My mental health is crumbling due to the appalling lack of dental care in the UK

[opalescent]

Just finding this unbearable now.

I take such good care of my teeth, but unfortunately I grind in the night, and suffer regular aches/pains and issues as a result.
I wear a mouth guard. It doesn't help. In fact it aggravates the issue at times.

I am actually really proud of how I have coped up until now, as being unable to access a dentist is probably my biggest fear (this was an issue for me even before lockdown).

But there doesn't seem to be an end in sight, and the only emerging news about dental services seems to be bad. Day after day. How is this being allowed to happen?

Is anyone able to DM me details of one of the few practices in England that are actually seeing patients? I know a few exist. This would soothe my nerves immensely.

Thanks all

I am desperate to get to the dentist. Since the beginning of lockdown I have lost a crown on my right side and had a lost part of a tooth on my left. Luckily I have no pain but have drastically cut down on my food intake because I don't want to risk a possible infection/pain.

I have lost a stone in weight and am currently on medication as I'm constipated due to a restricted diet.

God knows how I'll cope if this last many more months.

I understand why dentistry is cancelled but now that covid numbers are decreasing surely plans should be put in place to look at urgent cases.

@UncleFoster this is exactly my predicament- I can’t stop using the modified mouth guard because it causes pain in premolars on either side of my mouth. I also had a new bridge fitted just before lockdown, and get terrible aches in the supporting teeth either side when I grind on them- so I’ve had to take steps to relieve the pressure on those teeth. I realise it’s going to cause bite issues- but what can I do? I’m stuck between a rock and a hard place, and this is why I need to see and speak to a dentist..

I was undergoing a root canal at the time of lockdown, another abscess formed and I had three sets of antibiotics. I have just had the tooth extracted, the relief from the pain is wonderful although I am sad I had to make the decision to have it taken out.

The dentist at the hub said he thought that they wouldn't be doing anything more complex than extractions until end July.

@UncleFoster I did not say I expected a&e to book him in but there is no access to emergency dental services in our area. It was an accidental mixture of various painkillers, most people are aware that this isnt uncommon when people are desperate.

Its not that I don't understand the situation but this is quite a serious dental problem now that cannot be resolved without surgery, antibiotics are not working and he is a single parent who is really struggling.

It's just a shit situation all round and there may not be an answer but the hospital wouldnt even send home painkillers with him due to the overdose but wrote in the discharge notes that it's likely to happen again. The dentist is not answering emails from the hospital who have said it is an emergency. There is a sign on the door saying the dentist is available for emergencies but no one answers the number provided.

I would be happy to have the broken tooth extracted, because at least I could use one side of my mouth to eat with.

There is an answer to the problem- dentists are open in many European countries. Perhaps not all are offering AGPs, but they are open, accessible and seeing patients face to face. For some reason the UK management of this issue has been disastrous at every level.

so when do you think dentists might be open again uncle? I think i understand the risks, but wont those be around potentially for ever if we cant get a vaccine?

Isn't there now a test that gives a result in 20 mins? So you get people to arrive for their dentist appointment 30 mins before, give them the test and if they are negative they can come in. Doesn't help those with covid AND toothache, but I am sure 95% of appointments could go ahead.

It is ludicrous that it's only dentists in the UK who've stopped, but it's like the football and schools - other countries are getting on with it and everyone just argues here.

What worries me is that thanks to that twat Dominic Cummings, the public will think lockdown is over, trigger a second wave quickly and we'll be back to square one pushing back when dentists can open again.

Why can't patients be tested before any treatment. We are going to have to learn to function in case a vaccine isn't found. How can other countries do it but we can't.

dental surgery in hospital has been cancelled alongside the majority of routine surgery for many reasons

It has restarted here- they called DH last week to try and get him in that day which he couldn't do- so going in Tuesday. He originally had an appointment that was cancelled in April.

Any chance you can tackle the real reason you grind your teeth? It’s linked to anxiety and stress. You can also open your mouth wide at times and do incredibly gentle stroking along your jawline to, its barely touching though.

I've lost the tooth behind my canine in lockdown. It was mostly crown anyway to be fair. I am now wearing a mask everywhere, to hide the massive gap (I'd already lost the tooth behind it so the gap is huge- I'm only 41 *sobs). Honestly saving my tears for anyone suffering proper toothache though (Id already had a root canal so in no pain at the moment). Ive suffered on and off with toothache all my life and it is truly awful. I cant imagine needing help with dental pain at the moment. What a terrible time for many

Honestly op wearing a mouthgaurd like that can really mess up your teeth, especially as it sounds like you arent biting on some teeth with it in. Your back teeth will overerupt leaving an open bite.

