Would you go to the dentist with toothache?

[SewhereIam]

I have playdoh teeth, they are constantly crumbling and breaking due to my medication.

I have recently (past 6 months) had a crown and a large filling, which fell out 4 days later and was replaced. 18 months ago I had a crown on a different tooth, which also fell out. The dentist said I was not eligible for any more work now for another 6 months as I'm on benefits, so the tooth that no longer has a crown on will be removed and a bridge put on instead in April.

Whenever I eat the large filling tooth hurts, and the pain also radiates to one of my incisors that has a deep split/groove in the top that runs from left to right (I can get my whole fingernail in the groove so it is quite deep). I have had pain in the incisor before but have been told it can't be that painful and it looks fine. It is putting me off eating and drinking as the pain is really sharp lasts for an hour or more after eating, and it also radiating up to my ear and eye socket. Could it just be the filling settling in? How long do large fillings take to "bed in"? When I had pain in the incisor last time I was told it was just displacement pain from the tooth that actually had damage and so am worried that is what is happening this time too and that I'm being ridiculous.

Would you try and see your dentist, or wait until April? I have been told I can't make an appointment before then.

Go and see in a dentist. If something is wrong then waiting until April will not help you.

Of course you need to see a dentist.

Make an appointment and tell the receptionist you are in a lot of pain.

What happens if my dentist refuses to see me because of this 6 month wait stipulation though? Do I then go to an emergency dentist? I'm so confused by it!

That six month stipulation I’m fairly sure is bollocks. There is a thing that if you need some treatment within a certain time of your last you don’t need to pay the full amount. For instance I’m going for root canal today and only have to pay £40 not £62 as I had a checkup recently. But I’m at the dentist having stuff done on the nhs every month. Maybe your dentist doesn’t want to see you as they know the nhs pay rates aren’t good but they should still see you.

I have never heard of the six month wait. Sounds like bollocks.

Sounds utter rubbish!! Go back! They can't leave you in pain like that. From what you're saying it could be that the filling has altered your bite and there just needs to be some adjustment made. I had that after a filling - pain the the tooth next to it (as bad as the original toothache) and it was just the altered bite. So definitely ring. I have terrible teeth too xxx

I've never heard of any six month wait for any treatment before. Are you sure you understood it correctly?

You need to see a dentist.

If your dentist won't see you, try the emergency dentist and seek advice from the CAB or similar.

Who and where is this 'emergency dentist'? Somewhere over the rainbow?

Go and see your dentist. Practices are limited to a quota of NHS funded work per year and this does reset in April BUT this is nothing to do with you. NHS patients, fee paying or otherwise, are not allocated a dental 'budget' and you cannot exceed your eligibilty for treatment.