Root canal advice

[Lookingforadvice33]

A few weeks ago I was sent to a dentist through 111 they told me that I needed a root canal and started doing it then and there, once they had finished they told me they started it by drilling, cleaning and temp filling it and I would need to get the money together to have it finished. I can’t get the money together at least till after Christmas and the receptionist told me they should’ve referred me but she can’t help with it unfortunately. The last week I’ve been in agony with the tooth and my face has swollen, I’ve managed to get antibiotics through 111 again but everything online say the infection will just keep coming back and the tooth needs to be drilled and cleaned again. I can’t afford it and can’t find any nhs dentist at all. Is it most likely to get infected again? I don’t want it taken out as it’s close to the front and I’ve read a lot of people teeth have moved if a tooth is taken out 😩 I’m so stressed I don’t want to have to keep going on antibiotics but I can’t afford private. Thank you

Just offering my sympathy really . It's awful that there seem to be so many people who are unable to get an NHS dentist.

Is there a dental teaching hospital near you where you can be referred? I've been to one for peridontal (sp?) work but they may not offer for root canal.

Otherwise could you look into some kind of payment plan - I think some dentists offer these? Although they may only cover particular treatment.

I had a similar situation. I was told to keep it clean with salt water.

Is there a dental hospital you can go to as a 'sit and wait' patient?

I eventually found out about this from NHS direct after about six weeks but by then it was too late and the piece of the tooth that was left broke.

I was told to go to Sheffield and I live in Nottingham so it's about an hour and not the same county or anything so there probably aren't many.

Unfortunately a dental hospital sit and wait will not do a root canal for you and even if you got a dentist to refer you to a dental hospital , you would go on a waiting list that would not guarantee you would be seen and even if you were seen it would be by a student and you may be waiting a long time to be treated.

You are not limited to the area you can see a NHS dentist in so you need to start ringing further afield and ask friends and relatives if they know anyone taking on.

Antibiotics are not the answer you need the tooth out or root canal treated and root canal treatment cannot be done as an emergency treatment. You will get repeated infections without definitive treatment.