emergency dentist appointment out of hours?

melancholly

sorry if this has been covered elsewhere but i did a search and couldn't see it although i'm not at my best having been up most of the night with tooth pain!

had a glass of coke last night and felt shooting pain in one of my teeth - no warning that this was coming - it's from the same area as a root canal 4 years ago and after that it's fair to say that i look after my teeth as far as brushing and flossing go! it doesn't hurt when i poke it, but is now aching and ibuprofen isn't making any difference.

i last had a check up with my dentist 2 years ago (almost exactly) - does this mean that i'm still registered there and can get an appointment? although some time on the nhs website shows that they don't offer emergency treatment anyway. i'm also staying at my OH's this weekend - so am 2 hours away from home anyway. am i entitled to get any help here if i'm not registered anywhere?

been on the nhs webiste and there are some places that offer emergency work here, but i can't find openning hours anywhere and i don't know whether places even open at the weekends.

any suggestions on what i can do? it's going to be miserable if i have to wait until monday to be able to even book an appointment (and i don't rate my chances for getting one this week with my usual dentist anyway).

mioliere

Phone the local Primary Care Trust (the local health authority - number should be in the phone directory) and ask for the local Emergency Dental Helpline who should be able to find you an emergency appointment for treatment just to get you out of pain. On Monday, phone the dentist you last had treatment with and ask if you're still registered and, if not, ask if you can re-register or phone around the other dentists in your area. If you're still registered with a dentist, they should offer you an appointment within 48 hours for emergency treatment even if it means just sitting in the waiting room and waiting to be seen in between other booked patients. Try and phone as early as possible in the morning - that way there's more chance of being seen that day.According to the new contract, NHS dentists should be taking on at all times although I know that most of them say they're not. Alternatively, phone NHS Direct on 0845 46 47 who will be able to give you the Emergency Dental Helpline number.

melancholly

thank you so much - it's amazing how pathetic i can feel just not knowing what to do about it all! and the thobbing is not helping me think straight! should have managed to think of nhs direct on my own!

mioliere

I do hope you get it sorted out today - believe me, I know what toothache is like! Good luck - I'll look in again later and hope to hear that you're out of pain!:A :hello:

melancholly

back now from the nhs walk-in centre complete with temporary filling! had to wait about an hour to be seen but was up and awake anyway so got there early!

i found a number for out of hours contact for the PCT i'm in but the number is not in use!! and then nhs tried to give me the same number - not a good sign! but they gave me details of the walk in centre which was great. now i have to get a proper appointment to get a real filling on monday morning.

off to eat some food to take more painkillers. can't tell you how helpful the post was - i was ready to rung my mum in tears (i'm in my late 20s, so would have been a bit embarassing, but when in doubt, blub on the phone to mum - i would have waited a few hours though!)

Toothsmith

Just to point out that nobody is 'registered' with an NHS dentist anymore.

The concept of registration disappeared with the new contract last April.

There are now only dentists 'with capacity' to see you, or not.

Savvy_Sue

As a (very) temporary measure it's also worth asking your local pharmacist for advice on stronger painkillers.

LondonDiva

ring your local PCT PALS and ask them for a list of local dentists with NHS contracts.

https://www.nhs.uk/England/Dentists/NearestSearch.aspx is a good indicator and should have the details of the PCT's PALS next to the dentist. Do any of your friends & relatives have a dentist they'd suggest?

Ring them up & make an appointment

melancholly

Toothsmith wrote: »

Just to point out that nobody is 'registered' with an NHS dentist anymore.

The concept of registration disappeared with the new contract last April.

There are now only dentists 'with capacity' to see you, or not.

you see this is what got me all confused in the first place! i didn't really understand how it worked - I thought i did from reading on here and then the nhs website lists surgerys accepting new patients. the dental nurse at the nhs walk in centre told me i had to see a dentist every 6 months to stay registered (and i though annual check ups were sufficient)..... it's all very confusing with lots of people in the system giving contradictory advice.....

Toothsmith

There are lots of people in the profession who still haven't grasped how this 'new contract' works!

melancholly

Toothsmith wrote: »

There are lots of people in the profession who still haven't grasped how this 'new contract' works!

apparently so..... hence MSE as my first port of call for help!
i seriously wouldn't have a clue about this dental contract mess without your posts - i asked friends and they didn't know a thing! nice to have a resident helpful dentist!