Are there any emergency dentists open and what’s classed as an emergency?

[PrettyLittleLiar20]

Mr tooth has broke at the back and left a very sharp edge which has been rubbing my tongue to shreds and it’s started to bleed a little. It’s so sore whenever I speak, eat or even swallow. I know it’s not much of a big deal really but I really can’t take the pain anymore. Are there any emergency dentists open and would they do anything ? Thanks in advance.

[woodencoffeetable]

yes, some are open.
call your regular dentist, they should have a voice message telling you what to do.
in the meantime get a dental kit from a pharmacy to cover the sharp edges with dental wax.

[madcatladyforever]

Yes and yes. It's very soon going to be an emergency don't wait. I've just been with an early abcess, I did not wait until it bacme a massive abcess, i got some antibiotics and interin treatment.

[Mrsjayy]

My dentist is open certain times of the day for emergency appointments Ithink a broken tooth is an emergency enough to phone your own dentist to see whats what.

[AnguaResurgam]

I doubt a dentist will do anything other than assess, then either advise or refer. Dental procedures create aerosols and are hugely hazardous for dentist, dental nurse and next person in the chair.

So anything urgent will be referred to a centre where procedure can be carried with PPE.

Abscesses need treatment as a matter of urgency (risk of sepsis) as do other infections.

But for many things, all you will get is advice on how to care for your mouth until it's business as normal again.

[Forgotten2020]

Dentists are only allowed to open for emergencies if they have correct PPE. But the medical suppliers were not permitted to supply as dentists are not classed as healthcare. So dentists (private and nhs) can only offer telephone advice or, if appropriate, antibiotics. This has been put in place to reduce risks to patients primarily, not dentists. Those who do need to be seen are meant to be directed to a central hub which has been given hospital level PPE. Only my husband, a dentist, hasn’t been told where the hub is in our area. No information from Nhs despite phoning multiple places yesterday so we are not sure if they have been set up yet. It’s all a bit chaotic since the above PPE instructions came out in the early part of this week and am sure there are lots of emergencies needing treating. The worry is that if dentists aren’t allowed to treat and there are no hubs, A&E will get inundated. Dentists have been forgotten about both clinically and financially in all of this, but I suspect that with this instruction to down tools, only now will the public see what they did to alleviate pressure on the nhs.

[opalescent]

Madcatlady whereabouts are you? Just wondering because access to dentists seems very unequal across the country at the minute

[TeacupDrama]

as a retired dentist a fractured tooth would not be seen at a normal weekend however it would have been on monday I would suugest you get temporary filling material from a pharmacy and place it on to cover rough edge ( at a push chewing gum would do while you are trying to eat)
broken teeth with rough edges can be very sore
an out of hours emergency is generally
1.out of control pain ie painkillers are not working and you can't sleep ( generally needs to be seen within 24 hours so you might get seen at weekend)
2.bleeding that won't stop after an extraction,
3.a swelling that is making it difficult to swallow or spreading beyond local area
4.severe trauma ie tooth knocked out or severely displaced ( not a chip)
there is a secondary list which should be seen within business hours within 48 hours ie you have to wait until monday etc would include severe pain needing painkillers every 4 hours etc large tooth fractures with pain small swellings most dentists would recement crowns etc within a similar period but a lost filling with no pain is next available appointment
you need to ring on Monday as it sounds like once you cover rough edges and with some painkillers it is manageable I'm sympathetic but realistically you have no chance of being seen at weekend for this (nor any other weekend)

[danni0509]

I've got a dental abscess at the minute, I've been on amoxicillin 3 days (2 days worth left) and it's not done anything so far so I'm being prescribed some other antibiotic to collect Monday morning.

I've been put on a list to be seen at the 'urgent local dental centre' once it's been set up and is running. I'm hoping not to long away! I have no further details.

That is to have the tooth extracted by a dentist who has full Ppe, I think an ffp3 mask.

As I understand each area will have one of these clinics running and you must be referred to it by your dentist.

Also the dentist said as it stands, any dentist in the U.K. must not perform any fillings / root canals or extractions and can only prescribe pain relief and antibiotics and offer advice.

It will be these specialist clinics to do the work if you fit the criteria to be referred.

[danni0509]

Also should add, my dentist runs the local emergency dental clinic out of hours on an evening that 111 get you an appointment with and it's the same at that.

Only pain relief / advice & antibiotics if needed.

Hoping these specialist clinics are running soon.

[MiracletoCome]

I bought some Toofypegs off Amazon for temporary fillings whilst this is all going on, it was selling fast though.