Any dentists? Emergency appointment

[RealisticallySwampy]

Please be kind.

I've had a broken tooth for a while, it's 3rd from the back. It had a root canal treatment that came out a couple of years ago.

It never caused me any pain until 2 days ago. Yesterday the pain was unbearable so 111 found me an emergency NHS dental appointment for today.

I'm really nervous. I have a huge fear of the dentist. Please can anybody kindly tell me what the dentist will likely do?

I know that it's silly to be scared. I keep thinking that he's going to judge the state of my teeth & be unkind.

My daughter (age 8) will be with me. I have no option on this. She will be happy with a colouring book in the corner but she will be listening.

I'm really scared about what will happen.

I can feel a swollen part in the broken tooth bit & the gum is swollen now too (it wasn't yesterday)

So it's infected, that means?

What will happen?
Will they treat it today or send me aways with AB's?
Will they give me painkillers if they send me away?
Paracetamol & Ibuprofen aren't touching it.
I can't have Codeine as I suffer badly with constipation.

The part of the tooth that's left is wobbly. It's catching on my bottom tooth even when I tried to eat a bowl of soup yesterday.

It's so sore.

Please can anybody try to reassure me that it will be ok?

Or if it won't be ok, can you just tell me that too, so that I can try to get my head round what will happen, before I go.

Aw, don’t feel stupid What we look like when we smile is a huge part of why we want good teeth. Look at all the people getting veneers and teeth whitening treatments. It’s a massive industry. Get rid of the pain and worry about the aesthetics later. I was determined I was going to get a bridge or an implant because I was so upset, but 14 years later and the gap is still there. It’s not at the front, but still within smile range, but I reckon it’s not that noticeable. There are options if you feel self conscious and it’s completely fine to care about how you look.

Oh it's been a horrible day.

All of that anxiety & adrenaline. We got there 10 mins early & he got me straight in. He left the door open... He had a look (& I said 'Ow. That's where it hurts' when he jabbed the wobbly bit) & said simply 'Its badly infected.' I nodded. He said 'Follow me' & left me to clamber down from the chair, I was a bit 'What? Where?' as I was so full of fear at what was about to happen.

I said to my daughter as I rushed past (who hadn't even got her sticker book out of her bag yet) 'Stay there' I said to him as we rushed ahead 'Are we coming back this way?' he says 'No' I turn to my daughter again & say 'Stay there' (I AM coming back this way!)

Then we are back at reception & she's asking me if I pay & if I want a record of my visit. Dentist is behind her. I say 'So what's happening? What do I do? Are we done? Do I come back again?' he says 'No, you don't come back here again. You go to your regular dentist. I'll give you some AB's for today. Who is your regular dentist?' I tell him but say that I'm not registered anymore.

He just said 'Oh well try to find one. I think 'this one' is taking NHS'. I say 'Yeah I spoke to them yesterday but they said that they aren't'. He just says 'Mmm' & walks off.

I shout through to my daughter (I wouldn't normally, but there's only us in there & I'm feeling quite upset) & we leave.

Thank you everybody for the messages today. You were all very kind to me.

We were in there 6 minutes.

I know when I've had an infected tooth the dentist refused to touch it until I'd taken a course of antibiotics. You'll find once they've kicked in you'll feel a whole lot better.
As an aside I did have a dodgy dentist who snapped a tooth he was extracting, panicked and did indeed end up with his foot on the chair desperately yanking at my poor tooth with his pliers. Dental nurse looked horrified.
It did not hurt.
Hope the antibiotics kick in soon and you manage to find a dentist soon.

Rowgtfc72 It was just such little communication. I had no idea what was going on & they seemed to assume that I knew, or something. I'm not sure really.

We had that with the dodgy dentist when he tried to rip a tooth from my 5 yr old. He xrayed her without explaining, pushed and pulled us in and out of rooms without a word.
We've never been seen by any one other than the chief dentist since that experience. And we didn't even ask for that courtesy, think they were worried we'd complain.
I've found a few dentists with absolutely no people skills.
Dentistry is an absolute shitshow at the minute.

Emergency dentists are just there to do pain management mostly. I took my mum with an abcess as she was climbing the walls,the pain started on the Friday evening of course and she got an appointment on the Sunday. He looked and said ‘I can pull your tooth to help but if you want to keep that tooth you can wait and see your dentist.’ She was so miserable she just got it pulled. I had pericoronitis one new year and he just cheated the area, gave me antibiotics and told me to see my dentist for wisdom teeth removal. I hope the antibiotics help.

I know, BashfulClam He didn't communicate with me so I didn't understand what was going on. No options or 'I am going to give you AB's' just 'Get up, get out & don't ask questions'.

Well that's what it felt like anyway.

How's it going @RealisticallySwampy?

I've just seen your update and, after all that talk of how easy and painless an extraction is, I feel for you that your emergency appointment went the way it did. Hopefully though, the ABs have had an effect?

Aww thank you for checking in on me!

Yes, I'd decided that I'd have it extracted if he suggested it. But never mind.

Yesterday was great, it didn't really hurt at all, I managed some Mac & cheese & managed to brush my teeth without crumbling into a ball of pain. I still kept up the painkillers all day. Thought that I was over the worst of it.

This morning though it's really sore again. Not as sore as it was, so that's something. It's hurting though.

I hope tomorrow is better for you. The misery of constant pain really gets you down, I know. As I understand it you have a new dentist but can't be seen for 4 weeks? I would be badgering for an earlier appointment if it gets bad again.

Yes I'm going to call them again (the 4 week wait one) tomorrow & explain the situation.

On Thursday, a second one put my name on a waiting list so I will check with them again.

There is another one who only see you if it's an emergency but I couldn't get them to answer the phone & they didn't answer my email, so my third option is to go in there & ask them.

After all of that, I might actually call 111 this time & see if they have anything to suggest. I feel bad calling them for this though.

I wouldn't feel bad. If they have nothing to suggest, they will soon tell you. I'm sure your pain is as important as anyone else's!

Thank you. I know you are right, it just feels kind of self inflicted as I stopped going to my other dentist after covid lockdown, so now I don't have one.

Its hurting tonight, I'm normally in bed by now but I'm sat up watching TV trying to distract myself from the pain.