Dentist

Pennywise

ripplyuk said:

Thankfully my dentist is seeing people, though you have to pay a £150 fee on top of any treatment costs. It’s interesting that up until this virus, the NHS and many dentists (including on here) were adamant that antibiotics do not help at all with a tooth abscess. So many people were left in pain waiting for their appointment. In my friends case, it was 3 weeks and he was in so much pain he could barely eat. Now, with the lockdown, antibiotics are being handed out straight away for a tooth abscess, which I’m glad to see. Of course, it needs to be the right antibiotic or it won’t work. In my own case, I was given amoxicillin which was useless but Clindamycin worked very well. 

GPs are doing the same now.  Usually you have to have attended several GP appts being fobbed off until they give you antibiotics.  Both my OH and MIL have recently had a single GP phone consultation and both been prescribed antibiotics after a quick 5 minute phone call.

The_Big_Bamboo

I feel really sorry for anyone with a serious/painful infection---it must be truly horrendous during lockdown--- and any infection occurring front the neck upwards should always be viewed as potentially very serious due to its proximity to the old grey matter.
There was a  guy in the news the other day who had extracted his own tooth, such was his pain ----I think he used pliers or something similar!
Definitely not recommended but the poor man must have been desperate.

https://metro.co.uk/2020/04/19/dad-pulls-tooth-cant-get-dentist-lockdown-12579357/

DevilsAdvocate1

I've been having problems with one of my teeth since it was filled in November.  Although I was in pain before the fillilng the pain was actually worse after.  Eventually I found a different dentist and it was decided that it needed a root filling.  Unfortunately, I found the process incredibly painful and had what the dentist called hot pulp.  He washed the area down with bleach, followed by a mouthwash and the put clove oil on to settle it down. I was told that I couldn't have antibiotics but that if we waited it would settle down on its own.  Well it didn't and after 4 failed attempts to fill it I was referred to a specialist.  Just 3 days before this appointment all dentistry stopped.  I have no idea when I will be treated.

I  have spoken to my dentist who suggested using saltwater 5 times a day. I explained I had already been doing this and finally got the antibiotics.  However, things have settled to a degree that I can cope with so I've not taken them for now.  Having them as a back up has really helped me.

After researching on the internet I found that you can buy temporary filling in various chemists and supermarkets.  I've bought this and put a temporary filing into the tooth (the one the denist put in 7 weeks ago had long gone).  Although I still can't eat on that side, the throbbing and aching has gone.

Every sympathy to your friend.  Toothache has to be the worst pain.

Puddleglum

If you can get hold of some, a dab of clove oil will temporarily get rid of/dull the pain.  I always keep some and because it is so rarely needed (just as a crutch until you get to the dentist) it lasts forever.

brook2jack2

No , never ,ever use clove oil. If it gets on the gums it can burn through and cause many more problems than it solves, many people are also sensitive to it (Eugenol). Please do not ever use most dentists have had to take teeth out that have had the gums/bone burnt away by clove oil. The dressings put INSIDE teeth Which are then sealed in by skilled people who can see what they are doing are a different thing entirely. Dentists use many chemicals /medicines which can cause injury or even death In the wrong hands or used in the wrong way. Just because a dentist uses it doesn't mean you should.

Also completely pointless for this poster as they have no nerve in the tooth anymore. 

Cornucopia

Thread moved to Health & Beauty Moneysaving.

Ibizafan

I am so glad that I had a tooth extracted in early March that had been causing trouble for months with an absess, and had eventually caused bone loss. Although it hadn’t actually been painful and I had been doing everything the dentist had advised, eventually I had no choice but to have it out. I am supposed to be having an implant, but goodness knows when that will happen now. Hopefully this wait will not affect the decision to go ahead with the implant.

Andrea_jardin

For whatever reason, the dentist in question isn't helping enough, so the obvious answer here is to try other dentists and/or dental hospital. 

It's not like doctors where you can only be registered at one.

Andrea_jardin

brook2jack2 said:

Dental treatment is about the highest risk there is because of the proximity to the patient and because of the viral load. 

Thank you for explaining all that. Can you explain more about the viral load if the person is not showing any COVID19 symptoms?  

elsien

Andrea_jardin said:

For whatever reason, the dentist in question isn't helping enough, so the obvious answer here is to try other dentists and/or dental hospital. 

It's not like doctors where you can only be registered at one.

The reason being, as already explained, that they are following the guidance they've been given. Any other dentist will be following the same guidance; and generally speaking you can't just turn up at a dental hospital,  you have to be referred.

brook2jack2 said:

Dental treatment is about the highest risk there is because of the proximity to the patient and because of the viral load. 

Thank you for explaining all that. Can you explain more about the viral load if the person is not showing any COVID19 symptoms?  

People can have Covid and be asymptomatic but still a risk to others.  The dental staff are not going to be taking any chances either way.