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AIBU?

Share your dilemmas and get honest opinions from other Mumsnetters.

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Original poster

In A&E with toothache

321 replies

Kakamora · 02/09/2018 21:03

Have just arrived at a&e. Approached the desk and said I don’t know if I can be seen, I don’t expect anything in terms of work but help with pain relief.

IVe had a severe tooth ache for 3 days. Gone through 4 packets of paracetamol and ibuprofen. Not ate. Not slept. Been sick from the pain, shaking and sweating it’s been that bad. Sobbed last night it was so bad.

The man and the front desk really snottily asked me ‘have you been to a emergency reception before ?’ Made me feel like shit. I know it’s not a typical reason to come to a&e but I don’t have a dentist and I’m in agony. I’m in no less pain than people with medical reasons. I feel even worse now

OP posts:
stopfuckingshoutingatme · 03/09/2018 06:37

I think gently he was trying to say there are other ways you could have accessed Gelo that’s all

Hope by now you have some help in sight Cake

HeronLanyon · 03/09/2018 06:53

Hope you get this sorted. Tooth pain is terrible. It’s taken me too long to realise that 99% time it just gets worse so now at any sign of niggling pain which isn’t gone with brushing flossing etc I bite the bullet and get to my dentist. Our emergency dental treatment provision (almost complete lack of for most) is absurd - for what it’s worth I too think you did the right thing going to a and e. Severe pain at the level you describe, when no dentist is available, is an emergency and I’ve known a and e to provide effective pain relief in those circs. Good luck.

sawbucks · 03/09/2018 07:03

Hmmm OP has been given lots of good advice but I fear it's wasted advice since she hasn't acknowledged it, but rather insisted on seeing GP for pain killers.

OP, if you have an addiction to pain killers please tell your Dr.

If you really do have tooth pain then listen to previous posters and see a DENTIST not a MEDICAL DR.

WhoWants2Know · 03/09/2018 07:07

I have been there, OP.

The emergency dentist is the place you need to be. You probably need more than just painkillers. If a tooth hurts, it's likely infected. It won't go away on it's own, and treating the pain won't solve the problem. It's actually quite dangerous to wait with an infection in your face.

Emergency dentists usually don't cost a lot because they only treat the immediate problem.

kaytee87 · 03/09/2018 07:11

Don't go to your GP for toothache. As many people have said now you need a dentist!
If you're unemployed then you won't pay.
Phone 111 and ask if you can get an emergency dental appointment somewhere.

Do you not understand why A&E can't just hand out strong painkillers without you being assessed, even more junkies would waste their time if that was the case. A doctor can't assess you for toothache, it's not in their training.

onedream · 03/09/2018 07:16

Go to your dentist if you don't have one find one and call them if they take you straight to register and treatment..if you struggle call 111 they will be able to help and provide you with info as to who will be able to treat you..
As for the childbirth I'm not sure about other mums but mine was much worse than a toothache Confused good luck hope you get it sorted today

FrameyMcFrame · 03/09/2018 07:22

How are you feeling this morning, op?

Hope you're able to get straight down to the dental hospital as advised by previous posters.

The only way the pain will be resolved is by getting the tooth treated.

I'd go down there now and get in the queue. Take proof of ID/address if you qualify for free treatment.

Good luck

LakieLady · 03/09/2018 07:23

Why do people say because the pain is dental, you should just go home and suffer?! Why is the system set up that way?

Because dentists are mostly in private practice and it would cost a fortune to have a rota of dentists on call just in case someone needed emergency treatment, I guess.

I also wonder if you live down my way, Cheby. Our emergency dental service at weekends offers appointments from 10-12 where I live, and 2-4 20-odd miles away, and the nearest 24-hour service is at Kings College hospital, 50-odd miles away.

A former colleague of mine was in so much pain one weekend, and no emergency help was available, that she got assistance from her neighbour. He's a vet. Grin

strawberrypenguin · 03/09/2018 07:28

Hope you got some sleep OP. While the GP may be able to give you some more effective pain relief the only one who can really help you is dentist. Please do get an emergency dental appointment today

Roystonv · 03/09/2018 07:32

Talking of vets afaik all have 24 hour cover often using a rota system with other local vets so it is perfectly possible to do this with dentists - needs legislation for it to change I suppose.

