Dental treatment

Last Saturday morning, I had a bit of a toothache.  No swelling or redness, but very sore.  I took Ibuprofen and that did the trick til Sunday night, when I was literally up all night in total agony and OTC pain meds didn't help.  The pain was all along the lower left jaw and radiated to my ear.  I called my dentist and the earliest they could get me in was February 6.  I went in to my GP Monday afternoon to see if he could do anything...he said it was out of his scope to diagnose dental problems but he could help me with pain relief til my appt on the 6th.  He gave me a rx for Co-codomol and Diclofenac.  He told me that if I did start to have swelling or fever to tell my dentist I need to be seen sooner.  The meds he gave me helped a bit Monday and yesterday; however I woke up this morning with the whole left lower side of my face swollen....I look like a squirrel storing nuts for the winter.  I'm also now running a low grade temp.  I called the dentist this afternoon and was told there is no way they can get me in any sooner, they are booked solid.  Called the GP again and the nurse I spoke to told me to go to A&E.  Now I remember a friend of mine went to A&E a few months ago for dental pain and was sent away, told that they didn't deal with it.  I don't want to take a trip up there to sit for 8 hours just to be told I wasted my time.  The pain isnt so bad at the moment, I just really would like antibiotics before my face falls off lol.  I only know of one emergency dental clinic where I live; but they only treat chilldren.  Does anyone know if the hospital would be able to treat me?  Should I call beforehand or just go on up?

If you have jaw swelling, you have an absessed tooth.  My mother was prone to these so I've seen them.

Call any dentist you can get your hands on.  Last resort, go to A&E.  It can get severe if it keeps spreading.

Good luck

~BEG

Rich says there has to be an emergency Dentist somewhere in your area.  They are walk in clinics, you will have to wait but you will get seen.  Ring the NHS direct number and ask where the closest one is to you.

So sorry to hear this and hope it gets taken care of.  I find it completely unacceptable that your dentist said you could come in FEBRUARY for an emergency dental appointment! 

I would assume that your dentist's receptionist did not know it was an emergency... you have to actually say the word 'emergency' sometimes.  They always have a few emergency slots available...

yep my dentists office tells you to start calling at 830 am to try and get a emergency appt for that day. So far whenver i've said i've got a problem they've always been able to give me a appt for either that day or the very next day.. Never have i had to wait that long..
Granted the emergency appt might not always be with my dentist as she is in multi practise surgery.. but if she can see me she does otherwise its one of the other dentists.
Usually at that point i don't care who it is. long as it deals with the problem..

Kaylesh

Rich says there has to be an emergency Dentist somewhere in your area.  They are walk in clinics, you will have to wait but you will get seen.  Ring the NHS direct number and ask where the closest one is to you.

So sorry to hear this and hope it gets taken care of.  I find it completely unacceptable that your dentist said you could come in FEBRUARY for an emergency dental appointment! 

Thanks for the NHS direct tip...gonna try that.

I would assume that your dentist's receptionist did not know it was an emergency... you have to actually say the word 'emergency' sometimes.  They always have a few emergency slots available...

Actually, I did.  I described all of the above to her and her reply was "sorry but there's no way I can fit you in any earlier."  I asked her if the fact that I now am running a fever would count as an emergency and all she said was that there was nothing she could do.  I asked to speak to someone else, preferably one of the dentists and apparently nobody ws available and I never got a call back.  Tried calling a couple of times before their offices closed and didn't get thru to anyone.  It was a nightmare finding this dentist when I was looking to register with a practice; they were the only ones that were taking on patients.  I have been there numerous times and the longest I had to wait for an appt for non emergency stuff was a week.  Hopefully, I can find someone to take me tomorrow.

yep my dentists office tells you to start calling at 830 am to try and get a emergency appt for that day. So far whenver i've said i've got a problem they've always been able to give me a appt for either that day or the very next day.. Never have i had to wait that long..
Granted the emergency appt might not always be with my dentist as she is in multi practise surgery.. but if she can see me she does otherwise its one of the other dentists.
Usually at that point i don't care who it is. long as it deals with the problem..

Kaylesh

Thats how it was with my dental practice back home...so i figured when I talked to the girl today and dropped the "emergency" word it would get the ball rolling, but no luck.

I am not sure if your dentist is NHS or not but since it truly sounds like an emergency can you go private (pay out of pocket) since you really need to be seen asap. I agree with Jennredd, its totally unacceptable for them not to see you given your symptoms.

I do hope that NHS direct can assist, if not....I would try every dentist in town and just pay for it. I know the cost can be a set back...but its best that you are looked after right away.

I hope you are better soon! Keep us posted.

Have you tried NHS24? I know one of the hospitals in my area has a emergency dental clinic attached to it. From the symptoms you've described i wouldn't let it go for much longer.. Infection is not something to fool about with..
I'd go private if i had to as well.. Its your health ..

I also agree with the others.. Once this episode is over. I'd be changing dentists as soon as possible.. My dentist and thre rest of the dentists in her surgery were all NHS dentists and went private about a year ago.. I now pay a set monthly fee that entitles me to 2 free cleanings  a year. as well as cavities filled and quite a bit more as well. For me its worth the small monthly fee to know i'm covered.

Yay I finally got seen.  I called random dentists in the phone bookwho couldn't see me and /or didn't know of any emergency walk in clinics.  NHSDirect only has info for England and Wales, NHS24 is for Scotland, and the NHS website for NI (where I live was no help).  I gave up and went to A&E.  The triage nurse initially told me that they don't treat dental problems but she would talk to the doctor anyways who did agree to see me.  The A&E doctor was really nice and pushed the hospital oral surgery clinic to see me today, even though they don't usually deal with this sort of thing.  The lady I saw in oral surgery was awesome; gave me an Rx for antibiotics, a list of other dentists in the area so I can register with someone else, and explained to me how the treatment process is SUPPOSED to go.  If you're registered with a practice, (which I am) they have a legal obligation to see you within 48 hours if you have certain complaints such as noticeable swelling, extreme pain etc.  I have an appt with the dentist on the 6th and I think I'm going to keep that just to get it checked after I'm done on the antibiotics, but I'm planning on telling him that I'm going to go elsewhere after that and tell him exactly why.

I am so happy to hear that you were seen today and given good care!! 

Yay for you!  So happy you were seen today!! 

Yep i'm glad too that you finally got things going in the right direction.. Hope you feel better real soon..
I've had a tooth abcess and it is a KILLER.. nothing got rid of the pain for me..
Hang in there it will get better..

That's terrible what happened but at least it ended well. I really don't understand why a lot of people practice business that way here in this city. That's not the first time I've heard a story like that. Usually I am the one telling it though. Triage in A&E was exceptionally helpful for me as well. She liked me so much she made sure I had a bed to sleep in and oxygen while I waited the next 1 1/2 hours for the doctor to see me. A&E isn't as bad as it was a few months back.

Hope the swelling and pain have subsided for you a bit