You need to address your grinding. A dentist can make you a lower gaurd at some point which can help but only you can stop the grinding. Theres very little that can be done by the dentist.

It is often linked to stress/anxiety. A proper sleep routine can help if you grind at night, avoiding screens/tv before bed, having some relaxation time before bed -breathing excercises etc

You can look up jaw excercises to help with tmj disorder. Open your mouth against pressure - push up with your hand and open against the pressure.

@sunflowerseedsforever yes, and I think over the next couple of weeks it will start again across the country. It just depends on the hospital theatre situation really, and the PPE they are willing to give.

Is your grinding stress induced?

DH takes a propanalol just before he sleeps and it's dramatically reduced his teeth grinding.

It is a logistical nightmare really, but there are hubs set up to deal with urgent dental problems such as abscesses and toothache
I've been trying to access a hub for weeks now. I've been referred by NHS 111 but the telephone is never answered. My own dentist has shut up shop and just had a recorded message saying to call NHS 111 for any dental needs.
It seems ridiculous that I live in the UK and I'm having to consider extracting my own tooth because I can't access any help.

I work in a hospital and so have been working throughout.

Most of my friends want to practice again, and they are all worried about the future of their practices. It costs a lot to run a surgery and alot of them have had very little income since march now.

Without getting too political the NHS system is set up for a high patient turnover. Each individual patient makes very little, if any money for both the dentist and the practice. You also have to do all the work on a patient to be paid, you cant chose to only do non agps (which tbh nearly everything bar a check up is), or do a check up and see someone needs x fillings and not do them. Its a completely shit system, this realisitically needs a complete overhall to practice properly again as patient numbers are going to be drastically reduced and practice overheads are high - the practice would go bust (a change i think would be welcome by both dentists and patients alike)

Again Im sure dentists would be happy to practice with PPE. I wasnt aware of an accurate swabbing system within 20minutes, if this exists great. But the government needs to provide PPE and swabs for its dentists to practice, they also need to come up with a new NHS system that would allow reduced patient numbers.

@saturns this seems to be the other problem

Dentists should be open. They need to be triaging their patients and referring them to the hubs. I have seen this quite a bit and its poor on the dentists part.

111 is a very poor dental triaging system. Its much better done by the patients dentist, who will have records/previous x rays etc.

As I said above I work in hospital. Ive spent a reasonable amount of time contacting practices to get them to triage their own patients in the last 8 weeks

UncleFoster do you think this situation will lead to a radical overhaul of how NHS dentistry operates in the UK? Different funding structure etc? Is it inevitable?

I hope so, but that relies on the government paying any attention to dentistry so who knows

I hope this works as I've never copied and pasted to this site before but the following is on the British Dental Association site.

NHS England and the Chief Dental Officer have now confirmed that practices can provide face-to-face patient care from 8 June. This could see varying levels of treatments made available, with individual practitioners exercising their professional judgement on the pace of change

I feel your pain but in a different way! DS2 smashed his 4 front teeth about 18 months ago, he's severely autistic so they decided to just 'leave it' 🤦🏻‍♀️
He needs hospital dental care and to be put under to even look his mouth.
They're now rotting, vile and must be causing him a lot of pain (can't communicate) he's been SO screamy and demanding for the last 10 weeks that it's killing us. I broke down on the phone to the hospital last week and said we just couldn't take it anymore, they called me today and have given him a surgery slot for the week after next!!!

They're definitely starting to ease, we have to do a covid test 72 hours before going so that's going to be their assurance I think. I really hope you get sorted soon!

I think i'll probably end up losing a tooth due to inability to access treatment.

I had a tooth damaged during wisdom tooth extraction which was repaired but of course the repair failed a couple of days into lockdown. No pain, just some slight sensitivity to cold, so don't qualify for emergency treatment.

More of the tooth has broken off since so suspect now beyond repair. Dreading the extraction as with my wisdom tooth I was left with a hole straight into my sinuses.

relies on the government paying any attention to dentistry
dentistry is vital, how can they ignore it, so many people must be suffering with dental issues:(
I'm so sorry OP I hope you find some relief asap

I'll probably lose the tooth that's broken, however I will push for a crown if possible. The crown that fell out on the other side should hopefully go back in or if not I'll pay for a new one.

The problems with my teeth have massively impacted on my mental health during lockdown, especially not being able to access treatment.