My hubby was in the same situation as you. He widen his search wide. But found a company who does partial nhs appointments. They will allow you to do one first off appointment and then 1 treatment and then you are basically delisted. He got his work needed and mini wrap around care as it go infected, but now he’s back to normal and is not listed with a nhs dentist.
I know this does not solve the overall problem. But you might find similar to solve the problem of 24 hour pain
You said that you live near Manchester. There is a dentist in Leigh which you can look up online and they charge £120 for root canal treatment and you can pay by Klarna over 3 months. Google either emergency dentist Leigh or Emerdency.
My heart breaks for you it really does. There is a thing I think it’s called Health Watch;
Contact them. I was in regular contact with them over lockdown and they were so on the ball with NHS dentists. I was registered in no time with one right near my house that only had their books open for about 20 minutes before they were full.
They are not "super bad" for your health. A proper root canal removes an infection and allows you to keep your tooth. Of course, there can be complications but that is the case in all surgeries.
Unless they're bleeding profusely/taking someone elses medication then there's nothing 111 can do but to give out contact numbers for emergency dentists in the area.
If you are persistent you might get lucky. I had a similar situation where I was in pain and I very firmly explained the issue and that I'd been trying to find an NHS dentist for weeks. They were eventually able to suggest an emergency appointment at a dentist that would be able to take me on as an NHS patient.
I'm really sorry the dentist you have seen so far sounds so cruel, OP.
They're not cruel. There's just nothing else they can do, for free. You want your NI to pay for other people's dental treatment while you pay for your own?
It's a really bad situation for the OP, and generally, that there aren't enough NHS dentists. That's not OP's fault.
However, it's been like that for a long time now. It seems that no-one has explained this to the OP, and that they haven't realised or been told the importance of looking after their teeth. To have several teeth rotting in your head at 24 suggests non-existent dental hygiene.
Having said that, I hope that they can somehow find an NHS dentist to take them on. Otherwise they're going to have to pay, and start looking after their teeth 😕
Not necessarily poor dental hygiene. If OP grinds their teeth, they may be cracking their molars. I've basically cracked all of mine through tooth grinding and have lost 2 to abscesses - 1 caused by an impacted wisdom tooth and the other caused by my grinding. 2 more have been 'deep filled' and 1 is on the verge of needing root canal treatment. My dentist (an NHS dentist) still wants to send me private for it anyway at over £1000 because it needs 'specialist endodontic' work as the roots are curved. It's currently hanging in there after she did an aggressive filling but basically an NHS dentist can still refuse to do complex work.
The only thing standing between me and more tooth loss is my mouth guard (I didn't bother paying the dentist for one, I just buy the hot water moldable ones on amazon). OP should definitely wear a mouth guard at night.
Multiple medications can have tooth grinding (aka bruxism) as a side effect - especially anti-depressants and adhd medication but it's not often explained. So whilst yes, poor dental hygiene can be a factor, it's not the only cause, and losing multiple molars (as opposed to other teeth as well) could indicate that OP is grinding their teeth.
Don't forget that pregnancy leeches calcium from your teeth too, so women who've been pregnant may also have dental problems that aren't down to poor hygiene either.
Dental treatment is free for pregnant women and up to 12 months after giving birth. If the OP grinds their teeth they will still benefit from health advice or interventions - such as a mouth guard - to help prevent further problems in the future.
There's clearly something wrong for this treatment to be necessary. It always amazes me that some people (not you or the OP, please note) are so horribly oversensitive to even the slightest suggestion of criticism. It's a shame someone hasn't been able to provide some advice to the OP before now - or perhaps they could have, but were afraid of being branded 'evil' 😄
Goodness, we have become mean in this country, haven't we? I would say seeing someone in pain and telling them it's not their problem is pretty cruel. Making a moral judgment about someone you don't know - that somehow they must deserve pain because of what you imagine to be their actions - is also cruel. Have some humanity.
And yes, I very much would like my NI to pay for this person's dental treatment, and indeed I would like everyone to have access to an NHS dentist because I believe everyone should be able to live without pain without it bankrupting themselves.
I literally cried the day I managed to get registered with an NHS dentist - a treatment that was going to cost me hundreds eventually cost me less than £100. Dentistry in the UK for those unable to reach the NHS has become like healthcare in the US, which is something we should all be ashamed of.
It's absolutely not OP's problem that they can't find an NHS dentist, as I clearly said. I also pointed out that there should be access to an NHS dentist for everyone.
