Dentist advice needed. (Scotland)

mustangsal

Hi, i'm hoping someone on here can give me some advice. I've been on a waiting list for my local area to get an NHS dentist for 2 and a half years, still no joy. I've had 12 years of agony with my teeth, it's constant. No problems until i got pregnant with my eldest. Apparently, having my 3 kids has taken all the calcium i had and my teeth have been steadily getting worse. I clench my jaw in my sleep because of the pain, and in the last month 2 teeth have snapped off at the gum line.:(

Problem is, I'm terrified of the dentist! :eek: To the point of panic attacks and vomiting. So there's no way i can have the teeth dealt with at the emergency dentist as i could never cope with the digging around they'd have to do. Also the tooth on the other side when pulled left a hole up into my sinus which took fa long time to heal.

Does anyone know if it's possible to have a doc refer you to hospital to be sedated for teeth extraction? After the amount of pain i've been in i'd love them all pulled to be honest.

Any advice gratefully received.

hethmar

Im sure a dentist will be along to advise. I do feel so sorry for you though. 12 years of pain. Is there a dental teaching hospital in your city? If I were you I would definitely go to yoru GP tell him what you have told us and ask for a referral. Im assuming you arent that old if your kiddies were born 12 years back, so do you think you may want to change lifestyle too? You dont want to lose all your teeth unless absolutely no alternative. Do you smoke? If so, pack it up as that causes a major amount of probs for teeth - the remark you made about the last extraction taking so long to heal, made me wonder if you were a smoker?

Please dont be terrified, as someone who has had more than their fair share of tooth probs, I can assure you with utmost honesty, that having the teeth sorted will be a lot less pain than that you are and have gone through.

Dont hesitate, get to your GP.

mustangsal

Thanks Hethmar. I'm waiting to hear if the doc can fit me in today. I think the last extraction took so long healing because of the breach into my sinus. The fear stems from a terrible school dentist. I'm 29. Also have agoraphobia issues which really add to the stress of getting to a dentist. I honestly don't think I have a single healthy tooth. It would be a relief to have them all out. I know all the problems with dentures, my Mum had them from around my age too. Same thing, pregnancy but she'd been malnourished as a child so hers deteriorated faster. I know it's not a quick fix, or anything like your real teeth. But I've had enough of the pain. Added to my other health problems it's just too much to cope with.

welshdent

Hi, sorry to hear about your problems. Your GP probably isnt the best place to go to be honest. There is not a great deal they can do with the mouth. If you can get in to a dentist anywhere, even a private assessment then they can refer you on to a pathway of care within a sedation department which may be at a local dental hospital or in the community setting. you can also have it arranged so that if in effect a clearance of all poor quality teeth is needed then it may be possible to have general anaesthetic for this. Saying that I would recommend sedation as a general is potentially more dangerous. I would though that I would like to dispel one myth. Babies do not take calcium out of the teeth. hormonal changes do affect the gums ... but not really directly the teeth

brook2jack

Your best option is to go to an emergency clinic who will be able to organise a referral to a community dental clinic ( or dental hospital) more effectively than a gp. If you do not feel able to have treatment that's ok but they can act as a gateway to referral quickly.

There will be a long wait again (up to a year) and it is vitally important that you do not miss any appointments as there will be several to assess you, take xrays etc. It is possible to have teeth out with sedation but there are long waiting lists in most areas.

Calcium is not taken from teeth during pregnancy nor does malnutrition (you would develop rickets long before teeth problems occur). Unfortunately your teeth breaking will be due to a high sugar diet you might want to look at cutting out sugars in tea, coffee,fizzy drinks etc.

hethmar

I think the problem is welsh that the OP cant get to a dentist on the NHS in her area and cant afford private. Thats why I thought as her general health is obviously suffering badly and she is currently in pain, the GP would be the person with some clout as to a hospital referral.

OP hope things go well for you, dont be too hasty about removing your teeth, you are only a youngster.

welshdent

hethmar wrote: »

I think the problem is welsh that the OP cant get to a dentist on the NHS in her area and cant afford private. Thats why I thought as her general health is obviously suffering badly and she is currently in pain, the GP would be the person with some clout as to a hospital referral.
.

The GPs have very little clout with regards to dental related referrals in my experience. I dont believe the OP indicated cost was an issue? The main issue as far as I can see is a severe phobia. That said, private dentistry is not automatically expensive especially if all that is being saught is a referral onwards - and they can refer to NHS environments as well. If the OP explains all they want is a referral on for sedation services to whoever they see, be they an emergency service, private or NHS GDPs then it isnt as traumatic as one may think. A check over to assess roughly whats going on then a letter to get them in the system.

mustangsal

Thank you all for your concern and advice.

My local emergency dentist will only see me if the pain is stopping me sleeping at night, and then usually the course of action is an extraction. I am waiting for NHS treatment as I cannot afford any kind of private care. I don't think the emergency clinic will see me just for a referral.

I never had any problems with my teeth before becoming pregnant. In fact my baby teeth were so strong they refused to come out. I had to have them removed to allow space for my second set to come in. my mouth was overcrowded.

I've never had a high sugar diet. I'm not into sweet things at all. so if not pregnancy I really have no idea what has caused this with my teeth. I do drink tea and coffee, and on occasion diet coke, but it's sugar free. My teeth are literally falling to pieces, can bad teeth cause the stomach ache I constantly have when they ache? My nearest dental hospital is 60 miles away and we have no transport so it's going to be a struggle even if i manage to get referred.

brook2jack

Emergency clinics will see you if you're in pain. If they cannot treat you because you are too nervous then they will refer you to community to have treatment done .

You will probably have a community clinic close to you but waiting lists will be long.

The longer you do nothing about this the longer it will take to get it sorted.

You will have alot of sugar in your diet ie do you have sugar in tea and coffee? Do you eat regular meals or do you snack alot?
Also some medications eg antidepressants can decrease your saliva flow and make decay happen much quicker.

welshdent

mustangsal wrote: »

Thank you all for your concern and advice.

My local emergency dentist will only see me if the pain is stopping me sleeping at night, and then usually the course of action is an extraction. I am waiting for NHS treatment as I cannot afford any kind of private care. I don't think the emergency clinic will see me just for a referral.

I just want to clarify. I havent suggested private CARE. I said an option to get referred could be a private examination and then referral. There is a common and propogated misconception that immediately private dentistry is obscenely expensive. If it was then NO ONE would be able to pay for it. If you are really desperate which you indicate you are, and can not in anyway access an NHS practice, call a private practice, explain that you are not looking for continuing care you just want to be referred in to the local community/sedation service so how much would they charge to do a brief examination and referral. You may actually be surprised. I know of some places that do an examination for as little as £20. £20 may be worth the expense if it saves you months more of discomfort. The GP is highly unlikely to be able to do much for you. You need a dentist to assess initially and effectively triage you. With an examination of your mouth they can refer to the most appropriate service based on your needs. That may be community for sedation and restorations or it may even be a referral for extraction of all teeth under general anaesthetic. My point is that a GP will NOT know about these options because they are not trained to assess your mouth. Dentists ARE. It could save you months of wasted time on incorrect waiting lists

mustangsal

Thank you all. I will contact both the emergency clinic and a private practice.

I don't take sugar in my tea or coffee. I eat 2 meals a day at most, not snacking, but I have spent a great deal of my life on antidepressants. Antipsychotics etc. I never realised they could affect my teeth!

I appreciate all your advice. Thanks very much. I just really want to get it sorted. If i'd known i could see a private dentist for referral i would have done it years ago!