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Children's health

Help, DS's tooth needs to be pulled out!

20 replies

whethergirl · 29/05/2009 21:29

My DS aged 4 dislodged his front tooth last week and my dentist has recommended the tooth be extracted since it's the root is badly damaged. My dentist did not want to give him an injection so he referred me to a dental hospital. I called them and it turns out it could take weeks for an appointment which is not acceptable as he can't eat properley and I can't keep him still - he has already knocked it again causing futher bruising and pain.

They advised me that if it can't wait then I can take him to Guy's hospital (London) A & E which I'm reluctant to do.

It seems many dentists are not licenced to give gas & air, only sedation by injection which I guess is why my dentist got referred. However I've spoken to other dentists since who can't understand why my dentist does not want to inject him.

I've found a private dentist who will give him gas and air, which I'm willing to go ahead with if it's the best choice, even though I'm on benefits and it will cost £150.

Anyone else been in a similar situation or have any advice to offer at all?? Thanks x

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thisisyesterday · 29/05/2009 21:33

i would take him to a&e.
why pay for something you could get done free?

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FabulousBakerGirl · 29/05/2009 21:33

My dd fell and I rushed her to the dentist. He injected her and took the tooth out.

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whethergirl · 29/05/2009 21:50

I'm really put off taking him to A & E because 1. It's the other side of London and I don't have a car, and even if I sort out a lift, my experience of A & E is waiting around for hours. I guess I thought if paying meant a more comfortable experience for him, then it would be worth it. Don't get me wrong - it's a hell of a lot of money for me.

FBG, how old was your DD at the time?

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BettySwollux · 29/05/2009 22:02

DS1 (almost 12) had 2 teeth removed at the dental hospital a couple of weeks ago (Our dentist doesnt do sedation). He had happy air, as I was told sedation was unpredictable for under 16s.
He was fine, I shed a tear.
If you're prepared to pay for treatment, could you maybe get a taxi home and bus/tube there?
Or could you find out if there is a dental hospital near you? They have an emergency dept usually.

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BettySwollux · 29/05/2009 22:06

Ah, sorry, I see there is a dental hosp. Could you ring and see if they have an emergency dept?
You will still have to wait when you get there, but I think children are given a bit more priority.

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whethergirl · 29/05/2009 22:17

Thanks Betty, I don't know if it gets any easier but my 4 year old just seems too little for all this! Worth knowing about sedation being unpredicatble.
Just not getting a good feeling about the A & E, I don't know why. I just wonder if they are going to make us wait for hours, and then have him been seen by one doctor, then another wait, then another doctor...it's always been my experience with A & E. Then
it will be about 40 minutes car journey back, which won't be too much fun if he's nauseaus from the gas and air.

The dental hospital said priority cases get seen within 2 weeks!

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BettySwollux · 29/05/2009 22:44

The g&a ds had just made him very giggly and floaty, not at all sickly. They do let you use the waiting room to 'sober up' before you leave.
Know what you mean about A&E.
Does dental hosp not have some kind of emergency dept or is it all appt basis?

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whethergirl · 29/05/2009 23:14

Well when I spoke to the dental hospital it seemed it was all appt basis.

But..the plot thickens. My mum just called. Apparently, my cousin is the receptionist at this Dental Hospital (and has been for about 7 years!) so I will be giving her a call tomorrow to see if she can pull any strings.

Weird thing is, I rang the dental hospital 3 times today, and it would have been her I spoke to! I even got arsey when I was told the fax machine wasn't working!!

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BettySwollux · 29/05/2009 23:21

Lol at getting arsey with your cousin and not realising it was her!
Hope she can pull strings for you.

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whethergirl · 29/05/2009 23:41

Thanks B, fingers crossed x

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differentnameforthis · 30/05/2009 02:10

Can you not ask your dentist to refer him to a dental clinic? They are usually able to see patients sooner & do either a GA or sedation.

I see no reason why he can't numb him & take it out himself. If it is that wobbly then it won't take long.

In the meantime if it isn't too painful you can always get him to wobbly it!

And your cousin shouldn't be able to pull strings. So don't get annoyed if she can't!

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GothAnneGeddes · 30/05/2009 03:16

Not to scare you, but the reason some dentists do not like sedating children is that there have been cases in the past where an emergency happened and the surgery and indeed the dentist wasn't equipped to deal with it.

Hence, it tends to be rather specialised.

£150 for removing a wobbly milk tooth is robbery. It would literally be 1 minutes work.

Try to go to A&E when it's quiet. Mid week mornings at 9am is meant to be one of the best times. Most hospitals are very good at dealing with child patients and it is the safest environment.