It's great that you found an NHS dentist, but you wouldn't have been able to do that if things worked in the way you suggest.
It's naive and silly to suggest that people who haven't either looked after their teeth, registered with a dentist or started a dental plan, should have unlimited free dental treatment on the NHS. Already the health service is stretched - and you want them to start offering a full, free dental service? Totally ridiculous.
And yes, of course people need to look after their teeth - because if they don't, it costs a fortune. I've suggested how the OP might be able to find NHS treatment or at least spread the cost - I doubt they're on their knees weeping because I pointed out that seeing a hygienist would be a good idea going forward.
Ring 111, they will put you in touch with an nhs emergency dentist who will see you. This happened to me recently because my nhs dentist doesn't do emergency appointments and couldn't see me for 3 weeks
My mum did this. An emergency dentist saw her but did the same thing as the OP said on the post. They did something minor to ease the pain slightly, but told her to go to another dentist for further treatment.
I don't think the issue is not being able to get an emergency dentist. The issue is that emergency dentistry only covers certain things and OP requires a procedure that an emergency dentist won't do.
Try the University of Manchester Dental Hospital. They often take on patients for free or very low cost so students can practice under expert supervision. It takes longer than a standard appointment but it is a lifesaver when you cannot afford private fees. You should also contact Healthwatch Manchester to report your situation as they track these access issues and can sometimes offer guidance on which practices have recently opened their lists
Speak to an Eastern European friend, if you have one, hop on a plane and get full private treatment in Poland, Lithuania, or Latvia. I am not joking. You will pay 60% less, and flights are currently reasonably cheap.
I am a dual national and always go see a private dentist in my birth country. The service is much better, too. I had to have some dental work done for which a UK dentist quoted me £6k+. Got it done in my birth country for €1.4k.
Are you signed up to Dentist Radar? They send out regular emails with updates about dentists who are taking on NHS patients. It might be a helpful resource.
On a side note, it might be worth reaching out to your MP to tell them what an impact lack of access to NHS dentistry is having on your health and mental wellbeing. I don't know if they'd be able to help but we all need to be vocal about this issue if we want the possibility of change.
Couldn’t you just find an NHS dentist even if it’s an hour or two away on the train? It would still save you lots of money and you could have a day out somewhere.
I live just under 30 miles away from Manchester and the dentist in my village is taking on nhs patients for the next couple of weeks I know because a colleague of mine called them and got in two weeks ago and they told her they were open for Nhs patients for a total of 4 weeks.
DM me and I’ll send you their number
Where is your dentist? I haven't been to a dentist in years and the ones in London I contacted are not taking new patients at all whether nhs or private (so they say!!!)
I know a few places taking on if you want to message. Unfortunately the way the NHS rules changed in April many places - including my own - decided they couldn’t continue in the NHS.
There's also one in Manchester, the details are here though they're not currently taking on new patients but might be worth checking regularly in case the open it up before you've sorted your issues
Can you find a private dentist who does denplan? I pay £30 a month and that covers most treatments and checkups. You will need to be assessed first and pay for that.
It's terrible. Dentistry is so important, if there's one thing an emergency fund is good for its dental work. I would prioritise saving a couple of grand to pay a private dentist instead of suffering. I know that's not much help to OP atm but there is nothing worse than tooth pain.
Dentistry should not be separate to the NHS, this is the main issue. UK dentistry is a complete mess sadly with many not being able to afford private care or access to a NHS dentist. No easy solution.
If I were OP I’d get the teeth pulled to avoid future issues.
Your best bet is probably to look into getting the work done abroad. Even with travel expenses it often works out a lot cheaper, so I hear. The UK is no longer really a 'country'. It is merely a profit-generating conglomerate where, if you cannot pay a premium in any given situation, you will be denied service.
People in this country really need to take a good look around and realise this is the case. We ain't in Kansas anymore. What will it take?
Actually I was referring mostly to Eastern Europe, who have some of the best medical and dental staff in the world - and yet, they don't feel the need to massively over-inflate their fees... As do the bunch of chiselling bastards we have posing as dental professionals in this country.
UK dentists are a damned disgrace to the profession and to the national identity as a whole.
Probably because Turkey teeth are still ridiculously cheap and popular.
Go to a country where the currency is worth less than GBP and you can get fillings for 20, or full root canal for around 60. (plans tickets can be as cheap as 10 pounds each way in off peak times.)
