Active discussions

Meet the Other Phone. Flexible and made to last.

Meet the Other Phone.
Flexible and made to last.

Buy now

Please or to access all these features

Talk
AIBU?

Share your dilemmas and get honest opinions from other Mumsnetters.

Original poster

I’m going to a&e with toothache

210 replies

emmapemma91 · 26/10/2018 22:00

Will a&e refer me to oral surgeon ASAP? 6 month wait on nhs and I’m in agony

OP posts:
Blobbyweeble · 26/10/2018 22:55

I would imagine that if the op knows for sure she has an infection and has had that infection for some considerable length of time if she’s already been to a dental hospital, then she will already have had or is currently having antibiotics.

nonetworkaccess · 26/10/2018 22:56

I feel your pain, OP.

The pain I had with a dental abscess was the worst I've ever had and I've had over my share of traumatic injuries.

I wanted to beat the pain out of my head by banging my head against the wall. I still live in fear of having another one.

I would go. You've been in too much pain for too long. Plus infections in the head can be dangerous.

The worst they can do is turn you away.

What on earth is going on with the NHS that they can't treat someone in as much pain as you must be in.

If they won't/can't help in any way, ask your GP for a private referral. You might not be able to afford it, but you may get the sympathies of a consultant who would be willing to get you in as an emergency case.

I have no idea if that would work, but I'm at a loss at what to say to really help.

If you can get to the hospital first thing in the morning rather than in the night where they're having drunks to contend with you may be better off.

I wish I could wave a magic wand and relieve your pain.

WillChellam · 26/10/2018 22:56

If I saw someone with dental pain in ED, I would absolutely turn them away. If it's been going on for 2 months, it absolutely isn't an emergency, and dentistry is not an ED function.

As a doctor, I've had absolutely zero training in dentistry, I wouldn't even know what the criteria for when to treat with antibiotics were, or which antibiotic to even use.

Shriekingbanshee · 26/10/2018 22:57

I think it's clap trap leclerc as we don't have any of those seemingly available alternatives never proposed which according to her sound advice could land someone such as OP in many unfortunate outcomes

Original poster
emmapemma91 · 26/10/2018 22:58

Yes I’ve had 2x antibiotics they’ve treated the abscess but need pulled to relieve the pain. Dental hospital suggested I phone hospital to try get a cancellation which I have. The minor injuries is attached to a large hospital (RVI Newcastle)

OP posts:
Blobbyweeble · 26/10/2018 22:59

111 has an emergency dental line, not sure if it’s all areas but our area certainly has.

Original poster
emmapemma91 · 26/10/2018 22:59

Even stronger painkillers would get me through, all I’ve been advised so far is ‘ibuprofen and salt water’ which I’ve tried.

OP posts:
Schuyler · 26/10/2018 23:00

If you’re in uncontrollable pain, yes you may need A&E but if you’re going because you think they can refer urgently, I think you may be disappointed. Can you try to get a GP appointment?

nonetworkaccess · 26/10/2018 23:01

WIllChellam Have you no compassion for someone in truly awful pain? Is there nothing you could do to help? Put OP in touch with someone who could help?

I was taught to walk a mile in that person's shoes before dismissing them. But that was many years ago, I suppose. I still wouldn't be able to turn someone in pain away without trying to help in some way.

Shriekingbanshee · 26/10/2018 23:01

Oh great will so where would you turn her away to?!!! What new hell is this. There is no help, not even pain relief?! You are a referral unit, to maxfax as well as the rest of the hospital.
That's a shocking response, I don't know what to do so go away its true what they say about the NHS,

anxiousmotherof1 · 26/10/2018 23:03

I have done that o was in agony it was friday and i couldnt see a dentist until monday
They helped woth strong pain kllers !

Shriekingbanshee · 26/10/2018 23:06

If you present to a&e tho Emma you will be triaged first and foremost and the n told your options. In uncontrollable pain, you are high up that list. What even is a 'cancellation' in an ed full of walk-in patients.
I think you have, like many, been too patient a patient.

