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AIBU?

Share your dilemmas and get honest opinions from other Mumsnetters.

Original poster

To think it's unacceptable dentist won't see me sooner when i'm heavily pregnant

100 replies

buffythebarbieslayer · 05/03/2014 09:58

I'm 34 weeks pregnant and a filling on one of my teeth has broken. They've done a patch up job three times and each time it's come away leaving me with a broken tooth which is sore.

They claim they can't do proper treatment until the week of my due date so high chance I'll miss that as well.

Am I supposed to live with this for the next few months?

The receptionist said they could do another patch up job but what's the point if it just comes away? At this stage of pregnancy I can't keep going in every week to get it patched up to wait until proper treatment.

She was quite rude insinuating I was making a fuss over nothing. I didn't shout or be rude to her but I was a bit teary as I am in pain.

OP posts:
fanjoforthemammaries7850 · 05/03/2014 11:02

They dont do x rays while pregnant so that may be reasoning. If it's not just that there are no spaces.

splasheeny · 05/03/2014 11:02

Op in your situation I would opt for private treatment, the cost would be offset by saving the hassle of repeated visits and the pain you are in.

If not then at least have the temporary treatment.

fanjoforthemammaries7850 · 05/03/2014 11:06

If it really is just that there's no space call every day and ask for a cancellation. They happen all the time. And dentists like to fill them.

Bornin1984 · 05/03/2014 11:06

Have they given a reason why it keeps coming our? Perhap change tooth brush to soft bristle provided u don't uses oft anyway? Just idea

TeacupDrama · 05/03/2014 11:09

i'm a dentist, we generally do not do amalgam fillings during pregnancy, there is absolutely no problem getting local anaesthetic at any time in pregnancy or while breast feeding

some practices are busier than others, it can't be a standard filling you need if it is going to take longer than 30 minutes, also the dentist does not get paid for doing several patch ups just the one filling so doing patch ups until you can have your permanent filling is in your best interest it is not in the financial interest of dentist in fact the opposite, in England you get a set fee for the course of treatment regardless of number of appointments it takes, in scotland they will only pay for a filling in a tooth once per year if it needs redoing (unless trauma or it needs more than a filling like a crown or root filling) there is no second fee

we could nearly always squeeze in a 10 minute emergency appointment today/ tomorrow but you might have to sit and wait

in a busy practice a 6-8 week wait is not uncommon if you can make an appointment at short notice ie within an hour or two ask to go on cancellation list as often if someone cancels at 9am for 11am and you can get there quickly you may get seen sooner

if there are few nhs practices in area they often have long waiting lists, if there are loads of dental practices you may well get seen next week

Anatana · 05/03/2014 11:10

Where are you? If you're in/near Manchester I know an excellent NHS dentist currently taking on patients who normally treats within 7 days.

ReallyTired · 05/03/2014 11:16

I think that the fact that pain relief options are limited while pregnant does make the OP a special case. I feel that some people on this thread have never experienced extreme pain during pregnancy. Extreme tooth ache is every bit as nasty as SPD. A non pregnant person can be prescribed co dyramol for a broken tooth.

I agree with the idea of phoning up every day to see if there is a cancellation. Being in constant pain for the next six weeks is unacceptable

Original poster
buffythebarbieslayer · 05/03/2014 11:36

Will take temporary treatment, can't afford private.

Then will contact other dental practices in the area.

OP posts:
TeacupDrama · 05/03/2014 11:38

OP has been offered emergency appointments to deal with pain

you can't create extra hours in a day if I'm fully booked I'm fully booked you can't cancel one patients appointment to put in another, if no spaces people requiring emergency treatment for severe pain are asked to sit and wait in case someone does not show up or a patient takes less time than planned they would be seen at end of morning/afternoon session if no space earlier they would not be sent away but they need to wait if no visible space in book

HadABadDay2014 · 05/03/2014 11:50

I do think pregnant women should be seen as a priority.

There is not many safe tablets you can take while pregnant, so loving with tooth pain with only parecetamel is not on.

Original poster
buffythebarbieslayer · 05/03/2014 12:19

I suppose following the logic that pregnant women shouldn't be entitled to extra consideration means you'd be happy for free dental treatment and prescriptions to be scrapped?

Maternity services?

Don't ask your dh or family to do any extra, why should they?