It seems kind of mad that people are going abroad because they can't get an NHS dentist here and can't afford private dental care, who then somehow become a strain on the NHS who are giving them appointments to correct the dental work they had abroad.
There's a suggestion in the comments about asking 111 for an available NHS dentist - no idea if that will work but anything's worth a try.
Also the idea of working out a payment plan with a private dentist.
If you know anyone with an NHS dentist it might be worth actually visiting the surgery in person to ask to be taken on.
The other thing you need to do is see a hygienist. Unless you want to be paying out for treatment on a regular basis, you have to start practising good dental hygiene. There will be other teeth you haven't looked after that will need attention in the near future.
NHS dentistry is a mess in this country. It isn’t profitable for dentists and no one wants to work at a loss. There may be ‘affordable private care’ in your area - many practices are trying to offer this and many private practices have payment plans to help you pay. Maybe ask in local community groups. Unfortunately, it’s just a case of saving up / budgeting. It is frustrating though when so much of healthcare is free so I empathise. But yes, try the dental schools too.
have you looked into dental schools in the area? an old coworker of mine had awful dental issues and couldn’t afford to get it sorted, she went to the local dental school and the students did all of the work with support of their teachers. i think you still pay a small amount but it’s much less than going private, and you’re helping the next gen of dentists!!
Hi, if you can get a copy of your x-rays then contact the dental clinic at the University of Lancashire (Preston), they do heavily discounted root canals as it's with students but it'll either be internationally trained dentists or dentists that are doing their masters in root canals. Manchester dental hospital may offer similar.
They were right to redo stage 1 if you were still in pain, because that suggests there's still an infection there and they might not have been able to remove all of the infected nerve (molars can be tricky and sometimes there will be a hidden canal which is hard to get to, if it's left behind then it can still cause pain). The alternative is to have the tooth removed, but I know you're wanting to keep the tooth.
In terms of finding a dentist, you might be able to get in with four of the local dental schools - Manchester, Liverpool, Leeds or Lancashire. There may be a waiting list, I know Lancashire is currently about a 6-8 month wait until you get seen for an assessment for suitability, but treatment at the university is free. You'll be treated by undergraduate students so they'll be fairly new to it all, or close to graduation, they'll take longer but they'll be supervised. Lancashire's "DEC"s are Accrington, Morecambe, Blackpool and Carlisle. The other universities tend to have their clinics closer to the university but they do also have students in some dental practices nearby (don't know which, and I don't know if they are taking on any patients). But it's absolutely worth giving these places a call to see if you can get onto the waiting list.
Possibly a bit far, but in Blackburn, my dentist was taking on people, it's called my dentist on railway road, might be worth a try :/ just untill you can get one nearer :/
Ring round all the dentists you can find. Ask about payment plan or partial nhs - some do a kind of hybrid system. This isn’t going to be free on nhs either - root canal is still expensive even with an nhs dentist
Either have it extracted subsidized by the NHS or pay out of pocket to save it with a root canal treatment.
You have no other options. You have to pick your choice.
Ultimately, if you want to reduce high costs with a private dentist you should clean your teeth better and consume less sugar. These are self inflicted issues.
Absolutely this!! I hate how people treat teeth issues as if they’re always 100% the persons fault, like that’s totally not fair, and not helpful at all :(
A private dentist might be able to work out a payment plan with you. I assume what's going on is that the emergency dentist would extract it but you don't want that, which is valid. Keeping teeth is better if you have the option. I would say if you do resort to extraction, make sure you get a bone graft to avoid too much bone loss, which can make things harder later with dentures or implants. This may also be something you'd have to go private for, but much cheaper.
You might need to get better with brushing, a sonic toothbrush can help a lot and I've had good experiences with hydroxyapatite toothpaste, seems to be good for remineralisation. Just make sure it also has flouride.
I couldn't get onto the list of a dentist near where I live, so looked near work and found one there.
Might need to widen your search - even if it's an hour away, once your molars are sorted it's only once or twice a year till you can get on to one nearer.
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Humble-Ad-2713@reddit
My hubby was in the same situation as you. He widen his search wide. But found a company who does partial nhs appointments. They will allow you to do one first off appointment and then 1 treatment and then you are basically delisted. He got his work needed and mini wrap around care as it go infected, but now he’s back to normal and is not listed with a nhs dentist.
