Advice needed on dental treatment 29 December 2020 at 5:48PM in Health & beauty MoneySaving 5 replies 181 views

Beckya91

Hi,
I'm hoping someone might be able to give me some advice.
I had some mild toothache around a month ago but it passed a couple of days later and I didn't think any more of it. Earlier today around a quarter of one of my molars chipped off. Not sure how or why it happened but it could be related to the toothache.
I'm not registered with a dentist so I called 111 just after it happened but they have advised I don't qualify for emergency dental treatment as I'm not in pain (yet).
Due to the pandemic no dentists are taking new NHS patients and I cannot afford to go private - I don't work due to my mental health and universal credit doesn't even cover my bills let alone the luxury of dental treatment.
I could be wrong but I imagine missing quite a chunk of my tooth isn't a good thing and could really do with fixing. The lady I spoke to on the 111 dental line couldn't give any advice as they are not medically trained.
So I was hoping someone could offer any advice on a few points:
1. What are the likely outcomes if I were to get the chipped tooth looked at/ treated now and if I were to wait until I'm in pain or until dentists are taking new NHS patients? If there won't be any detrimental affects by not getting treatment now I can stop worrying!
2. Is there anything I can do to protect the chipped tooth and avoid any further problems with it?
3. Are there any other ways people know of that I might be able to get low cost emergency dental treatment?
Thanks

rachel6188

Ring your local dentist tomorrow and see if they are taking NHS and I have to say you will probably get pain soon if you have a chunk of tooth missing due to the nerves x

brook2jack2

The only thing anyone can say , without seeing you, your x rays and teeth, is that the tooth is only going to get worse. 

You may have to wait , you may have to make many, many phone calls but get started now in ringing around every NHS dentist near and far. The nhs websites are not kept up to date , you are better off ringing each practice individually. Because of the many precautions needed for covid dental practices have a very much reduced capacity for treatment and many will not be able to see you. Some may have waiting lists but you need to start ringing around and be prepared to travel. 

Morrigan_2020

Do you have a dental hospital near you that does drop ins for emergencies?

brook2jack2

No dental hospital will do drop ins at the moment because of the massive precautions that need to be taken around covid and dental treatment. 

Beckya91

Thanks everyone for your advice. 
I assumed it needed looking at ASAP but 111 were just so blasè it made me question myself. Although I appreciate dentists (and all health services for that matter) are extremely busy at the moment, it seems a bit counter intuitive to me that having a quarter of a tooth missing isn't an emergency and won't be classed us one until it's probably too late and therefore needs more work doing than it would now. 
I've managed to get a Dentek repair kit as an stopgap while I try and find a dentist that can see me. I don't drive so travelling is a problem. 
If the worst comes to the worst I've seen at least one local dentist offers payment plans for private treatment so if that's feasible financially that may be my only option if I want to save the tooth and/or avoid a root canal at a later date.