WIBU to go to A&E for this?

[Mumtoone3]

So, I’ve had a severe toothache which has now turned into an abscess and massive swelling around the back of a crowned tooth.

Don’t currently have a dentist due to COVID, have rang every local dentist and none have any emergency appointments, have rang 111 and have waited well over the 24 hours I was given with not a peep from their dentist department, have rang back this morning and told to wait another 24 hours but could possibly be in the same situation again tomorrow.

WIBU to go to A&E for this?

My reasons would be because of the pain (I can’t take nothing stronger than paracetamol because of gastro problems) and because I have an autoimmune disease and take steroids regularly which means it can be dangerous if I get an infection due to suppressed immune system.

Would I get seen quicker in a&e or would I look stupid going there for this?

Do you have a dental hospital?
They tend to see people, you can ring for an app but people normally wait outside for opening and get seen that way.
Dentists are students obv overlooked by trained staff but it's free!

Yes- go to A&E. People go for much less than that.

Are 111 supposed to be referring you to an emergency dentist? I totally sympathise as the pain from this kind of thing is unbearable, but it depends if your local A and E have a dentist attached. I think this might be one of those times that you need to make a fuss - dental pain might not be a medical emergency, but it is awful to live with. Have you tried local dentists to see if they could see you as an emergency?

With potential adrenal insufficiency due to steroid use you are a priority and need emergency treatment as you could be at risk of adrenal crisis so yes absolutely go to A and E.

The dentist has sent me to A&E before so I could be seen by max fax (admittedly it was due to the swelling influencing my swallowing)

Isn't there an emergency dentist? (Although this may be why you rang 111) or is there a dental hospital near you? they may have an emergency service

I would go

Some areas have emergency dentists - contact your local CCG to get a number

However, due to your underlying health conditions, and you have exhausted every other avenue, I don’t think it’s unreasonable.

Don’t go to your gp - they are not trained (or allowed to) to give out medication for dental issues.

Do you live somewhere with a dental hospital? If you do I'd give them a call. If not, yes go to A&E.

The NHS website lists severe pain as a reason to go to A&E when you have toothache, after suggesting ways to contact emergency dental treatment via 111 which you have tried. So yes, I would go to A&E! Hope you feel better soon!

Yes the 111 have referred me to the 111 out of hour/emergency dentists however it’s been well over 24 hours and not heard anything back and even the 111 advisor couldn’t get through to them after trying twice so put me back on a 24 hour list until tomorrow however I’m still not very hopeful of even getting a call back. I have tried every local dentist in the area and they are all heavily backlogged and have no emergency appointments at all.

Our local hospital does have a dental department, I think I was sent there once for an out of hours appointment, I think I will ring them when they open and see what they say and then if no luck with literally no other options, go to a&e to be seen!

Thank you all for replying so quickly! X

Sounds a good plan op, I hope you get sorted

I would go. If you have an abscess you could end up with sepsis so it needs treating.

Definitely go.

If you are anywhere near Manchester, Manchester University Dental hospital have an A&E department

Having been through very similar with DH recently, yes, go to A&E. I've never seen my DH in so much pain as he ended up in, after a week of being passed around 111 and various emergency dentists as well as his own GP. I took him to A&E on the advice of 111, and he had a pretty bad infection. A&E gave him antibiotics and morphine and he was fine within 48 hours.

Our nhs dentistry system is fucked. In fact, we even tried private dentists out of desperation and they had no spaces either.

I hope you will feel better soon, I would go to A&E

Honestly unless you are having airway concerns, or are septic then yes it is inappropriate.
How big is your swelling?

What you need is dental treatment and this is not something A&E can offer. They maybe able to give you antibiotics but you will still need to see a dentist in the next couple of days to get the tooth out. Its unlikely after 24hrs there will be much pus to drain, but again even if there is you will still need to see a dentist for an extraction. Maxfacs are not a dental service.

Even if you get antibiotics, and your acute abscess goes down you will still have a tooth that is a risk of infection present that you need out. Ultimately you need to see a dentist. Your best bet is a local dental hospital or emergency dental hub but it depends where you are in the country

Go to A & E. I had a horribly painful abscess a few months back, couldn’t get an emergency dentist appointments - by the time (two weeks later) I saw my dentist it had thankfully cleared (salt water and paracetamol) but then I was referred for a root canal.

However this was 3 months later! They then wouldn’t do the root canal as I was not at that minute in pain… and said they wouldn’t X-ray as I’m a pregnant, it’s a useless cycle. I know it’s bound to flare up again.

I was going.to say yabu, but if you are on steroids, you won't be able to fight the infection, and if autoimmune prob have low white blood cells to begin with.

Do you have emergency steroids/cortisone? If you are dependent on them, you may well need to take more, counterintutitively, to cope with the stress/infection.

I'd go to a&e def, and if you are under rheunstology or similar and have access to a helpline I'd give them a ring and ask for their advice.

*rheumatology