I know this does not solve the overall problem. But you might find similar to solve the problem of 24 hour pain
potenshcroff@reddit (OP)
thank you this is really helpful, do you know what the company was called possibly :)
Humble-Ad-2713@reddit
I’ll DM you now
chez2202@reddit
You said that you live near Manchester. There is a dentist in Leigh which you can look up online and they charge £120 for root canal treatment and you can pay by Klarna over 3 months. Google either emergency dentist Leigh or Emerdency.
Hope this helps.
potenshcroff@reddit (OP)
thank you so so much I will try this!
sunflowerfields14@reddit
if you live near leigh, mydentist spinning gate i think is taking on NHS patients
Ruadhan2300@reddit
MyDentist were really good to me in Denton too.
One of my old fillings had degraded and was letting liquids and food contact my exposed nerve. So pretty important to me.
They did charge for onboarding though, something like £80 to get in the door before they even looked at the actual issue.
After that though, I'm on their books and can go back whenever needed.
Not 100% if they're taking on NHS patients, but they didn't cost the earth even without.
So a good option I think!
Purple-Oil-9985@reddit
My heart breaks for you it really does. There is a thing I think it’s called Health Watch; Contact them. I was in regular contact with them over lockdown and they were so on the ball with NHS dentists. I was registered in no time with one right near my house that only had their books open for about 20 minutes before they were full.
External_Twist_3443@reddit
You can finance dental treatment i think or you could put the money on an interest free credit card.
Positive-Mud-11@reddit
I know this isn’t what you asked exactly but root canals are actually super bad for your health. Better to get it pulled!
Toothache is the worst, i hope you manage to find a dentist using 111 or a payment plan 🤞🏼
seasaltbutterscotch@reddit
What are your peer-reviewed sources for this?
Positive-Mud-11@reddit
https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/33114460/
https://pmc.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/articles/PMC10298853/
https://pmc.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/articles/PMC7672538/
There’s loads
thecoop_@reddit
This is based on incredibly outdated information debunked decades ago.
PowerApp101@reddit
They are not "super bad" for your health. A proper root canal removes an infection and allows you to keep your tooth. Of course, there can be complications but that is the case in all surgeries.
HirsuteHacker@reddit
Ring 111, they may be able to advise
ahoneybadger3@reddit
Unless they're bleeding profusely/taking someone elses medication then there's nothing 111 can do but to give out contact numbers for emergency dentists in the area.
Cgamis@reddit
If you are persistent you might get lucky. I had a similar situation where I was in pain and I very firmly explained the issue and that I'd been trying to find an NHS dentist for weeks. They were eventually able to suggest an emergency appointment at a dentist that would be able to take me on as an NHS patient.
I'm really sorry the dentist you have seen so far sounds so cruel, OP.
chocklityclair@reddit
They're not cruel. There's just nothing else they can do, for free. You want your NI to pay for other people's dental treatment while you pay for your own?
It's a really bad situation for the OP, and generally, that there aren't enough NHS dentists. That's not OP's fault.
However, it's been like that for a long time now. It seems that no-one has explained this to the OP, and that they haven't realised or been told the importance of looking after their teeth. To have several teeth rotting in your head at 24 suggests non-existent dental hygiene.
Having said that, I hope that they can somehow find an NHS dentist to take them on. Otherwise they're going to have to pay, and start looking after their teeth 😕
Vequihellin@reddit
Not necessarily poor dental hygiene. If OP grinds their teeth, they may be cracking their molars. I've basically cracked all of mine through tooth grinding and have lost 2 to abscesses - 1 caused by an impacted wisdom tooth and the other caused by my grinding. 2 more have been 'deep filled' and 1 is on the verge of needing root canal treatment. My dentist (an NHS dentist) still wants to send me private for it anyway at over £1000 because it needs 'specialist endodontic' work as the roots are curved. It's currently hanging in there after she did an aggressive filling but basically an NHS dentist can still refuse to do complex work.
The only thing standing between me and more tooth loss is my mouth guard (I didn't bother paying the dentist for one, I just buy the hot water moldable ones on amazon). OP should definitely wear a mouth guard at night.
Multiple medications can have tooth grinding (aka bruxism) as a side effect - especially anti-depressants and adhd medication but it's not often explained. So whilst yes, poor dental hygiene can be a factor, it's not the only cause, and losing multiple molars (as opposed to other teeth as well) could indicate that OP is grinding their teeth.
