Dental advice please

Chesnut1

I am afraid I am having the same problem with my private dentist and after yet another visit I am getting no joy. A few months ago my front tooth was feeling sensitive and had a horrible smell/taste coming from the gum and the white filling that was done last feb still felt rough. Since then I have seen my dentist twice, first occasion he filed it down a bit and said that would stop the sensitivity but could see no reason for the smell. I have just been back again and again he tapped the tooth and said there is nothing wrong with it:mad: I can smell it my oh can so I am not imagining it. I pay £12 pounds a month for basic care untill all my teeth a perfect which never seems to happen? and although I am supposed to get 2 cleans a year so far in 2 years it has only been once as I still need work to be done. This may be true in part but I have a very small income and how can I progress if the year old white fillings keep fracturing resulting in more cost. Any advice to the smell/taste? and how can I cancel this insurance plan without being penalized as I do not think this dentist is up to it! Surley there is some way this front tooth can be checked apart from giving it a tap with a metal instrument:rolleyes:

Toothsmith

Bit tricky without seeing the problem.

Have there been any recent x-rays of the tooth?
Has the dentist done a vitality test? This is a simple (But not always accurate) test to see if the tooth is still alive. In it's simplest form, the dentist just holds something cold against the tooth. If you feel it, then the tooth is alive and so not infected. If it is very sensitive, that might be a sign that something is up, but this has to be checked against what the other teeth do to the same test - it might just be that all your teeth are sensitive. If there is no response, then there is the possibility that the tooth is dead, but a negative response isn't always reliabe.

Both X-rays and vitality tests will give more information as to the state of the tooth.

Has the dentist checked for pocketing around the tooth? I assume he wold have done. This is simply done with a probe that gently goes down the side of the tooth to check the gum attachment is firm. Bad tastes can come from pockets in the gum if they are developing.

You say 'if the year old white filling keeps fracturing' - but as far as I can tell from what you've written, it hasn't broken. Is that right?

If you don't have confidence in your dentist, it might be time to look for another one, but there can be all sorts of reasons for smells/tastes in your mouth, not all of them related to the teeth themselves.

I would get back and make sure he understands how much this is bothering you. Especially if he hasn't carried out many investigations.

Chesnut1

Thank you for the reply Toothsmith. Regarding the fractured white fillings 2 have fractured so far which means I have to pay to get these redone and so never get any further forward. With regards to the front tooth problem the taste and smell it just like a tooth abcess. If I press the gum directly above the front tooth a vile smell appears which I now have to do everynight to reduce the smell through the day. The only checks the dentist has ever done regarding any of my teeth let alone this problem one is give them a tap with a metal intrument. I have had no x-rays or anything else. I have gone back today to ask if there could be a problem at the gum line with the front tooth as this is were the filling had to be put ( NHS dentist told me for 4 years no decay even though black at top of tooth, then retired) my private dentist put a white filling there as there was decay. I am still being told there should not be a problem with the tooth and no further tests would show anything Can I ask is work not guaranteed for a set amount of time? and what about my insurance can I change dentist to another practice but keep the policy running or do I have to wait until Jan 09 when it is up for renewal? as I cannot afford penalties.

Toothsmith

I'm not an expert on dental insurance policies.

I'm not quite sure where the breaking white fillings come into it.

Are they ones that have been done by this dentist, or old ones that you just happen to be going through a phase of breaking at the moment?

I can't second guess why your dentist doesn't think further tests will find anyting different, but if he's not explained it very well, or if you don't agree with his explainations, then it's either you ask him to explain what he means, or time to start looking for another dentist.

I don't know how this would affect any insurance you might have.

toejumper

this sounds lika a abcess to me, i myself have had the same problems each time ive had x-rays done then the tooth sorted out, with no problems. if you have described the problem to him. he should of at least investigate the problem and do a x-ray, x-rays don`t cost that much well on NHS anyway about £3.50

alison999

x-rays are £16.20 on the nhs in the uk. cant you see another dentist at the same practice?

Toothsmith

alison999 wrote: »

x-rays are £16.20 on the nhs in the uk. cant you see another dentist at the same practice?

Not all the UK yet.

Scotland and Northern Ireland still have the old system.

alison999

Toothsmith wrote: »

Not all the UK yet.

Scotland and Northern Ireland still have the old system.

i meant england lol

Paparika

Bad smells can also be an indication of stomach trouble, have you seen a doctor?

Toothsmith

Paparika wrote: »

Bad smells can also be an indication of stomach trouble, have you seen a doctor?

Can be lots of things - but dentist is usually the best place to start, provided they spend a bit of time with thorough investigations.