To not have a clue what I’m supposed to do re dentist?

[OuchyTooth]

Like many people, I no longer have an NHS dentist. Every few weeks I look on the NHS website and contact the ones which are allegedly accepting new NHS patients, but invariably when you phone them, they’re not.

So I haven’t seen a dentist for maybe a couple of years now. I have a tooth which had a root canal and a crown a few years ago, and it’s starting to niggle a bit. Not actually what I’d call painful at the moment, but I’m being careful to chew my food on the other side of my mouth so I don’t aggravate it.

What do I do when it comes to it, and it reaches crisis point? I am disabled and not in work at the moment, so have no spare money, literally zilch, so I can’t afford a private dentist. I’m entitled to free dental care on the NHS. Just want to have a plan in place as I can tell it’s going to be any day that I need to get it sorted.

Or if anyone knows of anywhere in Somerset/Bristol/Dorset/Bath/Wiltshire that really is accepting new patients please let me know!

Your local area will have a dentist who holds the emergency NHS care contract, for when people are in extreme pain. They do the minimum though, usually just pulling them out. You get access via 111.

Sometimes your local hospital can offer a one-off course of free treatment, dental trainees who are supervised.

Our local hospital has an emergency dental centre for.....well.... emergencies.

Otherwise you pay privately or take out insurance which is about £15 - 20 ish a month

Sadly...... you may be entitled to free dental care, but if you cant get an appointment, then there's nothing to be done

Lobby your MP?

Sometimes dental hospitals will see unregistered patients? I don't know your area but would there be one in Bristol?

I might be wrong here but I was under the impression that once there had been a root canal there would be no pain as no nerve? I know it's not the point of the thread..

Do you know what treatment you need and what it is likely to cost? Even if you do manage to find an NHS dentist, there will still be a charge. If the tooth is towards the back of your mouth could an option be to remove it?

Thanks for replies, some options to explore there.

@Hannahandlucy that’s a really good point 🤔. I know the dentist said that the crown would only last so long, so I assumed maybe it was that. But it could be another tooth altogether, I have form for getting the wrong tooth pulled out!

I’ve no idea! When I had an NHS dentist before, there was never any cost as I get free dental care due to benefits. If it’s the tooth I think it is, it’s my first molar at the top, as in the one nearest the middle of my mouth.

Call around and ask to be put on the waiting list.

I have just had to have antibiotics for a tooth that I’ve had a previous root canal on. It went from niggles to agony over the space of the weekend so don’t hang around. I’d start looking for an emergency dentist.

I was under this impression too until mine caused me trouble. My dentist said these things can happen.

I had a 20yr old failing root canal redone privately yesterday. Cost me £920. But this was the specialist the specialists send you to. It's the point chance I have to save the tooth as it's a front one.

OP, ring 111 and there's an option now for the dentist.

@BabyCloud that’s what I’m worried about 😬. No one that I’ve called will even put me on a waiting list, it’s just a flat no.

Holy fuckballs, I’m definitely going to have to embrace medieval peasant vibes if that’s the cost.

The annoying thing is that the reason it’s a probably failed is that the dentist massively fucked up - I had someone who didn’t have a clue what they were doing and initially put the root canal IN MY GUM, and damaged the tooth in the process. After me threatening to report the dentist and sue them, the practice got the other dentist to sort it out for me, he was a root canal specialist. But he did warn it might not last too long.

Depending on the nature of your disability, there's a special care dentistry service that you might be eligible for at UHBW. You get referred via your GP or a high street dentist. I see the special care dentist in my area (not the same area, but probably the same kind of eligibility criteria) - happy to discuss by PM if you like.

I know It's far from ideal, but could you find a dentist further away from your area? as in, try ringing ones in the Midlands et c and be treated, then move dentists when one becomes available closer to you.

@ReptileHouse the NHS dentist finder only seems to show ones within 30 miles, and there’s no option to see ones further away. I guess I could try changing my location and seeing what comes up. Even if it was a couple of hours away it would be worth it.

Unfortunately not. I've had two root canal filled teeth fail, one due to one of the channels not being filled deep enough and the other with an extra canal which couldn't be seen by the usual dentist. This allowed bacteria to set up home and multiply.
I had both redone by specialist endodontists. No pain, except to my purse.

Bristol dental hospital

The nhs list isn’t always updated, I found others that were not on the list by searching on Google Maps and ringing up

I'd try that OP. My old dentist was 2 hours from me, in a totally different region but I used that until a place became available closer to home. Best of luck, tooth ache is awful.

Don’t worry - You won’t have to pay if you aren’t working.

I know this will be about 2 hour drive for you, but ive just joined the Southampton practice which is a franchise and they are fab. Got me in straight away and taking new NHS patients. Apparently they are taking on patients across the south. I was in agony with mine, and I got treated straight away it was awesome. I had looked high and low prior so I understand how frustrating it is.

Find Your Nearest Practice - Damira Dental

Try Smile Dental in Salisbury. I managed to get on their lists for NHS.

Confused by this- she’s said there’s no NHS availability.
Do you think private dentists work for free if the patient isn’t working? Does your plumber work for free if you aren’t working?
Very strange.
OP I’d try dental schools and also save up- from what you’re saying it may need extraction eventually which privately would be about £150, not £900.

A capped or crowned tooth has a lifespan of about ten years so maybe yours is coming to the end. Sadly they don't tell you that when you have them done

Try and post on local Facebook groups as well. There’s been quite a few posts recently about dental practices accepting new patients. You need to be the first to see those posts so you can jump on them.