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Original poster

Dental care help?!

36 replies

Marty93 · 07/06/2019 09:02

Hi everyone,

I have sent off for my maternity exemption certificate today. I am at the dentist on Monday. My question: the dentist i go to is private, not NHS. Its a consultation to have a wisdom tooth removed (I was referred there by my regular dentist who said he is unable to remove the wisdom tooth) and the cost for the consultation is £60 and if I need an X-ray it will be an additional £50! Does the certificate cover this as I know it does for NHS dental care .... but not sure about private dental care.... !

Thank you!

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qj17 · 07/06/2019 09:03

It's only for nhs dental care so you would need to find an nhs dentist.

PrayingandHoping · 07/06/2019 09:05

As PP poster said... it will only be accepted at an nhs dentist.

Was the dentist who referred you private or nhs?

AllTheCakes · 07/06/2019 09:05

As per PP, you need to find an NHS dentist who will take you on as a patient or pay privately. The NHS website tells you of dentists taking on new patients in your area if you search.

user1493413286 · 07/06/2019 09:11

Just to add my dentist wouldn’t x ray my teeth while pregnant. I don’t really understand why you were referred to a private dentist; my nhs dentist referred me to the hospital when they couldn’t remove my wisdom tooth which was obviously free

IVEgottheDECAF · 07/06/2019 09:14

I need a wisdom tooth out. I am 27 weeks. They wont xray or attempt removal until after the birth.

AnchorDownDeepBreath · 07/06/2019 09:21

I don’t really understand why you were referred to a private dentist;

It reads like OPs usual dentist is private; and he's referred her to another private dentist. I don't think an NHS dentist has referred her to a private one.

Original poster
Marty93 · 07/06/2019 10:00

Thanks everyone. Yes my usual dentist is a private practice and he has referred me Onto a specialist. My usual dentist knew I was pregnant before referring me, and he did an X-ray!

But thank you all for the replies - it won't be such a shock now knowing I'll be forking out some big bucks ! Lol. I'll pay anything to have this pain go away though. Don't think they will have much choice but to remove it ASAP as it is starting to become infected :( how gross!

OP posts:
qj17 · 07/06/2019 10:16

9 times out of 10 They won't remove it in your First or third trimester due to the local anaesthetic. Make sure you take a copy of this X-ray with you because you don't want to be having another one taken. I'm a nurse in oral surgery and I'm pregnant myself and there's no way I would be x-rayed at this stage but that's just my take on it.

IVEgottheDECAF · 07/06/2019 10:45

My dentist didnt even want to give me anesthetic for a filling! I think theyll give you antibiotics and thats it for now

HereForAdvice2019 · 07/06/2019 13:08

I wasn't allowed an x Ray or even a filling when I was pregnant.. At any duration?

comeongeorge · 07/06/2019 15:49

qj17
Do you mind me asking why you wouldn’t have an X-ray?
I’m in third trimester and had a dental X-ray this week.
The dentist explained I was exposed to much more radiation on mundane daily things than I would have got through the dental X-ray. I had an extraction due to an abscess.

comeongeorge · 07/06/2019 15:58

Also currentNHS guidance on dental X-ray is that there is virtually no risk to the baby as levels of radiation used are so low.

qj17 · 07/06/2019 16:04

@comeongeorge just personal preference that's all :)

PixieDust26 · 07/06/2019 18:29

Your dentist knew you were pregnant and took an X-ray?! 😮 were you aware it can be harmful?
I work in dentistry and we would never take an X-ray on a pregnant lady let alone extract a tooth it is too risky with some LA. Tbh we don't really like to do any treatment unless very necessary. Your exemption won't be covered as it is only an NHS dental exemption.

anitagreen · 07/06/2019 19:18

I had an X-ray and a tooth out whilst pregnant with my son it was absolute agony before I had it removed but they did do it I think I was about 28 weeks or something was 2017

comeongeorge · 07/06/2019 19:19

That's all correct Pixie.
What's the concern you have for these things from working in dentistry?

comeongeorge · 07/06/2019 19:28

I’m 35 weeks and had the X-ray and extraction

forestsmurf · 07/06/2019 19:29

I work in dentistry as a clinician and qualified in the last 3 years.
Current guidelines that I were taught state that the radiation levels are very low and radiation beams do not go near the womb therefore post no risk to an unborn child.
However I tend not to take them unless the mother is in pain as patients preferr to wait until after the baby is born.
If the treatment can be delayed until after the baby is born dentists often delay. but if treatment required due to pain etc then it can be completed very safely, only one type of anaesthetic cannot be used in pregnancy to to an ingredient that mimics oxytocin the labor inducing hormone.

anitagreen · 07/06/2019 19:31

@forestsmurf That's why mine was taken out I couldn't eat so baby wasn't getting much and I was just an absolute wreck so my dentist saw me same day and just pulled it out the relief was amazing

comeongeorge · 07/06/2019 19:35

Thank you Forestsmurf for your calmly considered reply Smile

TheRPA · 07/06/2019 19:52

As a radiation protection adviser I just wanted to reiterate that times and technologies have moved on as @forestsmurf has said, and that we now advise that there is absolutely no reason for a pregnant woman not to have a dental x-ray as the x-ray beam is nowhere near the developing foetus. In fact, in the NHS organisation I work in the pregnancy question is not even asked for "plain film" x-rays unless between the diaphragm and pelvis due to the negligible radiation dose to the foetus. In fact the only reason such exams would be deferred would be if the woman was worried unduly about the potential harm (psychological benefit from not doing the exam in that case might be deemed greater than the intended diagnostic outcome).

Sorry OP, I know this wasn't what you were asking but I just want to reassure anyone who may be worried about having an x-ray when pregnant!

Neverbroken · 07/06/2019 22:06

@pixiedust26 I had a couple of x-rays done the second one they had to do because they didn’t get the full tooth on the first and an extraction done last week on a wisdom tooth and the one next to it which was broken in half. I’m 20 weeks also had my scan this week baby is fine.

PixieDust26 · 07/06/2019 22:12

@neverbroken that's great news and I'm glad your baby is fine. I'm just stating at my surgery we will not do it. Not all the surgeries are the same obviously just how our practice works. Not great they had to expose you twice as they didn't get a good picture the first time, I'd be annoyed but glad your baby is doing fine Smile

Neverbroken · 07/06/2019 22:27

To be honest I was in that much pain it was best to get it out, it was literally stopping me from sleeping, the one night I lust have gotten an hour max nothing would work paracetamol, salt water rinsing, clove oil nothing. Then I went to work and nearly passed out was sent home.

Original poster
Marty93 · 08/06/2019 12:56

@Neverbroken I am currently sat in an emergency dentist - the specialist I was referred to said he wouldn't personally extract my wisdom tooth until after the baby is born. Even when I said I am in absolute agony, I can't eat or drink anything without climbing the walls in pain. I was up all night last night pretty much in pain. I'm worried I'll get an infection. Surely risk assessing needs to take place.... so yep, been sat in emergency dentist waiting to be seen for an hour and a half. I hope they will do something, even if it is temporarily fill the tooth until my second trimester to have the tooth removed (which is in around 3-4 weeks) ! X

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