Still can't get over the clinic wanting £150. That is THEFT!!

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GothAnneGeddes · 30/05/2009 03:26

Ok, I've forgotten what day it is. You probably don't want to wait until Tuesday.

I would ring the A&E, explain the situation, say he can't eat, it's a long way to travel if nothing's going to happen. If receptionist is being unhelpful, ask if you can speak to the dental/Max Faxs SHO for some advice. Play up DS's suffering if needs be.

FYI, AFAIK,
Sedation via injection would mean a trip to theatre, which could involve a long wait as it's out of hours and not an emergency case.

Gas could possibly be done in A&E and therefore would be much quicker as it literally is a two minute job and the junior dentist could do it.

One thing. Would he let them gas him and pull the tooth out? Some children are more amenable then others. Maybe have a little chat to him about it.

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whethergirl · 30/05/2009 22:41

Thanks for you input. I know, £150, I feel like asking if a foot rub and calming cocktail for the mum is included!

Diff - the dentist referred me to a dental hospital - not sure what the difference is between that and a dental clinic. I'm not even sure how wobbly it is because my dd won't let me near it. I thought it would be too painful to wobble - the gum did suffer a lot of bruising.

I spoke to my cousin today, she said if I fax her the referral letter on Monday she would go straight to the consultant and put it under his nose and get an immediate response - as opposed to it going under a huge pile of referrals. Sorry but if I can pull strings I will!

Goth - good idea about ringing beforehand. Definitely plan B. I can already find a local NHS dentist who can offer sedation by injection. I just though gas & air was the preferable choice although I'm completely confused now, I've thought so much about it.

Thing about g & a - it's either a mask - can't imagine my ds liking that a bit - or I think you just inhale through a tube or something but I think that's down to the patient to do that and I don't think I would ttrust ds would do it properley!

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differentnameforthis · 31/05/2009 01:10

The 150gbp wouldn't just be for the extraction if you decided to go private!

It would cover

Consultation
Xray
Sedation (Gas & Air)
Extraction

and probably a follow up.

I don't see how that is theft!

A dental clinic is the same as a dental practice, only they have the facilities/qualifications to do sedation & generals. They often have shorter wait lists than the hospital.

And yes, you should try & pull strings if you can, what I meant was that many consultants don't take any notice of receptionists when it comes to bumping referals. I have worked with a few & they don't usually encourage list jumping, but good luck!

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GothAnneGeddes · 31/05/2009 02:29

Consultation - "Open wide". "Hmm, yes this tooth does need to come out".

X-Ray. It's a milk tooth, so not really necessary. But again, a two minute job.

Sedation. Different methods here. But probably someone holding a nasal mask to his face for all five minutes of the procedure. If a G.A, then it's still a few breaths on a face mask, then pop in an LMA (breathing tube used for short G.A's). But whatever the method, it would still be a five minute job with minimal monitoring.

The Extraction. Likely to literally be one tug with a pair of extraction forceps. One minute tops.

If it were anything more then that, the dentist would have had to refer him to a dental hospital/ NHS hospital for surgical excision of the root anyway.

So we are talking a quick tug of a wobbly milk tooth, which is half out anyway, costing £150. I'm sorry but that, to me is wrong.

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MadameDefarge · 31/05/2009 02:33

If you get him to to the dental hospital at Whitechapel before 8am. they will see you that day. Anybody can just turn up, they keep emergency slots open.

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differentnameforthis · 31/05/2009 02:37

GAG, whether you think it is wqrong or not, is irrelivant, I'm afraid! That is how private dentists work!

I know, I have worked for several. I am not saying it is right, just pointing out what it would cost.

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differentnameforthis · 31/05/2009 02:40

Oh & no type of sedation has 'minimal' monitoring. If you are doing sedation you need 3 people in the room at least.

The dentist
A nurse to assist
and another nurse qualified to do the monitoring or an anaesthatist.

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GothAnneGeddes · 31/05/2009 03:49

By minimal, I mean clip on finger for sats monitoring, for all of the 1 minute the procedure would take. (so from a technical point of view).

I just despair that people are being priced out of decent dental care. That somewhere a little boy is having to suffer in pain (and dental pain is one of the worst pain going) and to ask someone on benefits to pay £150 to stop it is wrong.

I'm going to be really controversial now, but considering that the training for dentists is so heavily subsidised by the government, they should be made to provide NHS treatment for a number of years.

I once heard two young dentists harrumphing about how people shouldn't complain about the price of dental treatment, look what they spend on haircuts, e.t.c.

To which I replied, "Yes but the government doesn't spend tens of thousands of pounds of tax payers money training hairdressers, do they?"

End rant.

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