Sodding bloody dentists. Should I just pull the broken tooth out myself?

[TheDuchessOfNorksBride]

I lost a large composite filling on Christmas Eve and now the remaining tooth has broken and is very sharp and lacerating my cheek. I'm about 20 weeks pregnant so my pain-killing options are limited.

My dentists are shut until next Wednesday. When the 'dentist-on-call' finally called me back he said I could be seen by a colleague at a surgery that is 45 minutes drive away. But it would have been shut by the time I got there.

I can't see an NHS dentist apparently because I'm a private patient (no NHS registrations available in these parts for years).

So shall I get some pliers and yank the damned thing out myself? It's increasingly tempting.

I think in an dental emergency your local PCT has to provide dentist care - have you tried ringing NHS direct. I know our community hospital seems to have an emergency dentist.

no!! don't do that - bu do get some clove oil or else chew some cloves - messy but soothing.

Local hospital doesn't have dental services.

I'll try NHS Direct.

No. Definitely not. Your cheek will develop a harder patch where it is rubbing. It will take a day or two then it will become numb-ish. (IME).
Don't pull anything out, you might start more trouble. Is there not an out of hours service every night? There is here. It is up at the local hospital.

You might also try the temp filling stuff to fill in the hole but it does tend to come out and not stick very well.

I do empathise

I just mean I've seen directions to emergency dentists when I've been using the out of hours doctors service.

They will just shave a bit off the sharp bit if you do get to see one.

You could try it with a file I suppose...

I went to an "emergency" dental unit that I located through NHS direct. You might like to find out exactly what their definition of emergency is before you go there because I went to one in utter agony (with a tiny baby in tow), unable to move my jaw and they would not help me - I think because I was not going to die! I waited 4 hours and basically every patient that saw the "dentist" was given some kind of excuse why they were not going to be treated.

This any good?

Or are you in West?

I would ring your own dentist again and find out who is on call tomorrow, perhaps it will be closer!

NHS Direct are phoning me back?!?

FA - thanks for the link. I'm up on the Ashdown Forest so Lewes would probably be nearest, about 40-45 minutes drive.

hattrick - There is some nerve pain but it is not in the same league as an abscess. The sharp tooth is cutting my cheek and tongue from time to time.

Thanks everyone.

Just seen whereabouts you are . I had a private dental op at East Grinstead hospital if that is any use.

Still no treatment - DD2 has been feverish since last night so I'm reluctant to put her (and the others) in the car for a long drive with a potential vomit incident waiting.

It's not even a Bank Holiday. Why the hell aren't they working? Grrrrrrrrr.

Can you put some orthodontic wax on the sharp edges to protect your cheek?

the sharp bit will smooth down over time.

need to get one fixed myself

Can I get orthodontic wax from a pharmacy?