What to do if you have a dental problem during COVID-19 pandemic
NHS commissioners in the North West team are working with Local Dental Committees and dental practices across the region to consider how to safely restore dental provision from 8 June.
A number of options are being considered to ensure this can be done safely for staff and patients.
Whilst the Chief Dental Officer has given 8 June as a date for dental services to start to think about reopening, not all dental practices will be able to reopen straight away, depending on availability of equipment, training and staff capacity. When they do open, services may not be restored to normal for some time.
In the meantime, all high street dental and orthodontic practices can give advice, guidance and prescriptions, which you can collect from your local pharmacy.
If you are in pain or in need of support and need help or advice, please telephone your dental practice in the usual way.
If you are not registered with a dentist you can go to https://www.nhs.uk/service-search/find-a-dentist or call the dental helpline:
- Greater Manchester: 0333 332 3800
- Cheshire and Merseyside: 0161 476 9651
- Lancashire: 0300 1234 010
- South Cumbria: 01539 716 822
This may be because you have severe toothache or a dental infection, or you have noticed other changes inside your mouth such as a white or red patch, a lump or an ulcer that won’t heal.
You will be assessed and given advice over the phone, which may result in a remote consultation with a dentist.
To support NHS services, it is important that you do not visit hospitals or doctors’ surgeries with dental problems unless you are advised to do so.
