Strange lump in mouth

[mrs_overall]

I've developed a purple lump the size of a pea on my gum between an upper back tooth and the roof of my mouth. There's no toothache although the lump is a bit sore. I can't get a dental appointment for weeks as the delightful receptionist says it's a non emergency. Any ideas/suggestions please?

[delboy3]

Got a dental hospital nearby? That's where I went when I had a gum abcess. Yours sounds like it could be a blood blister, but I'm no medic.

[cockroach]

Go to a drop in centre..!. phone Dentist back up ....start crying like you are very panicy !...Turn up at the Dentist cause a scene (did this at the Doctors it works, however too embarassed to go back now)...
Try all the tricks... Like your going away for 4 weeks in 2 days & need it looking into..
But dont give up.

[mrs_overall]

I live in the sticks and we only have one dentist nearby, let alone a dental hospital. I don't know about it being a blood blister as it's rock hard.

[mrs_overall]

Good idea cockroach. I might camp out on his doorstep with an onion in my pocket so I can turn on the waterworks!

[LoftyLottie]

Can you get an appointment with your GP? Tell them that you can't get a dental appointment and that you are really, really worried.

[theonlyone]

Have you tried NHS Direct , as they should be able to advise you as to where the nearest hospital with a dental unit is to your address.

[Octavius]

My guess is that you have a tooth with the filling broken possibly causing an abscess.

Tell the dentist recepionist you think you might have a periapical or a periodontal abscess, or both! At least then, you might get a check over and some anti-biotics.

[Lindylou]

You should have some sort of emergency dental service in your area, as its your legal right to have an nhs dentist. Ring any dentist after hours, there should be an emergency number on the answering machine. That's the number to call. In my area, there are several 'access' out of hours dental surgeries and a superb service Saturday and Sunday and Bank Holidays. Good Luck..!

[rabbitygirl]

Re appointments with GPS when you cant get to see a dentist. I was reading recently that doctors are complaining to their Primary Health Trusts that they are getting a lot of patients coming to them about their teeth, mainly due to not being able to get a NHS dentist. They say they are not trained in dentistry, cannot be expected to give the correct assistance and the PHCTs should get the dental situation sorted.

The PHCTs cant do anything about dentists not wanting to do NHS work, creating a shortage, so like it or not, doctors are likely to see more dental problems.

[LoftyLottie]

Rabitty Girl. There has been the ongoing feud between doctors and dentists for years. I got caught up in it once. An elderly relation became very, very ill after a visit to a dentist. The doctor refused to come out and said it was up to the dentist. We couldn't get a dentist to come out either. He (the patient) ended up in hospital with septicemia for three days when out of necessity we called an ambulance. I am cheesed off with it all.

Our own GP practice say that dentists should deal with anything concerning the mouth. To me that is ridiculous. Not all things concerning the mouth are to do with teeth!

[mrs_overall]

Oh the joys of the NHS.
I rang the dentist back and I deserve an oscar for the sobs! Ms Snotty Receptionist again told me to phone at exactly 8.45am tomorrow to try for the one emergency appointment. Where do they get these horrid receptionists from?
Anyway, I intend to be on his doorstep at 8.45 tomorrow and I'm not moving until I'm seen.I spoke too soon when I said I did't have toothache as it's killing me now!
Thanks for all your input.

[theonlyone]

Will you let us know how you got on at the dentist !

[MrXLA]

In reply to LoftyLottie you are correct, not all things in the mouth are to do with teeth. However believe it or not dentists don't spend five years at dental school leraning about teeth, they learn about conditions affecting the oral cavity, oro-facial region and head and neck. Doctors DON'T!! the reason being they have the rest of the entire body to deal with.
Oh and dentists NOT WANTING to WORK ON THE NHS is B**LOC*S, the PCTs have a limited number of NHS contracts available if one dentist stops working for them they give the cointract to another (and there is ALWAYS 10 IN LINE!!) so the shortage is NOT due to lack of dentist but a LACK OF CONTRACTS

[gina32]

how did you get on??

[MrXLA]

I entirely sympathise with Mrs_Overall, however try for a moment (if you can!) to place yourself in the position of the dentist (or rude receptionist, no excuse for rudeness)
- the denrtist may be new or may have been there 10 years
- there are only one/a few dentists in the practice
- all of their list are FULL and yet they get asked to see more and more people with less and less time available, so the quality of their work/diagnoses obviously suffers and they are even more FULL
- there are HUMAN limits to the number of people any one person can see
- this is often forgotten by people attending A&E, doctors, dentists why do we BLAME the people that are ACTUALLY doing the job and not the people who have NOT organised sifficient numbers of them

[MrXLA]

By the way Mrs_Overall I could get you seen my a dentist a doctor or any other healthcare professional you ever require rather rapidy, but you would have to pay for that on a private basis.
- Why might that be? well the person would have booked large amounts of time aside (when not working in the NHS) so that they were able to see people rapidly and spend an appropriate amount of time with them

[MrXLA]

LindyLou I was not aware that it 'as its your legal right to have an NHS dentist' was the case.
Does this mean that If am not able to get access to an NHS dentist within a given time period that I can legally challenge my (or other surrounding) PCT's or my MP or the government in fact.
My word what a disatrous state of affairs this would be for the government. Especially if the real truth was allowed to emerge, that in FACT there are more than enough dentists willing and able to provide the services the public want but in fact the government/PCTs are unable/unwilling to provide them with contracts.
Instead they would have the public believe that it is the fault of 'big bad greedy dentists going private' when in fact this shouldn't matter because the PCT then has that contract to give someone else (and as I've said the demand and ability exceeds the supply)

[theonlyone]

mrs -overall how did you get on at the dentist ?? Hope you are now on the mend and off the soft diet .