Welcome to Somerhill Dental Practice

 

COVID-19 Update 30/03/2020

Everyone is now aware of the far-reaching effects of COVID-19. It is with great sadness that following the strict guidance from our governing bodies we at Somerhill Dental Practice have taken the difficult but essential decision to cease ALL routine care for the foreseeable future.

The situation is changing on a daily basis and we will try and keep you updated accordingly.

We are very limited in what care we can provide at this time in order to prevent the spread of the coronavirus therefore protecting yourselves and the staff. The practice will be operating a telephone triage service for emergencies from 9am each weekday. Please DO NOT visit the practice without phoning first. In order to protect our staff members, we will be running on a skeleton staff therefore if you can’t get through then please leave a message on the answerphone and we will get back to you.

Guidance states that the following constitutes an emergency:

  •   Facial swelling which is getting worse.
  •   Trauma – For example a tooth which is knocked out.
  •   Uncontrollable bleeding after extraction
  •   Inability to open your mouth/stiffness of the jaw.
  •   Conditions that are likely to exacerbate other systemic health conditions.

Unfortunately, at this point in time the following problems are not deemed emergencies:

  •   Mild or moderate tooth pain.
  •   Broken or chipped teeth or fillings.
  •   Any post extraction bleeding which can be stopped yourself by following the aftercare instructions.
  •   Crowns out, loose bridges, loose dentures, or post crowns.
  •   Bleeding gums
  •   Ulcers (unless they do not heal within 2 weeks)

This as we hope you can appreciate is the last thing we will want to do. Caring for and looking after our patients is what we are all about, but we must adhere to the guidance for the safety of us all and those that are vulnerable around us. We will all miss you and hope to see you soon. If you have any concerns, please give us a ring and we will do what we can to help and advise.

Please see below list of self help strategies

Thank you for your understanding in these difficult times.

 

Managing a Toothache during self-isolation

If you have symptoms of COVID-19 and have toothache you will need to call NHS 111 for advice where you can receive treatment at a specialist clinic.

Tooth pain

To help manage toothache until you can visit us, or we can see you, there are a few things that may help reduce the pain

If there is a cavity in the tooth, it may be fine to leave, and keep clean. If it is bothering you then a temporary filling material can be packed into this space. These temporary filling kits are widely available from supermarkets or pharmacies.

Anti-inflammatory tablets (NSAIDs) can reduce the sensitivity. A combination of ibuprofen and paracetamol has been found to be beneficial if you can take them both - however, there are some reports that Ibuprofen may increase the symptoms of COVID-19 so Paracetamol alone is probably best if you have symptoms. Make sure you don't exceed the recommended dosage!

This is 2 x 500mg tablets, every four hours up to 8 tablets maximum. You should not exceed 8 x 500mg Paracetamol tablets in 24 hours.

Desensitising toothpaste such as Sensodyne repair and protect or Colgate sensitive pro relief can help. It is a normal response for you to feel brief sensitivity with very cold drinks/food.

Lying down flat at night can increase the toothache. Therefore, we recommend sitting up with pillows.

Avoidance of temperature extremes, a soft diet and chewing on the other side will help.

If there is an infection - a swelling next to the tooth or pus discharging.

Rinse your mouth with warm salty mouthwash to try and draw out the infection into your mouth. Dissolve a teaspoon of salt into a mug of warm water and rinse around your mouth/ hold it in your mouth next to the infected area. Repeat several times until the pain subsides, particularly after eating.

Pain from gums

If there is bacteria or food debris trapped between the gum and the tooth, this can cause pain.

Thoroughly clean the area with floss or an interdental brush. You could put Corsodyl gel onto the brush to help clean the area

Rinse thoroughly with Corsodyl mouthwash can help (but Corsodyl will stain your teeth so please follow the instructions on the bottle carefully, the staining can be removed by your hygienist)

Pain from ulcers

Mouth ulcers can be a sign of underlying medical conditions such as iron deficiency so shouldn't be ignored. Any mouth ulcer which doesn't heal in two weeks should be checked by a dentist.

To reduce the discomfort, you can try a topical anaesthetic gel such as Bonjela or Difflam (mouthwash or spray) Ulcers typically take 7-10 day to heal and can be very painful.

To help with healing of ulcers, Gengigel can be effective as well as soothing the pain.

Broken teeth

If a tooth or filling has chipped or cracked, this can cause sensitivity from the tooth being exposed or pain to your tongue from sharp edges.

The sensitivity can be reduced by rubbing a de-sensitising toothpaste onto the tooth or placing a temporary filling material over the broken corner until a more definitive filling can be placed.