To think the doctor can't keep telling me it's a dental problem and the dentist that it's an issue for the doctor?!

[Howaboutthisone]

Surely they can't keep passing me to the other with no one actually investigating the problem?!
About a month ago I had an issue with my throat. It was a recurrence where I get a pea sized lump at the back of my throat (same site) and I phone for a dr appointment, am given an appointment with minor ailments nurse who tells me it will ease on its own and then I go back in a couple of days in agony with a raging infection. This time is was so bad they had to consult with the ENT dept in the hospital and I had to go there. Seen by three ent drs who think it's a retention cyst and gave me strong antibiotics and a promise for a follow up appointment in 3-4 weeks. Appointment came through for 6 weeks (in Covid times I thought I'd just go with that) So the appointment is now the week after next.
Last weekend I noticed on the Friday that the inside of my mouth was swollen. No pain. No redness. But all of the inside of my cheeks were swollen. Phoned out of hours, saw dr who gave me more of the strong antibiotics despite not being able to tell where the infection was. Told to go back to gp if it hadn't cleared or improved in a few days. Went back to the gp as no improvement (incidentally I take my last dose of co amoxiclav today and it still hasn't even improved one bit). They tried to palm me off on minor ailments again but I insisted on gp. GP told me that it looks normal. I pointed out that I'm 40 and that my mouth has never once looked like this and that every time I speak or eat I feel like I'm chewing on my face. So whilst it looks 'normal' it isn't for me. On my way out he suggested that I should see my dentist. So the lovely lady in the dentist fitted me in that morning. Dentist looked and told me that my teeth etc are all fine and that it isn't anything to do with the teeth and therefor I should go back to my doctor (as I expected to be honest as whilst it's in my mouth it's more the inside of my face iyswim)
I was a bit upset and phoned the gp to ask if I could have a blood work up. The receptionist there told me that that as it's something to do with my mouth it's nothing to do with them and that I need to go to my dentist 🤦🏼‍♀️
I finally got them to agree to the blood test after ending up breaking down crying in anger and frustration on the phone that they both are paying me off on each other and no one can be bothered to look into it. So now I'm waiting for my blood test. And my ENT follow up in the hope that they will take me seriously and at least look into why this is like it is. In the meantime, by then I'll have had a really swollen mouth for almost 3 weeks, being told it's normal when it's not for me!
Surely I'm not being unreasonable to think that the dentist/doctors pass the parcel isn't right. Has anyone else had this?
Thanks for making it to the end-didn't mean for it to be so long but didn't want to dripfeed!

Tooth problem including abcess - dentist.
Mouth problem unrelated to teeth - Doctor.

Dentist here. I'd say a referral to oral maxillofacial surgery department is in order. Either gp or dentist can do this. If there is a lot of discomfort snd the area getting bigger ( potentially blocking your airways) then it would be an urgent referral in my opinion. The dentist could easily just pick up the phone to the on call registrar abc seek advice on the phone there and then. At least, that's what I would do.

Mouth problem unrelated to teeth is DEFINITELY within a dentist's remit and scope of practice. At every examination we do a thorough check for oral cancers, thrush, mucoceles, ulcers, abscesses, cysts, trauma, you name it.... we are highly trained and proficient at this.

We had similar issues when my daughter developed a huge abscess in the roof of her mouth.

The GP wouldn't get involved in her treatment until the dentist had seen her. The dentist was happy to treat but because of allergies wasn't able to prescribe antibiotics that would be suitable for my daughter (apparently they have a more restricted list than GPs) so the dentist had to refer us back to the GP for a prescription to be issued.

Thankfully the GP arranged for a prescription following a call with the dentist. Probably not official procedure but we were grateful they worked together for my daughter instead of playing pass the parcel until she ended up in A&E

@TroysMammy

Tooth problem including abcess - dentist. Mouth problem unrelated to teeth - Doctor.

This isn’t correct, dentists do far more than look at teeth and can pick up problems that require further investigation. I worked in max fax and a large majority of patient referrals came directly from dentists or from the GP on advice of the dentist.

This is interesting too @actorbynight as I thought like others had said that unless it was tooth related it would be gp. Its difficult as I'm still able to speak and eat fine. My mouth is just very 'full' at the sides and front. Its so strange and definitely not normal for me.

@AColdDuncanGoodhew I know they check the tongue as well but if a patient needs antibiotics they try to palm them off to the GP. If a dentist spotted a potential mouth cancer would they refer on the 2 week pathway or hope the patient contacts the GP for a referral?

How long has it been going on for? Are your lips swollen?
Could be orofacial granulomatosis?

