New to the forum

[jarvo92]

I dont know where to start or finish this thread. My instinct is to try and over explain things but i dont want to get flagged for irrelivent information.

I am a vulnerable female that lives on my own. Dont live near family. I dont have a partner or children. And i dont have many trustworthy friends. I used to, which is kind of part of the situation now, but they have moved away.
Im physically on my own. For as long as i can remember, ive been sedated for work done on my teeth, fillings, injections, teeth removal. Ive either had a trustworthy friend as an escort, or my ex. But we split up 3 years ago.
Since then my dental hygiene has improved. Ive gone from not brush my teeth in months to building up to brushing almost twice a day, in the last 3 weeks there has been 3 occasions where i have only brushed them once a day.
Since feb this year, ive had a infected tooth. And now its spread to my jaw. My dentist has given me a few courses of antibiotics but the max ive been given is 7 days. Which wont clear up a bone infection. And now im having problems with my ear. Last week i also coughed up bl***. Ive got a drs appointment tomorrow. But from my previous discussions with my dr about " dental things ", like bone infection, ive been told to go to my dentist instead. The dentist has reffered me to a hospital. But im unsure what kind of hospital. Ive been to 2 special care dentist hospitals in the past. And both of those required me to have access to a escort. But i dont have anyone now. What do i do?
Ive contacted dental advice charities, who reffered me to my local nhs commisioning service. Well.... they didnt help.... they just told me to speak to my dentist. I contacted PALS.... same thing, they told me to speak to my dentist.
What i was trying to find out is if there is any help for people like me:
Alone, isolate, vulnerable female, a history of DA,DV,SA, RPE who is having difficulty accessing dental treatment. Because of trauma.... and fear, nervousness and anxiety of being touched in certain places.
But both the local commisioning office and PALS refused to help. I did find one charity. Dentaid. But even they may require someone to have an escort.

What does someone like me do? Surely we arent just expected to wait until we have such severe pain because of an infection, that the pain overrides fear, nervousness and anxiety

 

[letsconnect]

Hi @jarvo92 and welcome,

first of all, well done for building up from not brushing for months to twice a day, while managing severe trauma, isolation, and intense fear! That is a huge achievement.

I'm sorry that neither the local NHS commissioning service nor PALS have been able to help. Did you end up speaking to your dentist to ask what you should do, and if so, what did they say? They should be able to contact the hospital's Safeguarding Lead or Special Care Dental Lead (or whoever else might be responsible) on your behalf and explain the situation, and find out what formal social care, transport, or ward-based recovery options the trust provides for socially isolated patients.

You could also contact your council's Adult Social Care team to request a temporary care worker or social care escort for the sedation appointment.

Please let us know if you need help with any of this! Also, @Gordon might be a bit more knowledgable about what happens in this situation.

Take care and best of luck for your GP appointment tomorrow

 

[jarvo92]

@letsconnect hi, yes id actually already spoken to the dentist before getting in contact with PALS and the commisioning service. Id spoken to my dentist about being on my own. Physically on my own. So instead of reffering me to a sedation clinic, they said they would reffer me to a hospital. But the thing is i dont think its a " normal " hospital like for life threatening things.
I believe its a special care hospital. And ive been to 2 of them in the past. But i was always told by them that i need an escort. I think its the unsureity of not knowing which hospital im being reffered to is getting me in a rut. If its one of the same ive been to i still need an escort when work is done.

And thank you! For saying well done. I appreciate that.
I think i will just have to wait till the hospital get in contact with me. I will definately take note of what youve said and enquire.
Thank you x

 

[letsconnect]

Not a problem! Not knowing which hospital you're being referred to must be pretty stressful - could you ring your dentist and ask? At least then you'd know, and it might be somewhere you've been before. The special care hospitals may say to everyone to bring an escort, but they may have arrangements in place for people who are unable to arrange an escort themselves.

Let us know what happens! It would be good to know, also for other people in a similar situation .

Best of luck with everything!