Hi all
I have not received any guidance re:: dentists but recall reading something on here regardng timescales and preparation.
I am sure I need a filling (hot/cold hurts so does sweet) had last chemo 1st July but have very low immune system - think it’s happening under a cown so may be in root
any words of wisdom gratefully received as always
thanks a lot
love FB xx
Ps Just thought - are any of you lovely ladies (and gents) a dentist ?
Heya Fiz.
I was told in no uncertain terms that under no account was I to go to the dentists without the consent of the chemo nurses while going through treatment. They said that if I needed any emergency work doing to call them first so they can arrange a blood test to make sure the immune system’s strong enough to take it and if so then I could have the work done. Naturally I’m just scribbing every corner of my mouth 3 times a day instead.
So I would be inclined to give them a call, even the out of hours weekend number. It’s been 6 weeks so you should be OK but I think they’d probably rather you phoned them now to make sure than phone them after the event and be told you were a bad girl and that they’d have rather you had prophylactic antibiotics.
Go on, be a pest… check 
lots of love and hope you don’t need any major work doing.
Angie
Thanks Angie - it hurts with pressure now - am wondering whether I should go to A&E and get some anti-biotics … what do you think?
I am abroad and don’t have any out of hours numbers to ring - only A&E
Not sure if I can ring “NHS Direct” from over here … I have paid enough British tax in my life!!
thanks again - FB xx
or how to rng NHS Direct - I’ll see if there is a number for abroad on the net
0845 4647 thats NHS direct no
Hi dont panic i needed to see a dentist during chemo and as long as you tell them they treat you accordingly.
Anna
Ahhh I see the problem
Could you ask one of the people here on the BCC number? I would have thought you’d be OK after 6 weeks and the dentist may be able to sort out antibiotics if you need em. In your shoes I think I’d personally risk it. But then I have been known to be reckless
hi vertie, annamarie and anita,
The pain was getting worse by the hour and travelling to my ear so I went to A&E. Think I have an absess. He said it was good that I went and I have to start taking the antibiotics now - which I have, A&E only took an hour but it took another to find a chmeist that was open. In the end a nice policeman took us - we followed him in his car. Also have anti-infamatories.
He (the doctor not the policeman!) says I have to go to the dentist - after 3 or 4 days on the antibiotics - let’s hope I can get an appointment for Wednesday.
Thanks everyone.
lots of love FB XX
PS I had to laugh as the nhsdirect web-page was down and I can’t ring the 0845 number from here …anyway - hopefully the crisis is over … have to say - a week of raging toothache would be far worse than chemo side-effetcs for me … boy am I a grumpy bunny right now … it hurts!
OMW FB I am going through exactly the same thing at the moment, it goes away for a whle and then get a shooting pain up through my gum.
I had a root canal done a couple of years ago in the same region and the pain is similar, yikes.
Only thing is I am only half way through my chemo and today is day 11 so WBC’s etc will be at an all time low.
I will persevere until Mon and give them a call, my dentist knows my situation as I visited him with my mum recently and he won’t do anything unless absolutely necessary.
Hope you get sorted soon
L
xoxo
Hi Ladies
Unfortunately, I am not a dentist, but only a mere dental hygienist. However, many of my patients are receiving chemotherapy so like you have all said, best to check with oncologist team before having treatment to check platelets and neutrophils. I would have thought, FB, that you should be OK now? However, that said, having an abscess sorted out will take priority, so antibiotics are the first line treatment. I have found a link that may be of some use? clinicalanswers.nhs.uk/index.cfm?question=8485
Hope you get your toothache sorted out FB and Leeloo. A dental abscess is the worst pain in the world!
Cathy
x
I’ve heard that in the olden days they used to use whisky and even coccaine for toothache… maybe an idea… whisky that is
I have heard that too - but its the dental staff who take it, not the patients!!!
hi girls!
Thanks Cathy - that was fab.
I think most people would be fine 6 weeks on it’s just that I am spectaculalry RUBBISH when it coms to neutrofils and have rubbish rubbish results after 3 weeks with neupogen injections - so I have no idea whether I have recovered since the last low blood test (3 weeks ago).
Anyway - in terms of priorities - as you say an infection in the gum is far from ideal either!!! - especially with a low immune system …
The pain is easing somewhat now (still there but not in my face as long as I keep my jaws apart!).
Think brain not quite 100% as I have been putting thing in funnny places and saying odd things so wires are definitely getting crossed and everything ia feeling like hard work again but what’s new there. I just HOPE I remember to call the blooming dentist and manage to grovel enough to get an appointment on Tuesday/ Wednesday. May have to reduce myself to a good snivel - could quite do with one - last night I was UPSET.
…
we drove to near an all night chemist and OH stayed in car and I went to get prescription - it was shut
I have a really bad back but we hobbled to the next one … it was shut
so OH went to get the car and left me outside the shut chemist (midnight) and then a policeman drove past and stopped and said “hallo” … I’m not sure whether he thought I was touting for business (I wouldn’t have been able to charge much if I was !!!) he drove off and a few tears leaked out - then OH came - then we couldn;t find the chemist and then we asked at the policestation and a lovely one let us follow him all the way there …
someone has just rung up and i don’t want to lose this - back in a min
so all was well in the end
LeeLoo - I think you should double check re:infections with your dentist - good luck and I hope you feel better soon
whisky sounds like a good idea - is vodka just as good ???
good luck everyone - thanks gain
lots of love FB xx
hey fiz, I think anything that cleans the wound and numbs the patient counts.
I know what you mea about forgetting things except I think mine is subconsciously on purpose… keep forgetting to book the nadir blood at my local docs… think it’s 'cause I don’t want to know.
I’m sure if they were worried about your bloods being low for a long time they’d call you in for more blood tests. I read that normally our bodies produce milllions of white cells an hour, it’s how we can react to infection as fast as we do normally. It’s just chemo ain’t normal.
But sometime you just gotta live your life and do what it takes to stop the pain don’t you. Or in my case I had to have those onion bhajis. Yes it’s take out, yes I’m day 14 but it’s one of the best indians in the UK and I do so love onion bhajis.
Hope the pain goes down soon.
Angie
I was told to get routine checks done before chemo to ensure as healthy a mouth as poss before start. Trouble was it took ages to get an appointment so started just as chemo did. By my 2nd app my mouth was too sore to work on so dentist suggested I didn’t go until afterwards but no one said not to go during chemo for any other reason other than it was sore to have the treatment. Hope you are feeling better soon.
Irene