Dental concerns

Vegastare

I understand advice is for medical professionals, but I am somewhat bewilded and am slightly lost as to what transpired today - and in a dreadful panic, had dental pain a few weeks back and this settled but a return of something else started.

Back 18 mths I had biopsy to rule out anything sinister as had chronic inflammation in mouth and thought to be OLP-after an anxious wait (8wks) it was clear and I was discharged - discussed with my dentist and reasuured and given regime to follow SLS free toothpaste no alchol in mouthwash and dental hygienist every 3 mths.



I was hanging on to see my dentist but sadly he has left and GP could not help so I spoke with consultants secretary and wow they saw me again - which is amazing, it was suggested I have another biospy - but at the same time told that last one showed nothing and on a line of 0 to 10 it was down at the 0 end, it was suggested that stress is causing the burning and to put my mind at rest this biopsy will rule anything out as there is white area which was ruled out as not being OLP last year and they will test again - I was just a nodding dog with little to say - so taken back, I am now wondering why if it reacts to stress that I should go through this again. Is it ok to question this when I go for biospy and ask for more info and decline if it is my choice. Dr actually commented that they might question why he has requested it!!(biopsy)



I trust you will appreciate my panic and concern when replying

Vegastare

After speaking with my partner, who checked the dates and it was less than 11 mths (July) ago that I had the first test and last october when I was discharged we are asking for a second opinon before I make a choice to have another biopsy .

Toothsmith

Lichen Planus is something that should be watched - but in 30 yrs, and many patients with the diagnosis, I have never seen one turn nasty, and pretty much all of them often fade down at some point after the initial diagnosis to be little more than a mild inconvenience.

There are many things that can cause a flare up, and no two patients are exactly the same. It's just a case of trial & error and finding out what things make yours worse, and what can help.

Stress, smoking, SLS toothpaste, acidic foods, spicy foods, alcohol, mouthwashes are all on the general list that you can tell patients *might* be a factor, but really, it is just getting to know yours, and behaving accordingly.

In a while, you'll be just like everyone else with the condition, and it will just be a minor irritation. That *while* can be anything from a few weeks to a few months/years though.

elsien

Vegastare wrote: »

Is it ok to question this when I go for biospy and ask for more info and decline if it is my choice. Dr actually commented that they might question why he has requested it!!(biopsy)

You can decline any treatment if you have capacity at any point you choose. However turning up on the day for the procedure and then changing your mind isn't the best use of NHS resources. Is it possible to have the discussion another way?

Also bear in mind that you can request a second opinion but there isn't a legal right to one. More info here.
https://www.nhs.uk/chq/Pages/910.aspx?CategoryID=68
In this situation it does seem a little like using a sledgehammer to crack a nut.

Vegastare

Thanks for the replies, it really has settled again, and am of the opionion that my hayfever has contributed to this also. when it's bad my eyes - nose, sneezing and even top of my mouth itch - this year it has been very bad with the high pollen count. A change of antihistimine helped.



For Toothsmith, yes it was also made clear by the previous Max Fac that the sinsiter type was very rare and in the Dr's 20 odd years had only seen a couple of cases, just to add my fear was heightened by seeing a new dentist who said on meeting me oh yes it's can be very nasty and proceded to tell me the worst.!! He has now left!!


When the appt arrives I will contact the secretary and make my concern known and say that I want to discuss this further and see what comes of that, if there is no problem when the appt arrives I can also go down that route that it has settled -I do not want to rock the boat in any way, but a 2 month wait for a biospy result and me phoning to ask why neither my dentist or GP had heard anything resulted in another 2 week wait, 10 weeks in all is very unfair to say the least and this memory is sitting very much in my back pocket.