Avoiding the dentist because its to expensive!

[shelovestobuystuff]

I have been avoiding my little bit of toothache because I know how expensive the dentist is.The last time I had any significant amount of work done was within the first year after I had my daughter,so that was mainly free as covered by my maternity certificate.WE,THE WHLE FAMILY WERE TAKEN OFF THAT DENTISTS REGISTER BECAUSE WE WOULD NOT GO EVERY 6 MONTHS AND PAY £60 EACH,MYSELF,OH AND SON,FOR A CHECK UP WHEN THERE WAS NOTHING WRONG WITH OUR TEETH!
Yesterday the offending tooth broke(helped by my trying to crunch a werthers original) and I thought to myself,no avoiding it now so had better call a dentist.Not that easy to see a dentist even if you are paying for your treatment.
I tried for the low cost options first,
1/the local dental training centre,as it was not an emergency I would have to wait about 2 months for an appointment.The plus is that as its an NHS training clinic even though I am not entitled to free dental care I would only have to pay NHS dentists prices which are much cheaper than a private one.
2/tried to search for other local dentists taking on "NHS" patients.Apparantly if you register at an NHS dentist they can only charge you NHS rates even if you pay for your treatment.Well that wasn,t easy either.There are 4 in my area,at least the health board gave me 4 numbers to call.1 said they were not NHS,1 said they were a private dentist and only took a small number of NHS clients if they were on full pension or childrens tax credit,1 said I would have to wait 3 months for an appointment and the last one was the worst,4 months for an appointment to register then they only gave out NHS appointments on a WED-Thurs between 11-12 so waiting times for treatment was currently 3 years!!!
3/Gave up and called a private dentist.Appointment is tomorrow morning and I have been asked to TAKE £50 CASH AS THE DEPOSIT FOR ANY TREATMENT AND A CREDIT/BANK CARD!
4/The tooth which broke has a large silver filling and I have been looking into getting it changed for a white one since it will need redone anyway.I have discovered that I probably have mercury poisoning and will have to have all my filling removed now.Its amazing what damage mercury fillings can do,asthma,arthritis,PMS,IBS,scoliosis,dry eyes,sore throats,a tendancy to catch everything going and thats just a few.Look at this!
http://www.mercurymadness.org/default.aspx

Anyone else had trouble getting affordable dentistry and how did you solve it?
I seen on TV last night ,it was part of a polital party ad shown on a BBC programme,that apparantly in scotland dental check ups are entirely free,what part of scotland is that then?It gave the impression that they were free for everyone,have I missed something?

[Toothsmith]

4/The tooth which broke has a large silver filling and I have been looking into getting it changed for a white one since it will need redone anyway.I have discovered that I probably have mercury poisoning and will have to have all my filling removed now.Its amazing what damage mercury fillings can do,asthma,arthritis,PMS,IBS,scoliosis,dry eyes,sore throats,a tendancy to catch everything going and thats just a few.Look at this!
http://www.mercurymadness.org/default.aspx



You won't have mercury poisoning.

However, if you really want to believe you have, there will be several dentists out there prepared to indulge you, and charge you lots and lots of money for completely unnecessary work.

Up to you really.

Pity you didn't stumble on any pages showing all the damage Wurthers Originals can do a little earlier! :D

[Gers]

I've just discovered a fab NHS practice in Newcastle (been today for tooth infection but that's a different story) and now been told they are going private. Don't think there's any escape but as long as my teeth are looked after (by myself and by having regular dental cleans) then I don't invisage any real problems. Compared to the level of care handed out in my childhood/youth things are tons better and worth the money.

Mind you, looking forward to retiring back to Glasgow in the next 7-8 years!!

[coldstreamalways]

Why do you think you've probably got mercury poisoning?

[border collie]

The worst risk of mercury poisoning is the actual REMOVAL of existing amalgam fillings.


Leave well alone.

[shelovestobuystuff]

Why do you think you've probably got mercury poisoning?

Apparantly 3% of the population with these type of fillings are allergic to them or sensitive at least.I am allergic to metal on my skin so probably am allergic to heavy metals in my body too.Theres a whole host of things linked to mercury poisoning including ALL of my problems noted in the opening post at number 4.If all of these things could disappear with the removal of some fillings then its worth the risk.The toxins released during removal can make you very sick for a couple of weeks but then you start a detox and hopefully all of my other problems would go away too.Maybe not the scoliosis,that I know I am stuck with but it could stop it from getting worse.
The metal fillings expand over time anyway and can break the tooth open which is what has happened to one of mine.That will need drilled and replaced anyway and probably capped too.The other molar has been done for almost 30 years too so will probably break soon too,I would rather have it redone now and hope to save some of the tooth than wait for it to break.

[shelovestobuystuff]

Update on my appointment tomorrow,I just cannot bring myself to pay £50 for a filling(and thats if I only need a filling,it could need capped which will be extremely expensive) when the NHS clinic only charges £6.
My OH was all for me going to a private dentist until I told him how much cash I had been told to take with me tomorrow morning,he nearly choked on his coffee.I will put up with the discomfort and wait 2 months to have it looked at rather than pay that sort of money.

