that over time his teeth fell out one by one, with him now being left with one solitary tooth.

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After receiving a plan from a specialist in hospital to attempt to restore his smile, the caller explained that because NHS dentists don't want to undertake the drastic treatment, he is left in limbo. He went on to reveal that the private treatment would set him back an eye-watering £19,000.

David Lammy couldn't believe his ears.

"Unless you're getting the sort of teeth that maybe a Hollywood actor has," David quipped, struggling to fathom the reason for such a quote for vital treatment.

As a result of the costly treatment, the caller told David that in his diet: "Everything has got to be minced or soft...I can't eat a tidy, sort of, home cooked dinner."

The caller laughed when David asked if he gets support to accommodate his special diet. "I don't get any support – we've got a Tory government David!"

"I've got some beautiful steaks in the freezer and I can't use them."