Pregnant and toothache

missm29

My nhs dentist tells me its against NHS guidelines to treat pregnant women, i can't understand how this is acceptable to leave someone in pain, i'm only halfway through my pregnancy, am i expected to take painkillers everyday surely this is not good for the baby. I took some last night to take the edge off so i could sleep and feel very guilty. I even had a checkup before falling pregnant and all was fine.

I had the same with my last 2 pregnancies and ended up paying privately to be treated i had antibiotics and i think an xray. I have no money to do this, this time.

After much arguing with the receptionist i have been told to turn up at the end of morning surgery and the dentist will look but not treat, i will go and see what the poor english speaking dentist has to say, if i can understand her....the receptionist has asked me what is wrong and what tooth it is, err i can't really see, think its top back but the whole side of my face, ear and neck is hurting.

My midwife is on holiday, i have a telephone appointment tonight with a doctor. Does anyone have any advice before i go to this appointment?

elsien

She's talking rubbish.
This is a direct quote from the nhs choices website.

"You are also entitled to free NHS dental treatment providing that you start a course of treatment while pregnant, or during the 12 months after giving birth."

Report her.

Have a read of this,
http://www.nhs.uk/NHSEngland/Healthcosts/Pages/Dentalcosts.aspx

However if your dentist is seriously as clueless as she appears, is there another NHS practice taking on new patients that you could swap to? I wouldn't have a lot of confidence in her myself.
You need to contact your local PCT, tell them what's happening, and see what they advise.- find them here http://www.howtocomplain.com/info/pct.shtml

elsien

I would also tell them you know you are entitled to treatment and ask for a copy of their complaints procedure.
Tends to focus the mind wonderfully!

missm29

i have little confidence in this nhs dentist, however the kids needed an nhs one because our private dentist wouldn't see the kids unless me and my partner went every 6 months, something we struggled to afford, so when the nhs one opened up round the corner i got us all in.

I said what does 'treatment' mean if they won't xray, inject or give antibiotics? the receptionist then said the nhs were protecting my baby like i was a bad mother for wanting treatment. I'm only 21 weeks so could pass as being fat and not pregnant, perhaps i shouldn't have mentioned i was pregnant......

I wonder if a private dentist would take credit cards?

elsien

Check with your PCT before you go so you know exactly what they can and can't do, then tell them that you've spoken to the PCT and got the information directly from them.
If you need emergency treatment then they have to see you within a fixed timescale. Your dentist may be a little behind the times - there used to concern about using certain fillings on pregnant women, but my understanding is that this has now been ruled out as an issue. Perhaps they are genuinely ignorant about what they can and can't do and once you give them the info direct from the PCT they will have to take it on board.
You did the right thing telling them you were pregnant so they can treat accordingly, but that really doesn't mean that they can't do anything at all.


Again from the nhs website
"Dental X-rays

It's best to avoid non-essential dental treatment while you're pregnant. Your dentist will always try to avoid taking jaw and tooth X-rays while you're pregnant and will usually wait until you've had the baby.
If you do need urgent dental treatment that involves having an X-ray, you'll be asked to wear a lead apron over your abdomen and pelvis. This will protect your unborn baby from the small risk of radiation."


I'm almost certain some antibiotics are ok to use as well - after all you had them during your last pregnancy!

You have the choice of persevering and making sure they know they have to treat you, or go private and use your credit card. Depends on whether you think they will treat you appropriately, and what you can afford.

Either way I would recommend contacting the PCT, and making a complaint, so they can make sure your dentist is competent and doing the job they are being paid to do.

elsien

The other possibility after speaking to the doctor if you're still getting nowhere with your own dentist is to find out what the emergency nhs dental service is in your area. Not sure how you'd track it down, possibly through NHS direct, but there will be one.

Toothsmith

elsien wrote: »

Again from the nhs website
"Dental X-rays

It's best to avoid non-essential dental treatment while you're pregnant. Your dentist will always try to avoid taking jaw and tooth X-rays while you're pregnant and will usually wait until you've had the baby.
If you do need urgent dental treatment that involves having an X-ray, you'll be asked to wear a lead apron over your abdomen and pelvis. This will protect your unborn baby from the small risk of radiation."

I am really surprised that this is on the NHS website (Do you have a link?) As it's about 10 yrs out of date!

Dental x-rays are so 'soft' that they are considered 'safe' to use in pregnancy.

Having said that, I would usually put off taking routine x-rays until after baby is born - simply because sometimes bad things do happen in pregnancies, and I wouldn't like it to be thought that it was something I'd done that caused a problem.

For a pregnant lady in pain though, I would have no hesitation in taking an x-ray if it helped my diagnosis. The raditation exposure is similar to the x-radiation exposure experienced on a 2h plane journey, or about 5 hours in the sunshine.

The bit about the lead apron is also not recommended anymore. The angulation of a dental x-ray beam is such that all a lead apron would do is bounce any wayward x-rays back into the body! Without an apron, they just come straight out!

Back to the OP - again I would join the chorus that says that what you have been told is complete rubbish.

There are one or two things that - if practical - you are recommended to put off until after baby is born, but getting the patient out of pain and stable is always the priority.

If they persist in refusing you treatment, then contact the local PCT and lodge a complaint. They should be able to find you somebody who will help.

elsien

Toothsmith - glad you showed up, I was hoping you were around!
Here's the full link that came up from google, fyo.
http://www.nhs.uk/chq/Pages/2294.aspx?CategoryID=54&SubCategoryID=128

Toothsmith

Thanks for that.

I notice the review date for the page was July 09 - so they're obviously on the ball there as well!

I have fired off an email to their 'contact us' page - so we'll see if they bring it into the 21st century soon!

missm29

well i've just got back from the dentist, they saw me in the end, i rang the nhs dental helpline asking what treatment meant if my dentist wouldn't treat me because i was pregnant, they rang the dentist and said they had to see me but could not xray me. The dentist tapped my teeth and said i need a filling after the birth and that i needed antibiotics from my doctors, now in even more pain......i now have to wait for a telephone appointment with a doctor tonight, i wonder if they will just give me a prescription as i have nothing from the dentist saying what i need are they just going to take my word for it that i've been to a dentist? and will i even be able to pick up a prescription today? or will i have to wait until tomorrow, i'm going to ask for some stronger painkillers for a couple of days until the antibiotics kicks in. Thanks for the replies

missm29

toothsmith, where abouts in the country are you? i might change to your practice, i'm in the south, near portsmouth.