Lauren83 · 03/09/2018 07:33

I agree you should be able to easily get in at an emergency dentist, I saw one Christmas Day morning. I had severe toothache leading up to Christmas when I was 37 weeks pregnant, my usually dentist sent me away and said wait until the baby is here, it got worse so a couple of days before Christmas I went to the OOH dentist who did a filling on it but packed it too high so every time my teeth touched it pressed on the nerve, it was agony and I have never felt anything like it! I was praying for labour just so I could get better pain killers! Xmas day I couldn't cope so they filed some of the filling down and said it had been packed too high and I now had an infection so I started on antibiotics, on the 29th I was sat at my desk at work and due to be induced the week after and I knew I couldn't go through labour with this tooth so I drove to my usual dentist and begged them to pull it out, they said they could do a root canal after I had the baby to save the tooth and I just pleading with them to pull it I didn't care, they did and the relief was indescribable and instant. Honestly it was the worse part of having a baby by far and far more painful than contractions and c section recovery!

FabulouslyFab · 03/09/2018 08:31

I’m sure all dentists would provide a 24 hour call out service like Vets do, if people were prepared to pay the same rates! 😂

C8H10N4O2 · 03/09/2018 08:52

I agree you should be able to easily get in at an emergency dentist, I saw one Christmas Day morning.

Should or could? It should be possible to access emergency dentistry but it isn't in most areas - around here "emergency" is days of wait. And of course there is an indeterminate bill at the end which you may not be able to pay.

It is no surprise to me that people avoid dental treatment on low incomes. It is very expensive and the "free" options, even if you qualify for them, are limited. That also assumes you can find a dentist willing to take you on.

I don't know what nirvana some of this thread's posters live in but presumably it includes dentists with space on their books and the means to pay for them.

MNHQ
FlissMumsnet · 03/09/2018 09:07

Hi There Kakamora,

We're really sorry to hear how horrible the past few days have been for you.

Just a word of warning though as we'd never recommend taking drugs which haven't been prescribed for you. We're touched by the amount of support and advice being offered here but rl professional advice is best.

We hope you've been able to see a dentist and things are getting easier for you.

Flowers
Lauren83 · 03/09/2018 09:17

C8 I was sharing my experiences of OOH emergency dental care in Stockport/Manchester. I appreciate there may be no such service in other areas but as there's accessible A+E and OOH services in most areas I presumed OP would be able to access dentistry even if there was a bit of travel involved

bbcessex · 03/09/2018 09:39

Lauren. I have the means to pay and couldn’t access emergency dentistry within two hours of my home, trying at 10pm on a Friday night...

mummadave · 03/09/2018 09:46

Doctors can't do teeth, just like dentists don't do broken legs..
You wouldn't take a broken ankle to a dentist would you? No of course not because you probably have to pay to see a dentist...

Sugarhunnyicedtea · 03/09/2018 09:54

A&E are there to treat injuries and pain. You can't just turn up and ask for pain relief as their job is to treat the cause of the pain.

I hope you have taken the advice ofor others to go to a dentist not a gp. Although you do need pain relief it is more important to find and treat the cause, you can't continue to take paracetamol in such large quantities

Sugarhunnyicedtea · 03/09/2018 09:55

No idea where ofor came from. Mumsnet does some strange autocorrecting!

Usernom1234567890 · 03/09/2018 10:18

You can't just turn up and ask for pain relief as their job is to treat the cause of the pain

Not entirely correct.
The underlying cause can't always be treated, for eg someone presenting in A&E with undiagnosed terminal cancer. Pain relief wouldn't be denied in that& lots of similar medical situations which can't be treated.

Sugarhunnyicedtea · 03/09/2018 10:35

Apologies. They provide pain relief where treatment is not available but they would be looking for the cause of the pain initially. OP just wants pain relief with no investigation.

Aspenfrost · 03/09/2018 10:45

I think a basic examination of the mouth and teeth should be well within any doctor’s capabilities.

aintnothinbutagstring · 03/09/2018 10:46

I think there are more dentists accepting nhs patients than say 10-15 yrs. We go to 'mydentist' (apparently quite a big company so perhaps seeing if theres one near you OP), they're really friendly and professional and we always receive good care despite being lowly nhs patients. I went a good number of years without seeing a dentist so understand the fear you have. I think that fear, more than the money issue (I'm sure assistance is available) is leading you to seek help from a+e and gp.

mummadave · 03/09/2018 10:54

Aspenftost - doctors and dentists spend exactly the same amount of time at university - dentists learn about the mouth nothing else.
Do you also think a basic examination of every body part should be within a dentists remit?

WineAndTiramisu · 03/09/2018 11:15

Aspenfrost
I think a basic examination of the mouth and teeth should be well within any doctor’s capabilities.

Really? We spend the same amount of time at university, when do you think we should fit in learning the same as a dentist does?! It's the same as taking an eye infection to a dentist, they could probably guess you need antibiotics and pain relief, but you don't want them treating you!

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