Dental check

[sue943]

Today I went for my dental check at the hospital, the third this year. I must say they are being so careful of my health, absolutely no complaints. My own dentist referred me to the hospital early in the year because of the antibiotic question with a tooth cleaning, I saw the dental consultant and he said he would keep a check on my teeth. Next time I saw him he told me the guidelines had changed regarding antibiotic cover but that he wasn't prepared to tell me I didn't need it so would write to my cardiologist for a ruling and he would then see me today. Today he asked me how I would feel about having my teeth cleaned without antibiotic cover and I told him that I would be most unhappy regardless of the guidelines. He then read the letter from the cardiologist who said that the choice of which way to go was to be MY decision, if I felt that I wanted antibiotic cover then regardless of guidelines then that is what I should have.

Result is that I will be having my teeth clean at the beginning of February having taken 3 grams of Amoxillin, we are not going the intravenous gentamycin route now. My 'normal' dentist could have prescribed Amoxillin for me but not to worry, he just couldn't have done the intravenous - and he is expensive. The hospital dentist has said that he is taking over my dental care and has also prescribed a special strong fluoride toothpaste for me, it is only available on prescription so it is free. Since we don't pay for dental care in the hospital my outgoings will be cut by several hundreds of pounds as our dentists are normally expensive.

As the dental treatment is in the hospital it isn't a case of 'take the antibiotics an hour before your appointment', it is a case of 'please arrive at the hospital an hour before your appointment and bring your antibiotics with you so we can SEE you take them'! Although it seems a bit extreme I appreciate what they are doing as some people might forget to take the antibiotics, this way they know they have been taken and it will be in my hospital notes that I took the drug. I would rather they be careful to be offhand about the situation.

 

[Ross]

Sounds good. Hopefully you never have to experience what I did in October and have many infected teeth, slow moving idiots that don't answer their phones and then when they do, don't return calls, then battle to have surgery to have all your teeth removed.

 

[sue943]

He told me that two of my molars on the right side (one top and one bottom) are a little bit loose, this I knew from my private dentist. He said that these will not last as long as me but he will keep an eye on them. He did say that extractions would probably mean a stay in hospital. The reason for the special toothpaste is to try to minimise any decay in the future.