OP posts:
Latara · 05/03/2014 12:19

Look around at different dentists' monthly insurance payment plans, there may be one you could afford.

ukatlast · 05/03/2014 12:22

Surely it's up to you if you want local anaesthetic at your stage of pregnancy? Try a private dentist maybe who actually might give a damn about your repeat business.

Bornin1984 · 05/03/2014 12:25

FFA it's not that ure not being considered! Because you are and so is your baby!!!! If you weren't being considered they wouldn't accommodate the emergency each tine you have needed it!!!!

Say hypothetically speaking! U had the treatment and sons thing happened to u or the baby whilst they did what u wanted who would blame culture say was in the wrong?

I have a large growth on my eyelid which the gp won't remove until baby is here because they don't know how much baby can be effected by it! Not ideal as it's growing but it's accepted as baby is just as important

ukatlast · 05/03/2014 12:26

Oh and leave a bad review on the NHS Choices website about the practice.
If amalgam is the issue then, as you are pregnant, NHS should do a white filling just as they would in a visible part of your mouth.

Bornin1984 · 05/03/2014 12:27

Also pregnant women can take more than paracetamol under advice from gp or obstetrician

ShadowOfTheDay · 05/03/2014 12:30

it is not to do with local anaesthetic...

if you are not willing to pay for private treatment it has to be under NHS rules - that means big teeth get amalgam fillings.

There is no danger to the mother with amalgam fillings, but mercury is one of those things which can cross the placenta... so drilling out of old amalgam and putting in new is NOT recommended until the very latest stages of pregnancy. (which may be the reason for the date of the appointment!)

StairsInTheNight · 05/03/2014 12:47

I know this may not be useful if you are getting free treatment- but I was pleasantly suprised that my local private dentist was actually cheaper than my NHS registered practice- swapped to private when I was told a white filling would be 400 at NHS surgery- it was 110 at my new one! And check up was 4 cheaper too. Could you ring around- prices elsewhere might be better than you think?

ukatlast · 05/03/2014 12:51

Bornin1984 I fail to see how a growth on your eyelid would affect a fetus. I think you may be being fobbed off by your GP. I think an increasing growth may make your pregnancy much more stressful than it needs to be.

Ilovemydogandmydoglovesme · 05/03/2014 12:54

I can't believe your dentist doesn't have emergency appointments. Mine does. When I broke a tooth and it fell out, taking the filling with it and leaving me with a sharp stump, my dentist saw me in one of his Friday emergency appointments.

rosiedays · 05/03/2014 12:55

I haven't read whole thread but op Flowers I spent my last pregnancy seeing more dentists than midwives. It really sucks. :(
I have to say I'm shocked at some people's attitude to the op and dental health in pregnancy. It's not just her health its the babys too. Constant toothache in pregnancy is much worse than when not pregnant. Even staying hydrated was hard and painful. With childbirth approaching op has to stay as healthy and fit as possible. Our health service should understand accommodate that.

Op find another dentist Xx

Bornin1984 · 05/03/2014 12:58

Uk! My eye would need numbing so the anaesthetic would affect te baby! Sorry didn't put that in previous post! Same as they won't do me a root canal until after baby is born!

ShadowOfTheDay · 05/03/2014 13:00

tooth ache v risks of mercury...

temporary treatment that needs redoing sometimes which is completely safe for the baby versus a permanent fix with risks of mercury inhalation/ingestion during the treatment - if done before the very latest stages of pregnancy

ginnybag · 05/03/2014 13:03

Of course there's a connection between her being pregnant and a priority. She likely can't eat properly!! She certainly can't take a wide range of standard painkillers.

Right now, if I got toothache, I can buy and take four types of painkiller, and I can adjust my diet without any real consequences.

OP is in late pregnancy - she can't take three of those four painkillers and not eating properly is a huge issue which affects more than just her.

The temp repair isn't working - it's been done three times already! Each time it comes out it's more days of pain and poor nutrition.

If there's a medical reason why a permanent repair can't be done sooner, then she should be told that so she can plan for it. If there's not, then she should be a priority!

At the very least, if they genuinely have no space, I'd be expecting a referral to another dentist who can!

gamerchick · 05/03/2014 13:03

My dentist was very reluctant to do any kind of filling work on me when I was pregnant.. the best he could do was put big holes in to stop needing anti biotics and go back after the baby was born.

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