Don't forget that pregnancy leeches calcium from your teeth too, so women who've been pregnant may also have dental problems that aren't down to poor hygiene either.
chocklityclair@reddit
Dental treatment is free for pregnant women and up to 12 months after giving birth. If the OP grinds their teeth they will still benefit from health advice or interventions - such as a mouth guard - to help prevent further problems in the future.
There's clearly something wrong for this treatment to be necessary. It always amazes me that some people (not you or the OP, please note) are so horribly oversensitive to even the slightest suggestion of criticism. It's a shame someone hasn't been able to provide some advice to the OP before now - or perhaps they could have, but were afraid of being branded 'evil' 😄
CautiousCobbler2@reddit
This is an incredibly judgemental post. I hope you feel better after releasing all that evil. It must ne hard living with so much hate inside.
chocklityclair@reddit
Loool! Is this how you respond to people suggesting ways of avoiding problems generally? 😂
Cgamis@reddit
Goodness, we have become mean in this country, haven't we? I would say seeing someone in pain and telling them it's not their problem is pretty cruel. Making a moral judgment about someone you don't know - that somehow they must deserve pain because of what you imagine to be their actions - is also cruel. Have some humanity.
And yes, I very much would like my NI to pay for this person's dental treatment, and indeed I would like everyone to have access to an NHS dentist because I believe everyone should be able to live without pain without it bankrupting themselves.
I literally cried the day I managed to get registered with an NHS dentist - a treatment that was going to cost me hundreds eventually cost me less than £100. Dentistry in the UK for those unable to reach the NHS has become like healthcare in the US, which is something we should all be ashamed of.
chocklityclair@reddit
It's absolutely not OP's problem that they can't find an NHS dentist, as I clearly said. I also pointed out that there should be access to an NHS dentist for everyone.
It's great that you found an NHS dentist, but you wouldn't have been able to do that if things worked in the way you suggest.
It's naive and silly to suggest that people who haven't either looked after their teeth, registered with a dentist or started a dental plan, should have unlimited free dental treatment on the NHS. Already the health service is stretched - and you want them to start offering a full, free dental service? Totally ridiculous.
And yes, of course people need to look after their teeth - because if they don't, it costs a fortune. I've suggested how the OP might be able to find NHS treatment or at least spread the cost - I doubt they're on their knees weeping because I pointed out that seeing a hygienist would be a good idea going forward.
jessjimbob@reddit
Ring 111, they will put you in touch with an nhs emergency dentist who will see you. This happened to me recently because my nhs dentist doesn't do emergency appointments and couldn't see me for 3 weeks
Successful-Tune2225@reddit
My mum did this. An emergency dentist saw her but did the same thing as the OP said on the post. They did something minor to ease the pain slightly, but told her to go to another dentist for further treatment.
Smooth-Tomatillo6390@reddit
I don't think the issue is not being able to get an emergency dentist. The issue is that emergency dentistry only covers certain things and OP requires a procedure that an emergency dentist won't do.
lxxmng@reddit
Try the University of Manchester Dental Hospital. They often take on patients for free or very low cost so students can practice under expert supervision. It takes longer than a standard appointment but it is a lifesaver when you cannot afford private fees. You should also contact Healthwatch Manchester to report your situation as they track these access issues and can sometimes offer guidance on which practices have recently opened their lists
YouCanBetOnItMs@reddit
Speak to an Eastern European friend, if you have one, hop on a plane and get full private treatment in Poland, Lithuania, or Latvia. I am not joking. You will pay 60% less, and flights are currently reasonably cheap.
I am a dual national and always go see a private dentist in my birth country. The service is much better, too. I had to have some dental work done for which a UK dentist quoted me £6k+. Got it done in my birth country for €1.4k.
Accomplished_Arm_298@reddit
Are you signed up to Dentist Radar? They send out regular emails with updates about dentists who are taking on NHS patients. It might be a helpful resource.
On a side note, it might be worth reaching out to your MP to tell them what an impact lack of access to NHS dentistry is having on your health and mental wellbeing. I don't know if they'd be able to help but we all need to be vocal about this issue if we want the possibility of change.
BugAdministrative683@reddit
The availability of NHS dentistry in the UK is applying.
VastOpinion6020@reddit
Couldn’t you just find an NHS dentist even if it’s an hour or two away on the train? It would still save you lots of money and you could have a day out somewhere.
