My kid has no dentist but looking at his face he has an absess

There should be an emergency dentist available - round here I know we can go to the dental hospital for free treatment but there should be an equivalent where you are

When I had an abscess and no dentist I ended up calling NHS direct (because I was so so poorly) and they sent me on an emergency appointment to a local dentist, I had to pay but it was NHS prices so no more than £20 iirc, they drilled my tooth and gave me two lots of antibiotics and told me to see my old dentist because it was one of my front teeth and I had a retainer on from a brace years ago. I actually got worse overnight and my mum called NHS direct and got another emergency appointment and got the abscess lanced (lovely!) I improved v quickly. I would imagine they'd want to get him on antibiotics asap so nhs direct might be worth a call?

Brilliant thanks - will call NHS direct first thing in the morning.

Have to say, feel a really crap mother at the moment - I should have gone private. At least he's not in too much pain yet (touch wood, fingers crossed and all that malarchy.)

Thanks for your words of wisdom and reassurance x

No Jords, you shouldn't have to wait just to get a NHS detnist it's poor how difficult it is to get one and totally not your fault. And at least we have nhs direct and emergency dentists etc.

If he does end up in pain before seeing the dentist then he can take (I'm assuming he's old enough) paracetemol and ibruprofen, so one then 2 hours later, then 2 hours later the first one again to max dosage if that makes sense? That's what NHS direct told me when I had my abscess. Oh and I used a small hot water bottle which really soothed it but I've learnt since was not the best thing (heat +bacteria!) I didn't care at the time though because it helped ?

He's 14 - so definitely old enough so huge thanks for that x

Was at a kids party today (that my other one was invited to) and another Mum mentioned her 3 year old had had been to the dentist and had been told he had a cavity.... she said "we're not one of those parents who ban sweets - I don't want them scrabbling for sweets whenever they can get them." I thought about our different opionions but didn't say anything as I don't ban them, I just don't actively buy them.... (If they are to have junk, then they have the occassional bag of mini maltesers or mini buttons but not sweets and certainly not lollypops.) And of course now find out he's been off to the shops after school stuffing his face with whatever pocket money has has left. Anyway, now I'm thinking kharma has just bitten me on the arse!

Anyhoo - not going to turn this into a me, me, me as it's all about him. So thanks for the advice, will update when I've got more to update (just to say thanks!) I've just seen an advert for "iglu" We have something similar in the house but will give this other thing a try as well!

Thanks again x

At 14 I was spending my dinner money on chocolate from the shop on the way to school for breakfast and sweets from the ice cream van for lunch ?

Hope he's ok, I'm not medical but wondering if starting on ibuproifen might be worthwhile to reduce/halt further swelling?

And I'm trying not to pass judgement on a 3 year old with a cavity but I'd have been horrified!

Failing all the previous good advice, if you have an NHS walk in centre near you, they should be able to prescribe the antibiotics [amoxicillin and metronidazole] that treat tooth infections, providing he is not allergic to them. That should buy you some time until you can get to an NHS dentist. If it is an infection he will be in severe pain, if he isn't then you should take him to the doctor to determine the cause of the swelling.

HTH

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Unfortunately it is all too common! I had a placement as a student nurse on a day surgery unit and we had a children's dentistry day once a week.... They were pulling teeth and filling teeth in an effort to save them in 2/3/4/5 years olds. One 3 year old had to have *all* her teeth removed as they were so bad [:'(] It was so depressing. One of the really awful things was a mother who told the dentist she wanted the front teeth left at all costs, the teeth had black bits and were falling apart - mother had been given 3 appts previously and not shown up even though child must have been in pain as she didn't want the teeth taken out as it was embarrassing! Dentist took the teeth out as they were so bad. The brothers and sisters were eating sweets in the waiting room!

There were so many children with bad teeth in that area that there was a 6 month waiting list to even see the specialist kids hospital dentist.

When my son had an abcess they removed the tooth plus gave antibiotics. i know you are frowning on these youngters for having cavities young, they arent always caused by sweets. my son has had 6 teeth removed at 7 due to the fact he vomitted twice a day for 3 years. then didnt eat for 2 years, wouldnt have anything in his mouth. plus parent that would brush his teeth after being sick thinking they were helping .

Not always ? The pain usually comes from either pressure of trapped infection (and if it is happily swelling there isn't that much pressure there) o from nerve pain but if it is an adult tooth with that much swelling the nerve could already be dead & has turned to pus. I have seen patients with massive swelling but no pain and we have treated their tooth wth no local.

Most local autorities have an emergency dentist helpline. Depending on where you live it is worth checking neighbouring counties. I know in Herts ours is mile away but in neighbouring Cambs it is 12 miles from here in the City.

Ibuprofen for the pain if he can take it & if it starts to drain into the mouth then hot salt water mouthwashes.