[Torry Quine]

apparantly in scotland dental check ups are entirely free,what part of scotland is that then?It gave the impression that they were free for everyone,have I missed something?

Yes, NHS checkups are free to everyone in Scotland as are eye tests. Of course first of all you have to find an NHS dentist willing to take you on! :rolleyes:

[alison999]

Update on my appointment tomorrow,I just cannot bring myself to pay £50 for a filling(and thats if I only need a filling,it could need capped which will be extremely expensive) when the NHS clinic only charges £6..


standard nhs price for a filling is £45.60 so its not that much more than if you saw a nhs dentist tomorrow.

[BitterAndTwisted]

At my dentist £50 would just about cover the cost of the check-up. Like any other business, they invariably expect you to pay for all treatment at the end of every appointment. If I was running a business I'd do that as well.

I gave up hope of finding an NHS dentist to take me on over a decade ago. I'm surprised that people are still trying, quite honestly

[tirednewdad]

Apparantly 3% of the population with these type of fillings are allergic to them or sensitive at least.I am allergic to metal on my skin so probably am allergic to heavy metals in my body too.Theres a whole host of things linked to mercury poisoning including ALL of my problems noted in the opening post at number 4.If all of these things could disappear with the removal of some fillings then its worth the risk.The toxins released during removal can make you very sick for a couple of weeks but then you start a detox and hopefully all of my other problems would go away too.Maybe not the scoliosis,that I know I am stuck with but it could stop it from getting worse.
The metal fillings expand over time anyway and can break the tooth open which is what has happened to one of mine.That will need drilled and replaced anyway and probably capped too.The other molar has been done for almost 30 years too so will probably break soon too,I would rather have it redone now and hope to save some of the tooth than wait for it to break.


Just so you know- you won't get white fillings on the NHS- you will probably have to end up paying for them privately.:o

There is actually no difference in tooth fracture rates between white and amalgam fillings over a 15 year period. As the white fillings sets as it shrinks more than an amalgam filling thus the tooth is flexed and prone to small fractures developing.

You will release mercury when a silver filling is placed for 1 year. After that period the release is negligable. The main release of mercury come when it is removed, which causes mercury vapour.- Vitimin C is supposed to reduce aborsorption of mercury after having a filling

Good luck with your quest:A

[scottishchick27]

standard nhs price for a filling is £45.60 so its not that much more than if you saw a nhs dentist tomorrow.

It's not as much as that. I had one today and it cost me £13. Might be cheaper as I'm in Scotland but not sure.

[LondonDiva]

http://www.which.co.uk/campaigns/nhs-dentists/about-the-nhs-dentists-campaign/index.jsp

www.nhs.uk

[alison999]

It's not as much as that. I had one today and it cost me £13. Might be cheaper as I'm in Scotland but not sure.

i thiink scotland is different (and maybe wales?) but in england its £45.60

[Toothsmith]

Apparantly 3% of the population with these type of fillings are allergic to them or sensitive at least.I am allergic to metal on my skin so probably am allergic to heavy metals in my body too.

If you're reacting to metals on your skin, it's almost certainly nickle that's the culprit.

There is a small amount of nickle in amalgam alloy as well.

The symptoms you describe in your first post are typical of the sort of symptoms linked with most health scare stories. Stuff so general and widespread that 99% of the people reading them think 'Oh yes - that must be what I've got'.

No reputable dentist should agree to remove amalgam fillings because a patient is worried about the mercury in them. In fact, as a general rule of thumb, it's probably a good way to spot a disreputable one!

It would be OK for a dentist to agree not to provide any more if a patient was worried about such things, and replace the amalgam as and when necessary - but not drill out perfectly good fillings based on an unfounded patient fear.

[MRSTITTLEMOUSE]

I've found in the past that by avoiding going to the dentist you end up paying more in the long run in all ways.
I used to have a dental phobia and never went till I had an abcess,now I've got over that I go every six months and have saved myself lots in both money and anguish.
Anyway if your teeth look awful that's not good and you probably would'nt think twice about paying out for new clothes or having your hair done.
This is'nt just looks it's your health.

[Toothsmith]

It's not as much as that. I had one today and it cost me £13. Might be cheaper as I'm in Scotland but not sure.


Scotland is still on the 'old' NHS system, where each treatment item has it's own price.

England and Wales went over to a new system in April 2006 where there are 3 charge bands, and you pay depending on what treatments are in the plan.

That gives the crazy situation though (For both dentist and patient) that a treatment with one filling costs the patient £44.60 and gets the dentist 3 funding points, whereas a treatment with multiple fillings, root fillings and extractions costs £44.60 and gets the dentist 3 funding points as well! (In Wales - the band charges are a few pence cheaper.)

That's why patients often encounter a bit of 'gaming' these days, where what should be one big treatment plan is split into smaller chunks done 8 weeks apart - when the dentist can cliaim it as a new treatment, and get fresh funding points.

If you encounter this, you should question it. (Sometimes there are good reasons why bits of treatment should be delayed) and complain to the PCT if you feel a treatment is being 'milked'.