Mad_as_alice@reddit
I live just under 30 miles away from Manchester and the dentist in my village is taking on nhs patients for the next couple of weeks I know because a colleague of mine called them and got in two weeks ago and they told her they were open for Nhs patients for a total of 4 weeks. DM me and I’ll send you their number
TrueMog@reddit
Honestly, the lack of NHS dentistsis a huge problem! My dentist is technically private but she charges NHS rates.
I still have to travel to the other side of London to get to her though (an hour and a half).
Any-Pattern8246@reddit
Where is your dentist? I haven't been to a dentist in years and the ones in London I contacted are not taking new patients at all whether nhs or private (so they say!!!)
darkerthanmysoul@reddit
Manchester dental nurse here.
I know a few places taking on if you want to message. Unfortunately the way the NHS rules changed in April many places - including my own - decided they couldn’t continue in the NHS.
potenshcroff@reddit (OP)
sent tysm x
Silhouette_Sneezes@reddit
There’s a dental hospital in Liverpool city centre, near the Royal Hospital. You need a 111 referral to it but they will be able to see and treat you.
bekbok@reddit
There's also one in Manchester, the details are here though they're not currently taking on new patients but might be worth checking regularly in case the open it up before you've sorted your issues
Silhouette_Sneezes@reddit
Ah fab, I only know the Liverpool one x
lucyloochi@reddit
Can you find a private dentist who does denplan? I pay £30 a month and that covers most treatments and checkups. You will need to be assessed first and pay for that.
BrutalOnTheKnees@reddit
Do you have a university dental school nearby? Ours will occasionally see emergency cases.
Mfombe@reddit
0333 332 3800
Mfombe@reddit
Downvotes for Manchester urgent dental hotline for those without an NHS dentist lol
Salty_Intention81@reddit
Try Deane Dental in Broughton, they have been taking NHS patients recently
PowerApp101@reddit
wtf root canals need to be finished within a week or two at most, not 3 or 4 months! That is crazy bs.
Key-Seaworthiness227@reddit
The problem is that they don’t have a dentist to do this. The emergency dentist will only do the emergency / immediate part - hence stage 1.
PowerApp101@reddit
It's terrible. Dentistry is so important, if there's one thing an emergency fund is good for its dental work. I would prioritise saving a couple of grand to pay a private dentist instead of suffering. I know that's not much help to OP atm but there is nothing worse than tooth pain.
Key-Seaworthiness227@reddit
Dentistry should not be separate to the NHS, this is the main issue. UK dentistry is a complete mess sadly with many not being able to afford private care or access to a NHS dentist. No easy solution.
If I were OP I’d get the teeth pulled to avoid future issues.
Eukonidor_Of_Arisia@reddit
Your best bet is probably to look into getting the work done abroad. Even with travel expenses it often works out a lot cheaper, so I hear. The UK is no longer really a 'country'. It is merely a profit-generating conglomerate where, if you cannot pay a premium in any given situation, you will be denied service.
People in this country really need to take a good look around and realise this is the case. We ain't in Kansas anymore. What will it take?
PootMcGroot@reddit
One of the NHS's largest increase in costs over the last decade is correcting dental work done cheaply abroad...
Eukonidor_Of_Arisia@reddit
Actually I was referring mostly to Eastern Europe, who have some of the best medical and dental staff in the world - and yet, they don't feel the need to massively over-inflate their fees... As do the bunch of chiselling bastards we have posing as dental professionals in this country.
UK dentists are a damned disgrace to the profession and to the national identity as a whole.
HirsuteHacker@reddit
The state of our teeth? The UK has some of the healthiest teeth in the world. No Eastern European country is anywhere close.
JulesOffline@reddit
Probably because Turkey teeth are still ridiculously cheap and popular.
Go to a country where the currency is worth less than GBP and you can get fillings for 20, or full root canal for around 60. (plans tickets can be as cheap as 10 pounds each way in off peak times.)
Milton_Rumata@reddit
It seems kind of mad that people are going abroad because they can't get an NHS dentist here and can't afford private dental care, who then somehow become a strain on the NHS who are giving them appointments to correct the dental work they had abroad.
chocklityclair@reddit
You do need to do something asap.
There's a suggestion in the comments about asking 111 for an available NHS dentist - no idea if that will work but anything's worth a try.
Also the idea of working out a payment plan with a private dentist.
If you know anyone with an NHS dentist it might be worth actually visiting the surgery in person to ask to be taken on.
