Dentist has messed up, what can I do

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Posting here for traffic really.
Got an emergency dentist appointment on 13th of December after having pain in my back tooth.
Tooth was able to be saved and the dentist has put a filling in my tooth
Noticed an ulcer type feeling by the tooth,
My mouth filled with blood last night and I noticed there is a flap of gum sitting right on the filling, it doesn't move. Very painful and stinks like I can't describe.

The only way I can imagine getting this fixed is to cut the bit of gum but I have an extreme fear of the dentist and it took me ten years to muster the courage to go and now I'm already sitting in tears at the thought of needing to go back.
I needed to pay for the filling and so I'm also worried about extra cost of this (on uc and not in a great position financially)

Can anyone else advise please

The dentist might not have messed up, the body can be complicated. The only way to really sort this is to call the dentist up and get their advice, they might call you back in

It's not necessarily a mistake by the dentist, it sounds like you've got an infection in the gum which is unfortunate but unpredictable. Rinse with salt water or TCP until you can get back to the dentist.

In the meantime, keep washing out your mouth with a strong salt water solution. Take ibuprofen.

I have the same flap of skin over a partially erupted wisdom tooth that gets infected every few years. Salt water and anti inflammatories always do the trick in a couple of days. You’ve got food/bacteria trapped.

I sometimes squirt the salt water into the flap via a calpol syringe.

Call the dentist though, it doesn’t sound great if there was blood. But the salt water and drugs will give you some relief in the meantime.

I’m so sorry you are going through this. It sounds horrible.
But it can be sorted. I agree that it’s not necessarily that the dentist has messed up. It sounds like an infection. I’ve had them in the past around an impacted wisdom tooth, and it was nobody’s fault (except maybe mine for being lax with the cleaning and flossing!)

I know you don’t want to hear this, but you have to go back - you can do it, honestly. Explain how scared you are and see if a payment plan can be arranged. Get someone to go with you for support. Good luck.

Also, I doubt cutting the gum will be needed - it’s probably just massively inflamed and will go done once the infection has gone. That happened to me.

Can u try A and E at all? Sometimes they have Dentist services. If not Paramol is very good for pain .It could be an infection maybe ,the Dentist will be able to prescribe Antibiotics .Contact them first thing Monday .They will be able to help you.My Dentist has a payment plan you can join and also Interest free payment plan

It sounds awful, but why do you think the dentist has made an error? What do you mean you had to pay for the filling? I thought there was always a fee seeing the dentist- even an NHS one?

I agree, rinse with salty water and take some analgesia. Don't drink/eat anything too hot, as it can make the bleeding worse. Take a friend/family member with you to the dentist for support.

In all honesty though, I wouldn’t worry too much.

i know it feels horrific and worrying as you’ve just had a filling. But I’ve had this every few years since I was a teen due to a wisdom tooth. It will just be an infection and I’ve only had to go to a dentist and have antibiotics once in 25 years for it, every other time salt water, and anti inflammatories have had it gone in a couple of days.

The dentist will only have a look and a prescribe antibiotics if you need them. I know you are scared, but in all likelihood, that’s all that will happen at the dentist visit.

Yes unfair on my part to say the dentist has messed up but I feel like there is now a part of my gum sitting on my tooth that wasn't there before

It doesn't feel infected as I have no pain, apart from when I move the flap 🤢

To a pp, I didn't realise you had to pay. I'm with an nhs and I get UC, I thought I would be covered in a sense. The payment for the filling took my whole food budget for that week. As I wasn't told there was a charge or even the price until it had already been sited

It’s periodontitis where the gum gets inflamed. That’s why it only hurts when you move the flap. It’s just that one little bit that has swelled with infection. You’ll have got food particles or other bacteria caught under it. The flaps always feel much larger than they are with your tongue!

Some people say anti biotics every time, but it usually dies down if you keep it clean, otherwise I’d be on antibiotics for it every few years.

Try the regular salt washes and anti inflammatories.

DD had a flap of gum grow over one her back teeth, very painful. She applied bongela using a cotton bud as well as salt wash.
The dentist had to remove the skin fap DD was petrified but the dentist put some jell on to numb it looped what looked like dental floss around it and it was off in a second .

I’m really sorry about this, OP. It sounds really distressing. To add to what others have said, make sure you rinse your mouth every time you eat, with salt water or Corsodyl mouthwash (or Boots do a cheaper own-brand one with the same active ingredient). You want to make sure that there are no little bits of food getting stuck.

Don't go to a&e for this, it isn't trauma or a big facial swelling. If it can't wait until Monday then call 111, if they have a service in your area then they will find you an appointment or a dental nurse will give you some advice.

https://www.nhs.uk/nhs-services/help-with-health-costs/help-with-health-costs-for-people-getting-universal-credit/