Severe toothache - and no prospect of treatment.

[Molly175]

Raging toothache. Dentist, like others, not seeing patients and unwilling to talk on phone.

Hoping to see emergenc dentist tomorrow (NHS) but told they won't treat eg drill etc. Best to hope for is a prescription for antibiotics.

Is this a blanket ban on dentists being open - I know it is the guidance from the BDA and probably very wise but I wonder, if the pain goes on, what to do.

Taking Solpadeine but has limited effect and of course it shouldn't be taken for too long. Garling with salt water, leaving Sensodyne on teeth. Unable to eat or drink, except water. Suggestions welcome

Mrsmorton is there any provision for dire emergencies as far as you are aware? I do agree with what you're saying....but I have a sore tooth that is completely intact, but irritated because I grind on it at night 😩. Believe me I have tried to find ways to stop, but nothing has helped. My night guard is crap.

I have an abcess and was told by 111 yesterday that dentists will be open tomorrow as of new government legislation. Hope thats correct as the last infections made me really poorly.

I've seen friends post from centralised emergency departments, full PPE to see appropriate patients. This is London centric but my understanding is that regions are supposed to provide this.

It's shit. Sorry everyone.

Can you update us tomorrow? I have such terrible anxiety about not being able to access a dentist if I need to...it would be really helpful to know if this pans out. Hope you feel much better soon

Sorry, that was aimed at user1019273703!

There should be a ‘hub’. Somewhere fairly local where dentists will see you to get you out of pain
Your own dentist should be able to advise There should be someone to speak to Monday morning

My husband is a private dentist, with our own surgery. Believe me, if he could see patients whilst complying with Gdc and cross infection rules etc he would. But he cannot, so we are shut apart from telephone consults antibiotics if appropriate.

Our income has gone down to zero but our fixed costs as a business have not. It isn’t a case of ‘they’ need to do something - nhs England, public health and the gdc have said they cannot if they do not have the correct equipment - but have told medical suppliers not to supply for weeks as nhs doctors have priority.

Dentists have been put at risk and forgotten in all of this by both the nhs and the dental bodies.

If doctors had been told they had to work in those conditions to comply with their duty of care to patients - the country would rightly be up in arms.

For dentists, all they got was a lot of risk and the likelihood of businesses folding as the rates relief/cash grants which clothing shops etc got are not available to dentists.

NHS England has said that they have supplied PPE to all dentists who need them ....but as they’ve all been told to shut, this is a fairly circular argument. No one we know in our area, nhs or private has been supplied, and we know lots of fellow dentists!

Someone said elsewhere in incredulous tones when I was worried sick over our finances - “are we supposed to feel sorry for dentists now?” - and I said no, but maybe you might miss them if they weren’t there.

After two days of phoning around, we have been told that patients should call 111 and in certain circumstances there is a hub which will see, as they have been given the correct equipment. But they don’t appear to be publicising these so presumably they don’t want many to attend.

That's sounding more reassuring heather- do you work within dentistry?

Posted too soon - hope you get it sorted OP, but please don’t blame dentists - they are not in control of this.

Forgotten- I'm sorry to hear that. It sounds horrendously stressful all round.

Opalescent - the hubs are only seeing a very select group of patients- you would need to fit into that emergency criteria to be seen.

Yes it is for all -my husband is desperately worried for his patients. I’m desperately worried for him!

@opalescent @user1019273703

I have an abscess at the minute. Diagnosed Wednesday morning. I've taken amoxicillin which haven't reduced the infection and I have to pick another antibiotic prescription tomorrow morning just to try see me through until the emergency extraction, I'm on a waiting list for the emergency dental hub which my dentist has referred me to, no idea when they are up and running or where it will be I was told on Friday that they are being urgently established so fingers crossed it's soon.

I'll find out more in the morning and let you both know x

i was due to have root canal last week, but it was cancelled. Im just taking pain killers, already had anti biotics...... are we meant to put up with toothache for another 3 months, lets hope it doesnt turn into abses or sepsis!

Poor GDPs have been sold down the river. I work in a dental hospital, We have been all week setting up for the emergency hub, it's been extremely stressful. The logistics are a nightmare, I'm actually nervous of the week ahead.
As an aside I have a broken tooth but I won't qualify to get seen either and will have to wait until the gdps are working again. Nightmare situation all round.

Thanks @danni0509 I had my wisdom tooth out a month ago and the wound is now infected. Not As painful when the tooth was still there thankfully but still not great

Ima dentist working in Scotland. From the very beginning we have been identified as a hot spot for spread of infection. Any drilling, scaling, even drying with air generates an aerosol.
There's a world wide shortage of PPE ( personal protective equipment). I know the government have said we will be provided with correct equipment but I wouldn't hold my breath.

It's really really scary. We can't furlough workers, and at the same time claim any NHS funding. And without being able to claim both, most practices will face bankruptcy within months, with no income at all.
Some of the stories in the press are ill informed. The funding will barely cover our fixed monthly outgoings, let alone pay our dentists and staff.
If we accept funding, then our staff will be redeployed to work elsewhere in the NHS, possibly work that's not within our scope of practice, and most likely front line.

It's really scary. Trust me, we'd rather be working. It's heartbreaking talking to patients on the phone and not being able to help.
Here is Scotland our remit is "Advice, analgesics, antibiotics". No hands on whatsoever.
However if we feel something really needs to be dealt with we do have a referral pathway, and can send patients to a designated centre. It does feel like we are pushing people's dental health back a generation.

OP glad you are seeing emergency dentist tomorrow. Hope you will get some relief

It’s out there!!
www.pressandjournal.co.uk/fp/news/scotland/2104696/scottish-dentists-warn-of-collapse-of-nhs-services-unless-government-intervenes/

@Forgotten2020 I don't blame the dentist at all. Far from. They are only going by what they have been told to do.

The dental nurse at my practise has been so lovely she phoned the dentist on his mobile at home to ask if she could put me on the referral list for the hub and when I initially phoned Wednesday morning they had me in 30 minutes later for the X-ray. She said she has sat and cried at how many people are phoning begging for an appointment, she sounded genuinely upset.

@Bigjobbiewheecker will your emergency hub be running this week? Do you have any more info pls? Will they categorise patients that have been referred and call to get them in? I'm waiting on being seen in one. Thanks x

Youngerthanyellow, really feel for you. As private we’re in an even worse position - we have zero income. Rotten all round.

We’ve been petitioning the MPs saying that at a time when they are extolling health care it seems bizarre their actions will cause a high proportion of the entire dental sector to close their doors permanently (both nhs and private), but they don’t seem to care. No self employment help. No help for the business. Very sad.

Danni thank you, it’s just he feels such a responsibility to look after his patients and he can’t. Rotten situation for all.

“ 99% of dental disease is preventable. FACT.”

I always think it’s sheer dumb luck, lots of people are careful with teeth and have loads of problems.

@Molly175 can you get paramol it's £8 for 32 tablets from boots. I got a box last week.

It's the black box. If you google 'paramol dental' you'll read some reviews.

How often are you taking painkillers?

Youngerthanyellow - identified as a hot spot but not allowed to buy protective kit. Time will tell how many dentists suffer Covid 19 as a result of their advice

@EineReiseDurchDieZeit what initially made your abscess go down if it's still not been treated with your appointment being cancelled.

Antibiotics? Which ones did you have? Thanks x

@AutumnRose1 you can think what you like. The evidence exists. Up to you if you want to do roulette. I don't practise any more so I don't see the heart rending consequences. The 3 year olds with abscesses. The 90 year olds who need extractions. So t goes. You tell yourself what you need to. Doesn't mean it's true.