The UK lockdown has meant that dental practices across the country had to temporarily close their doors, and suspend all routine dentistry. And as an alarming consequence, many people have had to resort to ‘DIY dentistry’ in their own homes over the last few months.

In fact, according to Google, the search term ‘tooth repair kit’ saw a massive 750% increase during the period of 29^th March – 31^st May.

And while dental practices are now re-opening to patients, social distancing measures and a backlog of appointments could mean patients are having to wait longer to be seen than usual.

Here, we provide our advice on why you should be avoiding DIY dentistry, and what to do if you need to see your dentist.

Why you should avoid DIY dentistry

Dentistry is not something that can be self-taught overnight, however, the UK lockdown has seen many people take dental care into their own hands. In fact, we’ve seen stories of people using pliers to remove their teeth, using online kits to create and fit a replacement tooth filling, and fashioning a home-made gum shield to keep lose veneers in place.

Yet these home remedies could in some cases have serious health implications. The equipment used for at-home treatments is unlikely to be sterile, and therefore carries a high risk of infection,

In particular, at-home tooth extractions should be avoided at all costs, due to the risk of infection of the open wound. Not only this, but DIY tooth extractions could leave the root still be anchored to the bone, which can cause further problems.

What to do if you need to see a dentist

From 8th June, dental practices in England have been given the go-ahead to re-open to patients, with increased safety measures. Your dental practice is likely to have new measures in place such as single patient scheduling, additional PPE, screening prior to appointment, temperature checks, safety screens, and pre-treatment anti-viral mouthwash. This means you can be sure if you visit your dentist, that you are in a safe environment.

If you require medical attention, first and foremost you should contact your dental practice to book an appointment. However, if you’re struggling to get an appointment, or are having to self-isolate, there are other options available to you.

Many practices, including Ropergate Dental Care, now have the technology to provide virtual appointments. This technology allows you to photograph your teeth and submit this for review by a dentist. After this, you will then be able to hold a virtual consultation with your dentist to discuss the next steps in your treatment. Or alternatively, book online and our Pontefract dental practice will take it from there!

Alternatively, if your dental practice does not have this technology available, they may be offering telephone consultations instead.