Good Morning Folks
My dentist says I need to have one of my back teeth (I presume it’s the wisdom tooth) removed. However, I’m not so sure and would rather have a 2nd/3rd opinion.
Do you think I should register with another dentist in order to get another opinion? How would I choose which dentist to join?
Should I then go to the new dentist and just simply ask him/her for a 2nd opinion or just go for a regular check up and let him/her tell me that I need to tooth removed?
Thanks in advance
Hi geek…I’m not sure you can register with a new dentist if you are already under another one. if you aren’t sure why you need this tooth removed, could you ask your current dentist to explain why its necessary, so you understand. Or…is there another dentist in the same practice you could speak with, for a 2nd opinion?
Are you with an NHS Dentist? If you are it would be difficult to register with another…if its a private dentist just register with another and you will get a 2nd opinion it will cost you though
Didn’t they give you a reason as to why it needs to be removed?
Hi Folks
Thanks for your replies. The practice doesn’t have another dentist. The reason the dentist gave was that it is not straight and is curvng into the tooth next to it. It is also difficult for me to get my brush in that area.
That sounds like a sufficient reason to me. If you can’t clean it properly, you may get an abscess sooner or later and it will be a constant trouble spot. I had a molar partly removed (hemisection) because I’d had the same problem and have not had problems ever since.
Geek I have had problems with wisdom teeth as none of them had sufficient room to grow. I have had xrays on them all and the bottom two are still in my gum. The top two were trying to get through but made my gums sore, so my dentist put a small cut in the gum and removed them. They have been fine ever since.
Have you had your gums x-rayed?
If the tooth has come through is it causing any discomfort ?
If it isn’t causing any discomfort, have you asked the dentist why he thinks removal is needed ?
You don’t have to have a tooth removed , but you need to understand why he wants you to, because it will be you that suffers is it becomes painful at a later day!
My thoughts exactly!..
I think dentists do seem quite keen to whip out wisdom teeth, they don’t seem to rate them as useful
I don’t think you can be registered with two NHS dentists but you are with a NHS dentist now you could probably get a second opinion if you paid for a private one
The main questions for me would be is it painful and is it damaging your other good tooth?
Hi Folks
Thanks for your replies.
I am thinking of going private and then have an x-ray done on my gums.
The tooth is not causing any discomfort but I do experience bleeding when brushing.
The dentitst says it is better to have it removed as it is curving into the tooth next to it.
If you are experiencing bleeding when brushing, that can be a sign of gum disease,…I know this because I have periodontal disease…I also had bleeding gums at one time, luckily for me , they now have the disease under control,no more bleeding gums.
If the dentist can see your tooth you may not need an x-ray. If your gums are bleeding then Pauline is right about having a gum infection, and if that gets bad you could lose more than the one tooth.
Salt water mouth washes work like an anti septic, so you could try those but, if you don’t like the taste of salt, try Corsydyl mouthwashes. That is what my cancer specialist advised when I had Chemo.
Hope you get things sorted soon!
Geek, Didn’t your dentist do an X-ray in the first place? I am with an NHS dentist and they do X-rays every now and again and show me them on a screen. I have never had to pay for them.
If l was having a wisdom tooth out, l would prefer to have it done in a hospital like they used to do with wisdom teeth.
Sorry, if this sounds sexist but l would prefer a strong male dentist to take it my tooth out. I say this because l have known one or two people who have female dentists and they have struggled to take a tooth out
. One of them, the dentist took over an hour to remove the tooth. The other, the dentist had to call a dentist from another practice to come and get the tooth out.
I gave up on NHS dentistry some years ago. My private dentist is not very gentle and skilled, he works on the Chinese principal … we only pay a set fee monthly and that covers everything. Should any highly involved remedial treatment be required, he does not receive any extra payments, working on the principal that if his preventative maintenance was as effective as it is supposed to be, no major work should be required.
Over the years, this has sat very well with my wife and myself. He hails from Sweden, just like my wife and we all get along very well
Dentists always want to remove wisdom teeth as they are considered useless, they also don’t like to work on them as they are hard to reach. But in older adults it is complex if that is the tooth you mean. You can end up with nerve damage if unlucky & it can affect your bite. Go to a private dentist for a second opinion and for something like this they sometimes don’t even charge or it may be £20-40 max. I don’t understand why your dentist can’t try to adjust it first or do a restoration to correct the shape. There is a cost/benefit needed to assess the risk of complications during extraction against risk of decay etc.
Many thanks for your replies folks
Geek, I’m in a similar position, mine’s half erupted and positioned diagonally nudging the next tooth…and it’s been like that for nigh on 50yrs. I make sure I floss the in between space every time I’ve eaten something - which might sound extreme, but it’s the sort of space where little nasties will thrive. 
Are you a long standing patient of this present practice or a new patient there? The reason I ask, I’m assuming you are over 50 (being on here) so must have had the tooth a long time and wondered why your dentist is now mentioning removal when you have no discomfort? If you find it awkward to clean there now, are you suffering with any hand problems ie gripping the brush in any way?
Have you a hygienists at the practice? If so, the dentist should be referring you to them to help you cope with cleaning around there and showing you the different brushes you could use. Whether you use a whizzer (electric t/brush) or hand brush, I don’t know, but using a soft small brush (child’s) and gentle brushing the area with that and/or single tufted brushes to help clean near the gum line are useful and they should be discussing these with you.
I use the whizzer and as the usual interdental brushes are too big to fit the space, there’s just enough room to use the tape type floss, but not the ‘cotton looking type’ as that ‘cuts’ and makes my gum bleed if I’m not careful.
If you’ve no discomfort but bleeding when brushing, perhaps it’s possible you may be brushing too vigorously or angling the brush wrongly especially if you use a ‘whizzer’ . You might be ‘bothering’ the gum line around the tooth, which I do sometimes. The hygienist would be able to advise on that too.
If your dentist hasn’t noted any problems with your gums on examination then they must be ok. So, there’s no need to go private for that. You are entitled to have an x-ray in Band Level 1, as part of a check up. I go to every 6mths, but don’t have an x-ray every 6mths, unless I have a problem. If your dentist has come up with removing whichever tooth it is, I would expect an xray to be taken anyway for them to view the roots before extraction.
But all in all, if you routinely practise good oral hygiene, floss regularly and clean your teeth regularly and you’re not in any discomfort, I can’t understand why you should have it removed.
Apologies for all the questions - just trying to understand the reasoning for having it removed. 
This is how you choose another dentist. Go to the General Dental Council website on: https://www.gdc-uk.org/
Scroll down a bit and click on “Look for a Dental Professional”
Tick whichever options apply and search for the best qualified dental professional you can find. Also search for your existing dentist and ensure they are not “working under supervision” which means they are being investigated for a complaint.
Get the best possible professional to give you the advice you need, then decide on your course of action. Good luck.
Have the beggar out it will only cause you problems in the future .
Thanks Lindyloo
