A LANCASHIRE dental patient has spoken of car-rying out 14 separate tooth extractions with a pair of pliers, researchers said.

The revelation was made in the biggest survey of its kind, which found many patients are going without treatment or trying to pull out their own teeth.

Almost a fifth of those questioned revealed that they had missed out on dental work they needed because of the cost.

As well as the Lancashire patient who pulled 14 teeth with pliers, one researcher met three separate people in one morning who had pulled out teeth themselves.

Sharon Grant, chair of the Commission for Patient and Public Involvement in Health, which set up the forums, said: "These findings indicate that the NHS dental system is letting many patients down very badly.

"It appears many are being forced to go private because they don't want to lose their current trusted and respected dentist or because they just can't find a local NHS dentist."

Health Minister Ben Bradshaw said it was a "myth" that everyone used to be able to get free dental treatment on the NHS.

"At its very highest it was 60 per cent in this country, now it's 56 per cent," he told GMTV.

He said people in urgent need should always be able to get NHS treatment but it would only be free for some people, like children, those on benefits and pregnant women.