Root canal on front tooth, NHS or private?

ripplyuk

I'm just been to the dentist today as my front tooth has been a bit sensitive. I've never seen this dentist before as my old one has left. She tapped it a bit and took an X-ray and nothing showed up but she said I need a root canal as sensitivity means the nerve is dying. I was quite shocked as I didn't think it was anything major. It's not sore and I can eat/drink fine. It's more of an 'awareness' at times.

She was keen to get started there and then, but I asked her to wait and she said it was ok. Also, she explained that a front incisor root canal is really simple and that's why she can do it instead of needing an endodontist. Anyway, I'm going to see another dentist tomorrow morning for a second opinion. If he agrees, then I'll have to get it done.

Could anyone tell me if there is much difference in getting this front tooth root canal done on the NHS compared to private? I'm wondering if the NHS use a rubber dam for root canals? I'd feel much happier if they did and have heard it increases the success rate. Or, are these front teeth really simple to do and would it be a waste of money paying for the endodontist?

ripplyuk

The new dentist today didn't find any problem with the tooth. He put some cold stuff on it and I could feel it but he said that's normal. I could feel it on my other teeth he tested too. Not painful but seriously freezing! He said to just see how it goes and if it gets sore, to come back. I'm really hoping it'll be ok.

I also got a full check up done and I can't believe the difference between a private and NHS exam. I'm used to a quick glance at my teeth. This check up today took at least half an hour and he went over everything! Not just teeth, but gums, all my mouth, even checked my lymph glands in case of swelling and my jaw joint near my ear for TMJ. Got an X-ray done too.

Toothsmith

I didn't want to contradict a dentist who had actually seen your tooth - but from what you described, it didn't seem like there was much wrong.

I was glad you were planning to get another opinion.

ripplyuk

It might be a coincidence but this feeling in the tooth only started a few days after swapping to a new whitening toothpaste. I also quickly realised that if I got it on my skin, like on my chin when brushing my teeth, it burned like crazy! I switched back to my regular toothpaste last night and the tooth is feeling better today. I know it might not be anything to do with it but the dentist recommended stopping using it to see if things get better.

I paid over £7 for the stuff too!

londondent

I'm curious to know which toothpaste this was. A toothpaste that burns when in contact with skin doesn't sound right!

All dentists, NHS or Private, should be using a rubber dam for root canal treatment. I don't do a root canal treatment if i can't get the rubber dam on!

Glad to hear you don't need a root canal though.

ripplyuk

Thanks londondent.

The toothpaste is opalescense. Most people seem to really like it. Maybe I'm just sensitive to one of the ingredients. I've read on the ingredients that it contains sodium hydroxide which is apparently harmless in toothpaste but my regular toothpaste doesn't have it so I'm wondering if that was causing the burning feeling. It didn't hurt inside my mouth at all but as soon as it was on my skin, I had to stop and rinse it off.

I hope the NHS do use rubber dams now. They didn't when I had a previous root canal.

brook2jack

Sodium hydroxide is extremely corrosive and irritant! No whitening toothpaste works as it is illegal to have the correct concentration of hydrogen peroxide in them and anyway it wouldn't stay in contact with the teeth long enough to do anything.

Whitening toothpastes may get rid of some staining by abrasion but that will also lose enamel.

Every study shows there is no whitening toothpaste that whitens. Some ,used very sparingly eg once a week, may keep down heavy staining in smokers and tea drinkers.


There is no such thing as a policy on using rubber dam in the nhs. Each practitioner makes that decision for themselves. You are quite right rubber dam should be used every time. Unfortunately where the fee doesn't even cover the costs of good quality instruments, let alone the time to do a good treatment, and each root treatment done loses a practice money , its use is not universal.

Toothsmith

Opalesence toothpaste comes with the gel I use to whiten people's teeth. I tell them that it is just a sample in the pack - and it's a good job it's 'free' as I wouldn't pay for it! But it is a good handy travel-size toothpaste tube.

I've never had anyone reacting to it though.

Where did you get yours from? Was it a proper kosher source, or could it be somewhere where a dodgy fake supply might have been obtained?

ripplyuk

I bought it from a marketplace seller on Amazon. It looks genuine but I guess you never know for sure. I've checked the ingredients on the opalescense website and they match up. I've only ever heard good things about it but I won't be using it again. Not only did it burn but even after I washed it off, it left my skin a bit irritated and red. Maybe I'm allergic to something in it because I've never heard of anyone having this problem.

I went to an endodontist for my molar root canal and would have automatically assumed they were best for all root canals. It just confused me because the dentist said the front teeth were so quick and simple and I thought perhaps the endodontist would think I'm a bit fussy for wanting him to do it.

Toothsmith

Hmm - Amazon Marketplace!!!! Could be allergy, but my bet is on it being a dangerous fake! The fake would copy what was on the real tube, but it wouldnt bear any relation to what was inthe tube. It could be oven cleaner for all anyone knows! I would see if anyone (Trading Standards, Environmental Health or even Opalescence themselves) would be interested in checking it out for you.

As for the endodontist (even though you don't need anything doing to that tooth) I would say that doing a decent job of root filling a front tooth is well within the competence of a half decent dentist so long as they use rubber dam.

An endodontist would do a better job, but the degree of 'betterness' is probably a bit less here than on a more complicated molar.

I would say that your original diagnosis did not come from a half decent dentist, and they would be the last person I would want poking about in my mouth!

brook2jack

Unfortunately amazon marketplace is still selling dangerous and sometimes illegal whitening products. You can even buy 44% carbamine peroxide gels over double the concentration dentists are legally allowed to use and thousands of times what the public is allowed to buy (0.1%) . The damage and burns this would cause is incredible.

10% of the public buying whitening products on line report burns to gums and damage to teeth , almost 50% report increased tooth sensitivity.

Amazon, despite their assurances in the past http://www.theguardian.com/money/2010/aug/20/illegal-tooth-whitening-online , does not effectively police the marketplace and hence it is easy to buy illegal, dangerous and counterfeit goods. Do not assume that because they are a big name what you buy is safe.

Many products sold online are counterfeited and even seemingly innocuous products can be very dangerous, investigations have revealed sensodyne toothpaste with lead in it, fake oral b heads in packaging with mouse droppings etc.