No NHS dentists and kids suffering

So it seems we need the help of a charity which usually works in the Third World to care for our kids’ teeth – no funding means nearly half of dentists are closed to new patients.

Dentaid, which often works in Asia and central America, has had to set up UK surgeries. It’s the latest story of our NHS falling apart and I’m not surprised.

It is nearly a decade since I moved up to Cheshire and tried my hardest to register with a NHS dentist. My nearest was an hour away so I went private.

I hear from friends they can’t get registered, there are no appointments, and systems are so strict that if they miss an appointment, you risk getting booted out. And even when you do get treatment, prices are sky high. A friend of mine is putting off root canal surgery because she can’t afford it.

But I say it falls on us parents to do the best we can to protect our kids’ teeth. Better labelling would help – the term “sugar free” is misleading.

We need more NHS dentists – but we also need help to help ourselves protect our families’ teeth.