Blobbyweeble · 26/10/2018 23:06

She has already been referred. A&E don’t have a magic queue jumping pen. The system may suck but it is what it is. Magic wands are not part of ED’s kit. She already has codeine which is a strong pain relief, possibly see your GP for other pain relief but there isn’t much left in the way of options. Not everything can be instantly cured.

nocoolnamesleft · 26/10/2018 23:07

Well...it would be a bit like a dentist turning away someone having a heart attack, because they had no training in how to manage it, and trying to do so would be unsafe...

Aridane · 26/10/2018 23:09

I would go to A& E for heavy duty pain relief if nothing else. What’s the worst that can happen (you wait ages and then at worst not given decent pain relief)?

Original poster
emmapemma91 · 26/10/2018 23:09

Thank you all for your answers, didn’t expect such a good response when I posted this to be honest, thought I’d have more negative comments! Will try minor injuries tomorrow and 111 as a last attempt, general advice so far has been man up and wait til my appointment comes through. But that can be hard with 4 kids to run around after on little sleep and food !

OP posts:
Rosehip10 · 26/10/2018 23:10

@willchelam you sound awful and I question your ability in medicine if you wouldnt be able to work out what antibiotics to use to give relief to what is a common infection.

Ribeebie · 26/10/2018 23:10

Whilst this sounds really awful for you OP, A&E doctors and GPs are not trained or insured for dental issues. They will only treat you urgently e.g with antibiotics if there are severe complications such as sepsis/facial abscesses etc. They could potentially help with short term pain relief but A&E is not an appropriate place for that - you should call 111 and speak to an out of hours GP for pain relief.

You obviously sound to need urgent dental treatment (not medical) and 111 can direct you to an emergency dentist.

Your GP will not be able to expedite your referral as they are not a dentist and it's not their role or expertise and will not have a record or your initial referral (dentists are completely separate to doctors) You need to go back and keep asking your dentist to expedite the referral or treat your pain effectively whilst you are waiting.

I really hope you can get it sorted properly soon and get some pain relief.

sobeyondthehills · 26/10/2018 23:10

My partner went to A&E with an absess, the only reason why they saw him was the fact one side of the face had swelled so much, he thought it was something else, they referred him to an emergency dentist miles away at another hospital, but for the next day, they gave him same pain relief, but couldn't do much else, once they figured out it probably was the absess. If not he was instructed to go back to the out of hours GP, if it was out of hours or his own GP.

Just as a small thing swish warm salt water round your mouth, I did that for a tooth ache, but it might not touch your pain

Aridane · 26/10/2018 23:10

Codeine and ibuprofen won’t cut it.

Though in the meantime you can also take paracetamol

NobodysChild · 26/10/2018 23:12

Get some garlic puree and rub it all over the area where the pain is. The pain should stop within a few seconds. The pain relief lasts a few minutes so you would have to keep applying the garlic. Will give you some relief.

Blobbyweeble · 26/10/2018 23:12

@Rosehip10 She has already been treated for the infection. It’s the nerve pain which is causing the problem and she already has strong pain relief. Sometimes things can’t be cured instantly.

shazeviltwinsw000ooo · 26/10/2018 23:13

I would check that your local A&E has out of hours maxfac cover.At the hosp I work in they finish @ 8pm and cover transfers to the regional centre 50 miles away until 8am. What do you think a maxfac surgeon can do for you that the surgeons at the dental hosp couldn't? They all have same training/qualifications they just work in different depts.If there is an issue with the roots/nerves the same issues will still be there regardless of who treats you. I'm sure they will have given you various treatment options as is standard in such situations it's not always best to fully remove if there is a risk of facial nerve damage that can be permanent. I can't understand how they have just sent you away with no information/treatment options and if you haven't had an x-ray how do you know there are issues with the roots? A&E is not the place to go with tooth pain unless there is a swelling that is restricting your airway or your very unwell (fever/vomiting etc) an ooh gp can prescribe codene if you can't purchase it from pharmacy.

Aridane · 26/10/2018 23:13

Come on, codei e and ibuprofen is hard,y strong pain relief

Shriekingbanshee · 26/10/2018 23:14

You need proper pain relief urgently, and 'man-up' isn't actually a thing Halloween Grin look at what you are doing and suffering so badly...maybe woman-up!
For the pp who said its like a dentist ignoring someone having a heart attack. who would ever actually do that, is this really what dentists do? Shit ones maybe, no-one walks away from someone having a heart attack, or was that a goady joke?