Active discussions

Meet the Other Phone. Child-safe in minutes.

Meet the Other Phone.
Child-safe in minutes.

Buy now

Please or to access all these features

Talk
Chat

Join the discussion and chat with other Mumsnetters about everyday life, relationships and parenting.

Original poster

Broken tooth - can I fix it myself?

30 replies

PetShopGirl · 15/08/2023 10:01

The back of one of my teeth has broken off this morning (a tooth that I'd previously had root canal so I think was probably weaker). Rang my dentist but it turns out I've been de registered as an NHS patient as I haven't been for a couple of years - have been caring for a terminally ill relative and haven't had the time or head space to arrange a check up, but thems the breaks I guess... I can't afford to go private at the moment and they don't have any appointments anyway! Dentist receptionist said I needed to call 111 and so have been on hold to them for the past hour - not sure what they're likely to do when they finally answer.

But I was thinking, can I just save everyone the bother and fix it myself? By that I mean create a smooth edge, I don't have the chip that came off to glue back or anything. It's not really hurting at the moment and it's the back of a lower tooth so doesn't need to look pretty. If so, how would I do it? What stuff would I need that's likely to last longest? How do I prep the area? Any dentists around who can advise?

OP posts:
amylou8 · 15/08/2023 13:27

I've just seen a private dentist this morning with a broken back tooth. It broke about 3 weeks ago and hurts. Was derigistered from my NHS during lockdown. They cancelled the appointments. I couldn't get another NHS dentist, 111 basically said I needed to be belling heavily or have swelling that affecting my breathing before I'd been seen.
I was charged £80 for my appointment this morning. The hurting back one is coming out next week at the cost of £500, and I have another less complicated extraction at some point that will be £180.
I absolutely can't afford it, so it will be going on the credit card and I'll worry about it later I suppose.

AcclimDD · 15/08/2023 20:42

WILTYjim · 15/08/2023 12:08

The labour government got rid of registration with NHS dentists in 2005. You haven’t been registered since the end of your last treatment plan. The idea behind this was that it would
widen access as people wouldn’t be blocking new patients.

The upshot is that you’ve lost your NHS dentist. It’s nothing to do with covid, or missing check ups. The policy is that you are a patient of the practice for the length of your treatment plan (usually 3 months), then that’s it.

In practice, most dentists like to keep the patients they’ve worked with over the years as new patients can be very expensive to treat.

Dentists said the contract wouldn’t work. It doesn’t work for them and it doesn’t work for patients.

^This

declutteringmymind · 15/08/2023 20:44

Consider getting on a plan first. There is a waiting period though for most of them.

Interested in this thread?

Then you might like threads about these subjects:

Dental health General health
LaPerduta · 15/08/2023 20:57

If you don't get it fixed properly there's quite a high chance that you will need more extensive, expensive and painful treatment in the future, so it's a false economy.

I had a fracture in a back tooth recently and although there's no decay or infection I still need a filling.

Flora56 · 15/08/2023 21:18

LaPerduta · 15/08/2023 20:57

If you don't get it fixed properly there's quite a high chance that you will need more extensive, expensive and painful treatment in the future, so it's a false economy.

I had a fracture in a back tooth recently and although there's no decay or infection I still need a filling.

It’s so often the case. The Sam Vimes boot theory. Being poor is expensive, and in relation to U.K. dentistry, it’s extremely painful.

People don’t choose to stay in pain with toothache or apply home made fixes. They have no choice.

New posts on this thread. Refresh page
Swipe left for the next trending thread