Im a maxfacs surgeon and the problem is that a lot of situations are manageable in primary care but dentists and GPs don't talk to each other. For example in @wtfisnext case a simple call from the dentist to the GP to request the appropriate prescription is absolutely fine, a dentist though is fully qualified to know the appropriate antibiotic even if its not within their remit on the NHS. Whats not fine is just brushing the pt off and telling them to call the GP, it wastes everyone's time.

In this case if the dentist is unsure again a letter to the GP stating their findings and requesting bloods would be appropriate. Or a referral onto maxfacs if they think its something not manageable in primary care. If its oral and a dentist doesn't know what the fuck is going on, its unlikely a GP will unless its something like mumps. In which case the dentist can write to the GP stating that.

Bilateral swelling of your cheeks and lips is not going to block your airway. Its not urgent. If its not affecting speech or eating its clearly not an enlarging abscess style swelling, sounds more soft tissue oedema.

@TroysMammy they'd refer on the 2WW. A dentist is much more capable of identifying a potential oral cancer than a GP

A dentist should not palm off a patient requiring antibiotics to the GP.

@NutterflyEffect they try but the patients are directed back.

As @NutterflyEffect said. They’d refer on, they wouldn’t “hope” the patient contacts their GP for a referral, especially if they suspected cancer.

@NutterflyEffect thank you!
And others who are replying too. Much appreciated.
The swelling has only been since last Friday (18th)
I agree that it's not urgent in that I'm not in pain and it's not excessive. I think it's more that I want someone to understand that this isn't my normal so I would like to know what is causing it rather than being told it's normal and sent away.
It's really hard to get clear photos but I'll attach some now. First of my throat (previous and ongoing issue) and then of my mouth.

Struggling to attach but hopefully this will work!

Throat thing
But it doesn't look like this now-that was the infection I had a few weeks back which is why I'm wondering if there's any link.

It's always a tough one. I get ulcers and sores related to autoimmune, and GP will prescribe for that. I also have tmjd, also relate to autoimmune, and the GP won't.prescribe for that but referred me maxillo- facial. I did feel, whilst trying to treat the pain, that I was being shovelled from.one to the other initially, but the referral was def what I've needed, and 6 weeks for maxillo-facial/ ent is a miracle. We're talking a year for first appt here.

You have an.appt with a specialist in 2 weeks. That's not.palming you off by any stretch I don't think. The dentist/GP argument is real and frustrating though, but it seems you've won this time.

I have also felt that I'm being passed between GP and dentist and it's really frustrating. I think you have to wait for your appointment, but do be ready if they try to do any more "passing". I had to bluntly put it to my GP that he's said it wasn't a matter for him but the dentist, the dentist said it wasn't a dental matter, meanwhile I was still in pain!

OP - I’ve just had a thought. I am mildly allergic to the whitening agent in most whitening toothpastes. It irritates my cheek linings and they swell slightly and causes the lining to shed.

Did you recently change toothpaste or start using a whitening one? Whenever I try one and it does this it takes a few days to go away.

Thank you all.
Yes-I agree that 6 weeks for ENT is a miracle at the moment. It's only due to the severity of the infection last time that I was pushed up the list thankfully.
I wondered about allergic reaction too to be honest so tried antihistamines and ibuprofen before contacting any medical professionals and then just phoned 111 for advice initially. I haven't changed anything or had anything different to eat of drink.

The only thing different around that time was an insect bite on my knee that was swollen up and is still itching a little despite the swelling going down. I'm clutching at straws a bit though there I think.

I'm off for my blood test in the morning so will see what that says and aim to wait to bring it up in my ENT appointment next week unless it gets worse in the meantime. I think I've gotten into my head that it's something bad so am worrying but I need to just wait for that appointment and take it from there. I think I often find it difficult to really stand my ground in medical appointments so maybe I need to write down some notes before going and keep pushing for an explanation rather than a 'it's normal' dismissal. Even if I ask why it's my new normal when it hasn't been before at all.

Update!
Mouth still swollen. Was looking forward to maybe getting some idea of why in my ENT appointment next Tuesday. Had a phonecall today to say that my in person appointment has now been cancelled on Tuesday and replaced with a virtual appointment the Tuesday after 😔
Not the best format for looking at the inside of my mouth.

Sorry what? As a dentist I've been seeing patients on a daily base in person for over a year now ( after the original 3 month shutdown).
Don't get the virtual appt thing at all. Don't understand

It's with ENT. Originally he said he wanted to see me 3-4 weeks after the last infection just to check he was happy it was a retention cyst (as he could see what it looked like without the infection) The appointment that came through would have been 7 weeks. Now it's the week after and virtual. How can he look at my throat and mouth in a virtual appointment?🙈

Appointment is now going ahead, in person today! The medical secretary was very helpful.

Excellent. I hope you leave feeling like you’ve made some progress