Dentist

QuackQuackOops

grimpys1966 said:

So a friend of mine has a very bad abscess which looking at her was painful as you could see the discomfort. Rang dentist was given 7 day antibiotics no problem. Abcess didnt go n was told if not she would be seen. Come the 7 days and another long laborious phone call was told after questioning off dentist that she had covid19 and that she could not be seen!!! Omg this girl was in agony and had taken prescribed meds and told them all symptoms off abscess previous! Only to be prescribed more antibiotics!! And that they refused to see her despite the previous week that they said they would if it hadn't gone! SHE isn't or hasnt been ill or even been diagnosed with covid19. Am i wrong in telling her to report them as they are not doctors and every question they asked pointed only to pain and discomfort from her abcess?

The dentist cant do much until the abscess infection is under control, hence the antibiotics. If the first lot didnt work, hopefully the next lot will.

But post in Health and Beauty as there are a couple of dentist who do post in there

brook2jack2

njm123 said:

brook2jack2 said:

Dental treatment is about the highest risk there is because of the proximity to the patient and because of the viral load. That risk is to the patient, their contacts, the dental team , their contacts and anyone else entering the practice after. 

In England and Scotland very strict protocols have to be gone through including antibiotic, painkillers and advice before someone can meet the guidelines for referral to an urgent centre. That may include multiple courses of antibiotics. Even then they may still be turned down by the urgent centre as the crossinfection protocols mean it takes at least an hour to clean down in between patients and there are very few urgent centres (some of these may be ordinary dental surgeries set up for covid 19 but most dentists are not allowed to see patients directly).

in Wales and NI dentists are allowed to see very very urgent patients for extractions and non aerosol treatment (not using drills) , and again have to refer to urgent centres for aerosol treatment.

Again the protocols are very ,very strict about who can be seen and what can be done to minimise risk to all, Again there are very few urgent centres and they also may turn down referrals. The rates for one centre that I saw is 175 referrals , 148 turned down. 

This again is because the risk is so high to all concerned and because only around four people a day per surgery can be seen because of the hour needed after for decontaminating the surgery. 

It is in no way ideal , but it is the protocol followed in most countries during the covid crisis. I find it sad at a time when dentists are putting their lives on the line to provide treatment people's first thoughts are to add to the stress by putting complaints in.

So it's acceptable to put patients lives at risk from a dental infection, this is a shameful policy from NHSE and others. 

This policy is to protect patients, their families and contacts , the dental team, their families and contacts and other patients lives . 

Dental treatment is the highest risk treatment because you are so close , with potentially a very high viral load. 

Each and every patient is triaged and the dentist weighs up the potential risks of doing treatment or providing antibiotics, painkillers and advice. 

The dental emergency has to be extremely  severe before the risk of providing antibiotics, painkillers and advice is more than the risk of exposing the patient , their contacts, the team , their contacts ,and following patients by doing face to face treatment. 

MoneySeeker1

I'd be looking up alternative remedies in your friends case - though admitted I have a "fallback position" of "Commit suicide and send letter to the Guardian explaining why" (which I do appreciate few have) if I get pushed into an untenable position by Lockdown.

But people in previous centuries must have found some way somehow before modern dentistry - so worth a google. Perhaps start by seeing if your friend can manage to buy a copy of  book called "Where there is no dentist". I bought mine a couple of years back just-in-case - so can't recall how much I paid, but I think I got it from Amaz*n.

MoneySeeker1

Just checked - there are a few copies for sale there.

But there's also free pdf downloads online (think the Hesperian Foundation is a reputable one..).

brook2jack2

Alternatively why not just ask your dentist for advice? There are so many dangerous suggestions out there about what to do (clove oil, heat , etc etc) , at least you will get safe advice. 

MoneySeeker1

Out of interest - are dentists having the current viewpoint of "dire emergency only - if that" visits because of Government regulations telling them that is how they must deal with this - or was it their own choice?

onwards&upwards

MoneySeeker1 said:

I have a "fallback position" of "Commit suicide and send letter to the Guardian explaining why" (which I do appreciate few have) if I get pushed into an untenable position by Lockdown.

Oh dear, I think you need to speak to your GP.

MoneySeeker1

A perfectly rational decision of "If Life becomes/is made too hard" imo.

Marisco

pogofish said:

Is the Health Forum also now infected or something....?

You never disappoint pogofish

silvercar

MoneySeeker1 said:

Out of interest - are dentists having the current viewpoint of "dire emergency only - if that" visits because of Government regulations telling them that is how they must deal with this - or was it their own choice?

Imposed by government.
My understanding (from a neighbour who is a dentist) is that if the government could supply the dentists with PPE they could see some patients themselves, but would still need to clean down the surgery between patients.