A mum removed 11 of her own teeth after her old dentist practice closed.
Danielle Watts, 42, says she has to take painkillers every day to cope with the agony caused by her rotting teeth.
Over the last three years, Danielle has taken it upon herself to deal with severe gum disease, as she could not find a local NHS dentist surgery that would take her on.
Her previous practice closed in 2015 and in the six years since Danielle has still not been able to use another.
Seeking private treatment was also a non-starter for the teaching assistant from Bury, St Edmunds, who said she could not afford it.
Low on confidence and insecure about her mouth, Danielle heartbreakingly now says she "no longer smiles".
She told the BBC: "It gets to the point where the teeth are just sitting in my mouth with no support, that even a simple squeeze and they will come out.
"I don't smile, I've lost my confidence and I'm taking painkillers on a daily basis.
"I'm paranoid about how I sound because I know my words don't form properly anymore."
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Danielle explained at the time she and her children were left with "nowhere to go", it was not an issue because her dental situation was fairly healthy.
But problems soon amounted to a nightmare around two and a half years ago, leaving her with receding gums and loose teeth.
She said: "Everywhere I've tried has said they are not taking on NHS patients, but offered to take us on privately.
"I wouldn't know where to get the funds from or where to begin to go privately."
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Danielle claims her attempts to get help and advice by calling 111, ended in her being told it was not serious because her face was not swollen.
Instead she was just told take painkillers and "see how it went," Danielle says.
As far as the mum was concerned, she was left with no option other than to personally pull out her teeth out.
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