We’d like to remind Forumites to please avoid political debate on the Forum.
This is to keep it a safe and useful space for MoneySaving discussions. Threads that are – or become – political in nature may be removed in line with the Forum’s rules. Thank you for your understanding.
📨 Have you signed up to the Forum's new Email Digest yet? Get a selection of trending threads sent straight to your inbox daily, weekly or monthly!
repeated antibiotics affect tooth whiteness
Comments
-
I am in England and she said that I get the hand files if I don't pay the £58. And she said it would be quicker and better with the rotary files, and as I am nervous I agreed to it.
I can see the dentist's point here.
A few months ago, due to some theoretical risk of vCJD transmission (And we've not been allowed to see any of the evidence behind it yet!!!) there was an edict that all root treatment instruments must be disposed of after single use.
The rotary instruments are very expensive.
In private practice, we can just put up our fees to compensate, although an awful lot of private practices were probably throwing them away after single use anyway - as they are more likely to break the more you use them.
The NHS decided that this extra cost was insignificant, and refused to pay any more money to dentists to account for this.
(Anyone would think they wanted even more practices to go private!! Surely that can't be the plan
).
The long and short of it though is that it is AGAINST NHS REGULATIONS to charge any non-statutory fee for NHS work.
If it were, then dentists could charge an extra £5 if you wanted anaesthetic, £2 a go if you wanted the dentist to wear rubber gloves whilst he worked on you, 50p if you want to swill your mouth out afterwards, £7 for the electricity used during your visit...................the list could be endless.
The PCT would take a very dim view on this should you decide to complain. You can complain without your practice knowing who the complaint has come from.How to find a dentist.
1. Get recommendations from friends/family/neighbours/etc.
2. Once you have a short-list, VISIT the practices - dont just phone. Go on the pretext of getting a Practice Leaflet.
3. Assess the helpfulness of the staff and the level of the facilities.
4. Only book initial appointment when you find a place you are happy with.0 -
No I don't want to complain. Money is tight but I thought it was worth the money if it is quicker and more precise. Also didn't know about the throwing the files away after one use which sounds like a good plan.
Thanks for all the help folks.0 -
Actually having thought about this it must drive dentists insane having that practice in place about the hand files and the rotary ones.
It would drive me mad if I had to use hand files all the while knowing that I have instruments next to me that are quicker and more precise, it just doesn't seem right does it.0 -
Actually having thought about this it must drive dentists insane having that practice in place about the hand files and the rotary ones.
It would drive me mad if I had to use hand files all the while knowing that I have instruments next to me that are quicker and more precise, it just doesn't seem right does it.
Yes - it does.
My personal position, as I have stated many times on these pages, is that we're not going to get a decent NHS dental service in this country until this complete farce of a system is completely dead and buried.
Dentists who try an make up their own rules around a failing system really aren't doing the patients any favours.
If they can't work in the system as the rules are written, they should say so and get out.
By putting themselves at risk of complaints just to prop up a service that politicians haven't got a clue about how to organise.
Makes me soooooo mad!!!!!!!!!
Would a heart surgeon offer his patients 2 ways of doing something? One that works, and one that might work if they're lucky???How to find a dentist.
1. Get recommendations from friends/family/neighbours/etc.
2. Once you have a short-list, VISIT the practices - dont just phone. Go on the pretext of getting a Practice Leaflet.
3. Assess the helpfulness of the staff and the level of the facilities.
4. Only book initial appointment when you find a place you are happy with.0 -
Tetracycline antibiotics if given before the age of 10 can have an effect on the developing adult teeth, and cause them to come through with a quite marked brown colour.
toothsmith, is there anything that can be done about this without resorting to veneers? I have terrible coloured teeth as was on these antibiotics as a child and my teeth are very soft also. I have a filling in nearly every tooth and want to know if there is anything I can do about it, apart from curse the GP who gave my parents these antibiotics for me as a small child. Thanks in advance.If you always do what you have always done, you will always get what you always got!0 -
The tooth whitening treatments can sometimes work if it's not too bad. It can take ages though and so is likely to be more expensive than the standard quoted price in a dentist's price guide.
Ask your dentist. If it can be done that way, it's much better than veneers.
How old are you BTW? If it's not a delicate question! the effects of tetracycline have been known for ages. Now there are one or two conditions for which only these will do, but if it wasn't, you may have grounds for a complaint.
I know it was ages ago, but the time-bar of 6 years starts only at the time you find out you were treated wrongly, and you don't know for sure if you were or not yet.
Might be worth looking at your medical notes.How to find a dentist.
1. Get recommendations from friends/family/neighbours/etc.
2. Once you have a short-list, VISIT the practices - dont just phone. Go on the pretext of getting a Practice Leaflet.
3. Assess the helpfulness of the staff and the level of the facilities.
4. Only book initial appointment when you find a place you are happy with.0 -
Toothsmith wrote: »
How old are you BTW? If it's not a delicate question! the effects of tetracycline have been known for ages. Now there are one or two conditions for which only these will do, but if it wasn't, you may have grounds for a complaint.
I know it was ages ago, but the time-bar of 6 years starts only at the time you find out you were treated wrongly, and you don't know for sure if you were or not yet.
Might be worth looking at your medical notes.
I am 31 and think the antibiotics were for whooping cough although I could be wrong. I will have to check with my parents for that. My first set of teeth were perfect but my adult ones are terrible, very brown and horrible. Thanks for the advice, I will look into it.If you always do what you have always done, you will always get what you always got!0 -
I've a feeling whooping cough is probably one that needed tetracycline. It's a nasty illness. Especially if you are very young.
Dr probably did right - not that that's much help for your teeth now. But at least you're here to worry about them!
Still worth a check if it doesn't cost you too much to access your notes.How to find a dentist.
1. Get recommendations from friends/family/neighbours/etc.
2. Once you have a short-list, VISIT the practices - dont just phone. Go on the pretext of getting a Practice Leaflet.
3. Assess the helpfulness of the staff and the level of the facilities.
4. Only book initial appointment when you find a place you are happy with.0
This discussion has been closed.
Confirm your email address to Create Threads and Reply
Categories
- All Categories
- 352.1K Banking & Borrowing
- 253.6K Reduce Debt & Boost Income
- 454.2K Spending & Discounts
- 245.1K Work, Benefits & Business
- 600.7K Mortgages, Homes & Bills
- 177.5K Life & Family
- 258.9K Travel & Transport
- 1.5M Hobbies & Leisure
- 16.1K Discuss & Feedback
- 37.6K Read-Only Boards