The other thing you need to do is see a hygienist. Unless you want to be paying out for treatment on a regular basis, you have to start practising good dental hygiene. There will be other teeth you haven't looked after that will need attention in the near future.
koruppi@reddit
NHS dentistry is a mess in this country. It isn’t profitable for dentists and no one wants to work at a loss. There may be ‘affordable private care’ in your area - many practices are trying to offer this and many private practices have payment plans to help you pay. Maybe ask in local community groups. Unfortunately, it’s just a case of saving up / budgeting. It is frustrating though when so much of healthcare is free so I empathise. But yes, try the dental schools too.
koruppi@reddit
Try the dental schools. Theres Manchester and a few others in that part of the country. Get on the waiting list and it’ll be free treatment.
SuitablePangolin9707@reddit
have you looked into dental schools in the area? an old coworker of mine had awful dental issues and couldn’t afford to get it sorted, she went to the local dental school and the students did all of the work with support of their teachers. i think you still pay a small amount but it’s much less than going private, and you’re helping the next gen of dentists!!
Isgortio@reddit
Hi, if you can get a copy of your x-rays then contact the dental clinic at the University of Lancashire (Preston), they do heavily discounted root canals as it's with students but it'll either be internationally trained dentists or dentists that are doing their masters in root canals. Manchester dental hospital may offer similar.
They were right to redo stage 1 if you were still in pain, because that suggests there's still an infection there and they might not have been able to remove all of the infected nerve (molars can be tricky and sometimes there will be a hidden canal which is hard to get to, if it's left behind then it can still cause pain). The alternative is to have the tooth removed, but I know you're wanting to keep the tooth.
In terms of finding a dentist, you might be able to get in with four of the local dental schools - Manchester, Liverpool, Leeds or Lancashire. There may be a waiting list, I know Lancashire is currently about a 6-8 month wait until you get seen for an assessment for suitability, but treatment at the university is free. You'll be treated by undergraduate students so they'll be fairly new to it all, or close to graduation, they'll take longer but they'll be supervised. Lancashire's "DEC"s are Accrington, Morecambe, Blackpool and Carlisle. The other universities tend to have their clinics closer to the university but they do also have students in some dental practices nearby (don't know which, and I don't know if they are taking on any patients). But it's absolutely worth giving these places a call to see if you can get onto the waiting list.
Experiment62693@reddit
Possibly a bit far, but in Blackburn, my dentist was taking on people, it's called my dentist on railway road, might be worth a try :/ just untill you can get one nearer :/
imfinewithastraw@reddit
Ring round all the dentists you can find. Ask about payment plan or partial nhs - some do a kind of hybrid system. This isn’t going to be free on nhs either - root canal is still expensive even with an nhs dentist
ambergriswoldo@reddit
Private dentist and pay by Credit card (if you don’t have one then see if you can apply for one or a bank loan)
Hot_Wonder6503@reddit
Either have it extracted subsidized by the NHS or pay out of pocket to save it with a root canal treatment.
You have no other options. You have to pick your choice.
Ultimately, if you want to reduce high costs with a private dentist you should clean your teeth better and consume less sugar. These are self inflicted issues.
vampireefangzzz@reddit
Not all teeth issues are self-inflicted, a lot of it can be caused by genetics.
Okimiyage@reddit
Or medical conditions. Pregnancy is one, and some medications can impact dental health regardless of dental care being taken :(
vampireefangzzz@reddit
Absolutely this!! I hate how people treat teeth issues as if they’re always 100% the persons fault, like that’s totally not fair, and not helpful at all :(
PreoccupiedParrot@reddit
A private dentist might be able to work out a payment plan with you. I assume what's going on is that the emergency dentist would extract it but you don't want that, which is valid. Keeping teeth is better if you have the option. I would say if you do resort to extraction, make sure you get a bone graft to avoid too much bone loss, which can make things harder later with dentures or implants. This may also be something you'd have to go private for, but much cheaper.
You might need to get better with brushing, a sonic toothbrush can help a lot and I've had good experiences with hydroxyapatite toothpaste, seems to be good for remineralisation. Just make sure it also has flouride.
Oldfart_karateka@reddit
I couldn't get onto the list of a dentist near where I live, so looked near work and found one there. Might need to widen your search - even if it's an hour away, once your molars are sorted it's only once or twice a year till you can get on to one nearer.
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