Emergency Dental Appointment

PrincessTaylor

I was phoning the emergency nhs dentist all of last week as the gum at one of my wisdom teeth was in agony. I couldn't get an appointment but was told to phone again tomorrow morning. The pain has eased a lot now but should i still get checked out? Last wednesday after supper i had a feeling at the back of my mouth like there was a hair there and i still have it and my tongue is quite lumpy at the back. I've had a sore throat and a cough this past week so i don't know if its related. I get free dental atm but can't get registered with anyone. I had a baby 4 months ago and noticed since christmas i cannot even bite my own nails and my gums are receding.
If i phone and get an appointment will the emergency dentist address any of my other issues? Will i get shot if i phone whilst not being in great pain anymore??

Thank you

Dave_Brooker

PrincessTaylor wrote: »

I was phoning the emergency nhs dentist all of last week as the gum at one of my wisdom teeth was in agony. I couldn't get an appointment but was told to phone again tomorrow morning. The pain has eased a lot now but should i still get checked out? Last wednesday after supper i had a feeling at the back of my mouth like there was a hair there and i still have it and my tongue is quite lumpy at the back. I've had a sore throat and a cough this past week so i don't know if its related. I get free dental atm but can't get registered with anyone. I had a baby 4 months ago and noticed since christmas i cannot even bite my own nails and my gums are receding.
If i phone and get an appointment will the emergency dentist address any of my other issues? Will i get shot if i phone whilst not being in great pain anymore??

Thank you

If you're not in pain anymore you don't need an emergancy dentist, just go in for a check up.

It certianly sounds like something is wrong, so make sure you do go.

PrincessTaylor

This is the emergency one though, i don't think you can get check ups with them, i can't get an appointment with any other dentist unless I go private and i don't know if i would be able to afford it

Toothsmith

You need to see a dentist.

Private is not always vastly expensive, but it will be dearer than NHS - especially if NHS is free!

Get recommendations from friends/family/neighbours.

VISIT the practices that make it to your shortlist on the pretext of getting practice information leaflets/ price guides.

All decent places should be open and upfront about their fees, although it can often be difficult to give a 'price' for treatment until you have been seen, as there can be many variables.

You should be able to easily get the price of a check-up, plus an idea of how much various other treatments cost - and a good place should spend time just explaining everything to you before you've even made an appointment. - This is why a visit can tell you so much more than a phone call.

The best time to shop around is when you're NOT in pain, as you have time on your side then, and are not at the mercy of the first place with a space in the appointment book, you can wait a couple of weeks if they can't fit you in strainght away.

Start looking on Monday, and get sorted out!

Plus - your kid is going to need regular dental care - so start as you mean to go on for him/her.

PrincessTaylor

Thank you for your advice. I have placed my kid's names on the waiting list of all dentists in a 40 mile radiusb as well as myself and my husband. My oldest one (4) has never visited a dentist which i think is really sad. My friend told me last week that they were advised to place their childs name on the list in the hope that she gets a place in 5yrs time!
Will start looking tomorrow.

Toothsmith

PrincessTaylor wrote: »

My friend told me last week that they were advised to place their childs name on the list in the hope that she gets a place in 5yrs time!
Will start looking tomorrow.

This is probably for a purely NHS practice.

It's easily possible (Although it should have been prevented by the new NHS contract) that if you sign up as a private patient then your kids will be seen on the NHS.

If, like at my practice, it's a place that has nothing to do with the NHS now, then you might well find that although you have to pay for your kids as well, it really isn't very much at all.

If you have any problems in your search, or need any more advice, feel free to ask. I will be away from tomorrow for a week though. Taking my 11 yr old son on a 4 day cycle ride coast to coast!!! Lets hope for decent weather!!!!!

PrincessTaylor

I didn't know that, I am in Scotland, does that make a difference, does the new contract apply here too?

Fingers crossed that the rain stays off, we haven't had much of a summer so far. Thats a fair bike journey, I cycled to my local co-op a few days ago and was knackered by the time i got back!

alimac23

Princess Taylor,

New contract doesn't apply in Scotland. Would you be prepared to travel? It's much easier to get a dentist in the central belt than it was a couple of years ago. I have patients who travel to see me from Inverness (I'm near Glasgow) and combine their check ups with shopping trips etc. It's not ideal, especially not with kids, but could be a short term solution until you're top of that waiting list.