'I had practically all my teeth removed but my dentures don't fit so I can barely eat'

When Annette Aldridge had a loose tooth she thought a visit to the dentist would, at most, lead to that single tooth being removed. However, she was taken aback when in July 2022 her NHS dentist told her the vast majority of her teeth needed to be taken out due to gingivitis.

Annette, 55, from Epping, was left with one molar, two front teeth, and dentures which she cannot bite with. It has left her unable to eat properly for more than a year, as reported by Essex Live.

She said: "They look great for photos and smiling, but I cannot chew, I cannot bite. I can only have very soft things, and that's when I get home in the evening and take off my dentures. I am left to eat with my gums, which of course makes them sore."

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During the initial denture fitting, Annette found it did not properly align with her gums. Despite subsequent attempts with new dentures, it wasn't until the third set that she found one that fit, even though it was still not suitable for eating.

She added: "And I've had to pay £300 for each set of dentures! With all the money that I spent, I could have bought implants. But now, I cannot afford that."

Since her teeth extraction, Annette has suffered from significant weight loss. Now, doctors suspect pancreatic insufficiency, as she is not absorbing the vitamins she needs.

Annette previously had appointments with the dentist who proposed the procedure, and she completely trusted her. Despite her long-standing fear of dentists, Annette said this was the first one who administered a local anaesthetic injection without causing any pain.

She added: "All my life, I had to have someone hold me down in the dentist chair for me to bear it! So, I thought this dentist was a miracle, having even left her a positive review on Google; I fully trusted her judgement."

Afterwards, Annette began questioning her dentist's decision upon realising she did not conduct any X-rays. Unfortunately, before she could voice her concerns, the dentist had already left the practice.

Annette was subsequently attended to by another dentist who provided her with the third and supposedly final dentures. He allegedly said that the previous dentures, which were gum shields, were unsuitable for her gums and should not have been offered.

Despite meticulous measurements taken by the new dentist for the third denture, it still fails to let Annette eat comfortably. Now, she awaits a new dentist appointment in hopes of finding a solution, but she says they keep postponing it.

Eating with dentures in causes her injury

Recently, her attempt to eat with the dentures resulted in an injury to the inside of her gum, adding to her distress. She said: "I felt relieved knowing I had a dentist appointment scheduled in a couple of weeks, but it was devastating when the dental practice called to cancel on the day."

The NHS Hertfordshire and West Essex Integrated Care Board (ICB), said: "We can't comment on an individual's experience but we would encourage them to contact our patient experience team at the ICB directly so that we can look into their concerns."

"If anyone has questions or feedback about dental services, or if you do not 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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