DENTAL ADVICE FOR PATIENTS
DIRECTLY FROM DENTISTS
This website has been set up by Dr Chloe Harrington-Taylor and Dr James Critchley who are both dentists from Cheltenham. We would like to provide patients with as much information as we can so that we can help to support you at these very challenging times when you may need us the most.
COVID-19 Information Update
In the last few weeks, the world has been turned upside down for all of us, and we are now facing huge challenges in order to make it through this unprecedented international crisis.
Dental check-ups and treatments involve close contact between the dentist and patient and so should not take place. Also, dentists and their teams have to avoid using tools like drills and the ones used for scales and polishes. This is to prevent them from catching the virus from an infected patient and passing it on to other patients.
Drills and other high-speed tools create a lot of ‘spray’ from patients’ mouths so dentists need to use protective clothing and equipment.
The decision has been made by the British Dental Association, Local Dental Committee and the government’s Chief Dental Officer that provision of dental care in dental practices must be suspended for the next 12 weeks.
During this period, dentists will be able to provide patients with telephone service only.
We can offer advice and issue prescriptions and if necessary, refer you for emergency treatment in a local emergency treatment hub which are currently being set up across the country.
By following this advice and not seeing our patients face to face, we can better protect our patients and staff, reduce the spread of coronavirus, and help reduce the enormous pressures on the health service.
We can help to save thousands of lives.
We have decided to set up this website (MyDentalProblem) to provide patients with advice for the most commonly presenting dental emergencies. We have dentists available online to provide guidance and support for patients at this very difficult time. We are offering our services free of charge. At times like this we must all work together and help as many people as we can.
Please note: If you have uncontrolled bleeding, have suffered trauma or you have dental swelling that is spreading and is compromising your breathing, swallowing or is causing your eye to close and/or visual changes please contact 111 or 999 as this is a dental emergency.
OUR DENTISTS
If you are not registered with a dentist or are unable to reach your dentist we will be able to provide you with dental advice and guide you in the right direction.
Across the country teams are working incredibly hard to set up emergency dental hubs so that safe effective care can be delivered to patients. These emergency hubs are operated on a referral base only. This means that you must speak to your dentist or NHS 111 and be referred to the correct hub prior to attending and appointment to ensure the safety of both yourself and others.
Please note: If you have uncontrolled bleeding, have suffered trauma or you have dental swelling that is spreading and is compromising your breathing, swallowing or is causing your eye to close or and visual changes please contact 111 or 999 as this is a dental emergency.
