In July 2022, Annette Aldridge, from Eppingsought dental care for a loose tooth, anticipating that it needed to be extracted. However, she was surprised when she NHS The dentist told her that all her teeth had to be extracted because of gingivitis.
Annette, 55, was left with one molar, two front teeth and a denture that she couldn’t bite with. He is now being investigated for malnutrition as he has not been able to eat properly for over a year.
She said: “They look great for pictures and smile but I can’t chew, I can’t bite. I can only have very soft things, and that’s when I come home at night and take my dentures out. I’m left to eat with my gums, which of course makes them hurt.”
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During the initial fitting of the dentures, Annette found that they were not properly aligned with her gums. Despite subsequent attempts at new dentures, it wasn’t until the third set that she found one that fit her, even though it wasn’t yet fit to eat.
He added: “And I had to pay £300 for each set of dentures! With all the money I spent, I could have bought implants. But now, I can’t afford it.”
Since having her teeth extracted, Annette has suffered significant weight loss. Now, doctors suspect pancreatic failure, as he is not absorbing the vitamins he needs.
Annette had previously made an appointment with the dentist who recommended the procedure and trusted her completely. Despite her long-standing fear of dentists, Annette said she was the first to inject a local anesthetic without causing pain.
He added: “All my life, I’ve had to have someone hold me in the dentist’s chair to get through it! So I thought this dentist was a miracle since I even left her a positive review on Google. I completely trusted her judgement.”
Annette then began to question her dentist’s decision when she realized she didn’t take any x-rays. Unfortunately, before she could voice her concerns, the dentist had already left the office.
Annette was then visited by another dentist, who provided her with her third and presumably final set of dentures. She reportedly said that the previous dentures, which were gum shields, were unsuitable for her gums and should not be offered to her.
Despite the meticulous measurements taken by the new dentist for the third denture, he still fails to let Annette eat comfortably. Now, she’s waiting for another dentist appointment in hopes of finding a solution, but she says they keep putting it off.
Recently, her attempt to eat with her dentures resulted in an injury to the inside of her gums, exacerbating her distress. She said: “I was relieved to know I had a dentist appointment in a few weeks, but it was devastating when the dentist asked to cancel that day.”
THE NHS Hertfordshire and West Essex Integrated Care Board (ICB), said: “We cannot comment on an individual’s experience, but we would encourage them to contact the patient experience team at ICB directly so that we can address their concerns.”
“If anyone has questions or comments about dental services, or if they don’t think you are getting the dental treatment you need, you can contact the Hertfordshire and West Essex Integrated Care Board (ICB) patient feedback team at hweicbwe.patientfeedback@nhs.net”
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