Active discussions

Meet the Other Phone. A phone that grows with your child.

Meet the Other Phone.
A phone that grows with your child.

Buy now

Please or to access all these features

Talk
AIBU?

Share your dilemmas and get honest opinions from other Mumsnetters.

Original poster

Advice please! DH needs his wisdom tooth out - can't afford our dentists price :(

137 replies

Laiste · 01/07/2025 09:13

Hes been in pain with it before twice. A year ago he signed up with a private dentist and they made him have x rays,and 2 hygiene appts and charged £300 and never got as far as taking the bloody tooth out! Just ran out of money to spend on it and it had calmed down so he left it.

Now it's flaring up again and he just wants it out. His dentist want to charge £300+ to take it out!

Ringing round but no one seems to be taking on nhs patients at all. Yesterday he tried 111 ( google's advice) and they said they'd refer him to Bupa for emergency treatment but this morn Bupa have said starting price would be £80 for antibiotics and extraction not on nhs. 🧐So confused ...

Any advice? Thanks in advance .

OP posts:
HermioneWeasley · 01/07/2025 09:17

£80 for an extraction sounds like a bargain, is there a reason you’re not doing that?

Octavia64 · 01/07/2025 09:18

I’ve had most of my wisdom teeth out.

firstly, if there is an infection there no-one will take it out until the infection is gone. That means antibiotics and they are usually specific ones for mouth infections.

once the antibiotics are finished and they’re sure the infection is gone then they can look at taking it out.

some wisdom teeth can be at very funny places (mine was sideways) so they need to take X rays so the dentist taking it out knows where it is.

if it’s in a very difficult position on the X ray they may refer you to a specialist to get it taken out. Three of kind the dentist was happy to do but one he wasn’t and it had to go to a specialist who was forty minutes drive away.

unfortunately it’s not a simple as just take it out.

MathsMum3 · 01/07/2025 09:19

Will his dentist offer a payment plan? Our dentist (private) offers this.

BrendaTheBlendeer · 01/07/2025 09:19

HermioneWeasley · 01/07/2025 09:17

£80 for an extraction sounds like a bargain, is there a reason you’re not doing that?

I think it's £80 just for antibiotics, and then the extraction is not on the NHS so would be a further large cost.

TomatoSandwiches · 01/07/2025 09:20

Most private dentists have payment plans and options, have you asked them about this?

HermioneWeasley · 01/07/2025 09:23

BrendaTheBlendeer · 01/07/2025 09:19

I think it's £80 just for antibiotics, and then the extraction is not on the NHS so would be a further large cost.

Show quote history

Ok, I was read it as “£80 for antibiotics and [the] extraction [which is] not on the NHS.

@Laiste if he needs his tooth out and is solves the issue going forward you’re going to have to sort a payment plan or put it on a credit card and pay it down (a0% one if you can get it). I don’t normally advocate debt but it’s not a huge amount and it’s his health

tumblingdowntherabbithole · 01/07/2025 09:26

Can you put the cost on a credit card? I know it’s not ideal but tooth pain is horrendous and it sounds like he just needs it out at this point.

Original poster
Laiste · 01/07/2025 09:26

Thank you all.

Yes the £80 was for the ABs only.

Ive said to him let's ask about payment plan but we're so skint right now due to a number of catastrophes at home lately (never rains but pours as they say).

I think i'm just not understanding the advice we had from 111 which said a one off extraction could be done on NHS and ring this morn with the referral (we're not looking free, just not private) and then they said no it won't be NHS.

No wonder people are pulling their own teeth out!

OP posts:
SleepingisanArt · 01/07/2025 09:26

I had to have 2 taken out under general anaesthetic as they were very badly impacted. There was an 18 month wait but they were done at the local hospital by the ENT department. Our local University has a dental school and you can sign up to get treatment there - it's done by students but fully supervised by experienced dentists. Do you have a dental school near you?

BusMumsHoliday · 01/07/2025 09:29

My private dentist referred me into the NHS dental hospital for a wisdom tooth extraction. Did you ask if they could do this?

Original poster
Laiste · 01/07/2025 09:29

Yes i think i'm going to have to talk him into a payment plan.

This is an awful state of affairs isn't it? How have we got to the point where people are in pain and can't afford help?!

OP posts:
InsaneInTheMamBrain · 01/07/2025 09:29

Have you Googled to find your closest dental hospital? The one nearest me had a ticket system. Waiting times were long but they would X-ray and remove- if possible- on the same day. Recently this system changed and a 111 referral is needed to help cut waiting times, but, if I was you, I would check for your nearest dental hospital and try that. I had two wisdom teeth removed for free that way. I had active infections each time but they could do the removals because there was no obvious swelling to face or neck.

Original poster
Laiste · 01/07/2025 09:30

I will look to see if there's a dental school near us.

OP posts:
Original poster
Laiste · 01/07/2025 09:31

I'm not sure if he asked his private dentist if they could refer to an nhs hospital ... i'll message him and ask.

OP posts:
slapmyarseandcallmemary · 01/07/2025 09:31

Do you not have an out of hours dentist you could access via 111? Or a dental college nearby?

Original poster
Laiste · 01/07/2025 09:31

i'll check for a dental hospital near us

OP posts:
Original poster
Laiste · 01/07/2025 09:33

He rang 111 yesterday and they gave him a number to ring this morn for nhs one off (Bupa) but then when he rang they said 88 for ABs and then rest of treatment would not be nhs ???

OP posts:
Original poster
Laiste · 01/07/2025 09:34

Half the problem is it's not me doing the ringing. He's not good on the phone and is trying to do it while being in the middle of a building site

OP posts:
whoopeedoop · 01/07/2025 09:34

If he’s in serious pain and can’t afford treatment would his parents help?

Gymmum82 · 01/07/2025 09:37

£300 for an extraction sounds like a bargain to me. You know even NHS dental treatment isn’t free. Band 3 is £320

Wayetblue · 01/07/2025 09:39

I paid nearly £200 recently for a check up and hygienist and have often wondered how on earth less fortunate people can do it.

I'm being naive, but if he needs antibiotics for an infection, isn't that something his GP/111 should organise on prescription?. That would at least be a start and help with he pain. It's terrible advice and shouldn't be necessary, but I can see why people in pain end up at A&E...

Even on the NHS a tooth extraction is going to cost money though 😪

Original poster
Laiste · 01/07/2025 09:40

Yes we're not after it being free. An nhs consultation fee is apx £27.

Our dentist charges £90 just to go in and breathe the air around the reception desk 😳

OP posts:
Original poster
Laiste · 01/07/2025 09:41

Eldest DD works at a GP surgery she said that GPs won't prescribe for anything dental any more.

I had the same idea re: GP for ABs

OP posts:
DinoLil · 01/07/2025 09:44

Yikes!
My dog had two teeth out under GA in January. £303.
Maybe we all need to go to the vets?!

Original poster
Laiste · 01/07/2025 09:44

About 10 years ago our GP prescribed ABs for tooth pain for me. I'm terrified of the dentist and went to see GP and was honest about fear and he said so am i and prescribed me the ABs!

I guess times have changed 😞

OP posts: