Eleven million people in the UK are currently unable to get an NHS Dentist appointment, according to a 2023 report by the British Dental Association (BDA). Representative Image: Pexels
Dentistry

Desperate UK Man Pulls Own Tooth With Wrench Amid NHS Dental Crisis

Kaspars Grenenbergs’ harrowing DIY extraction sheds light on the deepening NHS dental care shortage

MBT Desk

On the night of March 31, Kaspars Grenenbergs, a 44-year-old father of two from Norfolk, UK, suffered a pain that pushed him to the edge of the unthinkable. With no emergency dental appointments, and after countless calls to both the NHS and private clinics, he made a gut-wrenching decision to have his tooth extracted using a pipe wrench.

I rang every clinic in the area – nothing. Even the private dentists who had initially said yes changed their minds.
Kaspars Grenenbergs

With no professional help, and the pain becoming unbearable – “like an explosion in my head” – Kaspars quite literally took matters into his own hands.

Whiskey, paint thinners, and a plumbing tool

In his bathroom, Kaspars prepared for the grim task ahead. He took ibuprofen, other painkillers, and a shot of whiskey to build his courage. He even gargled with salt water, bracing himself for what was to come. Then, grabbing a pipe wrench, a tool usually reserved for plumbing, he began to loosen the impacted tooth.

After several harrowing attempts, he finally pulled the tooth out. Blood was pouring from his mouth, but the throbbing pain that had kept him awake for days began to subside.

His wife, Nadezhda, and their children were in disbelief. “They thought I was joking. Then they saw the blood," he said. “No one could believe I actually did it."
A Healthwatch England report in 2022 found that 1 in 10 respondents said they had attempted their own dental treatment — including pulling out teeth with pliers, using super glue to fix crowns, or even filing down their teeth.

The big problem: a broken dental system

Kaspars’ story has since gone viral, sparking outrage and concern about the state of NHS dental care, particularly in rural parts of Britain. Norfolk, like many regions, is suffering from a severe shortage of NHS dentists, a crisis that has left countless families without access to essential care.

Kaspars said this is not the first time we have had to look elsewhere for help. “When my wife had a toothache, she flew to Latvia for treatment. She was back within 24 hours – treated and pain-free," he said bitterly, adding, “Here, we pay National Insurance, but when we need help, there’s no one to turn to."

As the outrage grows, so do the demands for urgent reform.

(Input from various sources)

(Rehash/Muhammad Faisal Arshad/MSM)

Amoebic Meningoencephalitis Outbreak in Kozhikode: Kerala Health Alert 2025

Why Gen Z Is Obsessed with Adult Pacifiers: The Viral Stress-Relief Trend Explained

Japan Emerges as a Promising Destination for Indian Medical Aspirants Amid Rising NEET-UG Competition

J J Hospital Performs 101 Free Robotic Surgeries in 83 Days – A Game Changer in Public Healthcare

AI-Powered Healthy Dining: The Stanford Doctor’s ChatGPT Hack That’s Changing the Way We Eat Out