As clinically vulnerable, i have spentthe last 8 months in virtual isolation.
But i realise life must go on.
I have not been to the dentist in the last year and think that my dental health ought to figure in my plans going forward but I am nervous of going.
Am i being silly? Or rational...bearing on mind that I haven't even been in a shop i think my confidence needs abit of scaffolding and some general advice....would you go...especially nothing is troubling you ?
It’s difficult to go out after all that time ledge but you could maybe phone your dentist and ask what covid precautions they have in place. See what they say but only go if you really feel safe in doing so. Good luck to you. Xxxx
Hello ledge. I am also a shielder. The first thing that I did after the big lockdown was to go to the dentist. They have the strictest of all conditions when dealing with patients. It is natural that you are anxious. I still don’t go to supermarkets etc. But I am sure that you will be safe at the dentist and feel better for attending to your dental health.
Hi... lets hope so... a big bubble around them would make me feel better.. oh how i hate what this covid has done for my confidence x
Sassy speaks sense,but then again she always does.obviously you are one of those fortunate bunch of people whose teeth are still attached to their jaws and are worth looking after so you are wise to have a plan for them in the future though i expect your dentist will have limited capacity to see folk at the moment and you may have to re-mortgage your poperty to pay for his PPE equipment?
If you are independant and can make your own way in your own transport i would say go for it and you will probably be very safe whereas i with only one and a bit left have long since given up on seeing a man with a drill and a nasty stinging needle ever again and my next visit will be to teeth r us for some replicas. 
Hi mike.... yep its even mortgage the dog...have you seen the price if doggies since lockdown.... my old two a penny lurcher is worth a kings ransom
..so dont tell scruff s....she will have you dancing to very expensive tunes....or tuna in her case xxx
Scruff's has turned me into blooming Lionel Blair when it come to dancing to her very expensive tastes and Tuna is so yesterday when it comes to her cravings,now where is that caviar i set aside for her supper. xx
I had a dental appointment yesterday to complete treatment that was started last year and was stopped due to the lockdown in March. My dental practice is only doing this type of work and emergency dentistry, both following the strictest hygiene procedures. Both the dentist and dental nurse were wearing full PPE of a standard that put my local hospital to shame. They are, however, not doing routine check ups and the hygienists are not doing their routine work. Your practice may be working in a different way so perhaps worth phoning them.
U would be lucky to get an appointment except for emergencies
Maybe first find out if your dentist is doing routine appointments and then decide accordingly. Many dentists are only doing emergency appointments and even those can be hard to get. It does seem to differ from place to place. 🤞
I kind of booked this appointment pre second lockdown....its just that i am wobbling now xxx
Oh I see. Do you have your own car? If you can avoid public transport that would be a help. Dentists are said to be ultra safe places to be now. Neither me or my mum have a car, when she had to go for a hospital appointment last week she had to get various forms of public transport. She wanted to cancel right up to the day before but in the end went through with it. Everything has become so much more stressful and complicated, even the decision making process, because of this virus. Wishing you all the best whatever you decide 🌈
You will be lucky to get an appointment, I believe dentists are only seeing people that need emergency dental care.
My dentist cancelled my routine check in September and said to make another appointment in a few months. No way I am going there, will consider next spring, that is unless I have a dental emergency mean time.
Dentists should be open for all treatments and I saw the hygienist last week. I felt very safe. Maybe dentists operate differently in different areas. X
I guess I guard my lungs more than you may, even if my dentist was doing routine checks, its not the right time of year for me even without coronavirus. September to April end always more of a risk for damaged lungs. I would attend if I had an emergency though.
I guard myself completely because of Pete but I felt very safe. Hope you continue to stay safe.
Would Pete risk it though. Entirely different when it involves the person with damaged lungs but of course anyone fortunate to have a carer will appreciate the care a carer takes.
Yes Pete would if he had to because the dentist is so very careful. He had an eye test yesterday because his vision had changed and that was very safe too. Pete has cataracts so was glad he went. He also saw the practice nurse yesterday as has circulatory problems, again very safe. We just weigh up the pros and cons.
I do appreciate though how much more difficult it must be for those who live alone. Making such decisions have to be done carefully.
Stay safe.
Hi Carole, . I have "Specsavers" coming to me on the 25th (previous Appt, cancelled as Optician was Poorly) . They do Cater for Home Visits as a Member on here told me. I am hoping they can Verify my cataracts need to be treated, which I am sure they do, also New Varifocals.
I am at present Spending a lot of time trying to Recapture all my FB Friends of which I had Lost when my Account Disappeared. So a Lot of "eye work" giving more eye Strain. Now as for Dentist, I said awhile ago, my Filling had fallen out taking half my tooth, as I do not have any Pain. I shall wait till next year ? Hope this finds you & Pete well. Stay Safe and Hopefully we will all have our Vaccinations Soon. Much Love. XXXXX
👍😘🤓😎
Hi Carolina, that’s great having a home visit. Hope it all goes well for you. Pete was happy to go out briefly and will collect his new glasses in two weeks. Wait until next year if you’re not in pain. You should be fine.
We’re doing well thank you and awaiting the vaccination with eager anticipation.
Hope all’s well with you dear lady.
Love and hugs, Carole. 😀🤗🤓🥰❤️
As I said above, sassy, my dental practice are only completing unfinished dental work started pre covid and seeing emergencies. The hygienists aren't doing routine cleaning.
Yes I saw that so hence maybe different areas doing different things. Hope all went well for you.
It went better than expected, thanks Carole. I don't know if dental practices are making their own decisions or following government or BDA advice. My dentist is an NHS practice.
Hope you and Pete are well xx
I’m shielding and yesterday I went to the dentist for a check up, though I now need a crown for a cracked tooth. All the procedures were followed to the letter and I felt safe. They even phoned me the day before to check that I was happy with the arrangements and had no symptoms. Put on disposable gloves and take your own pen in case you have to sign something. I now have two dates in my 2021 diary, both dental appointments, aargh!
Hi ledge, I am also extremely clinically vulnerable, but essentially had to go to my dentist to complete a multi-step implant and bridge procedure. My dentist has always been a cleanliness/health fanatic and in this case that is great. No appointment waiting in waiting room , walk in only after scanned and cleared at window by front door, then straight to just cleaned room , staff and environment all properly sanitized, gloved , masked and shielded. After procedure , straight back outside with no checkout desk stop required. Actually is a far safer, more hygienic environment than my oncology, cardiology and pulmonology offices.
Call your dentist , find out their procedures and then make your decision. All the Best, judg69
Hello, I to have been shielding for the last 8 months, I broke a tooth so had to go to the Dentist. Whilst extremely nervous about it I had no choice but to go. When I got there all Covid protocols were in place. Had to ring the doorbell to be let in after answering questions about any symptoms relating to Covid was allowed into the waiting room and I was the only one in the waiting room, plenty of sanitiser, everyone with PPE on which at that point I relaxed a bit.
No you are not being silly, I think going out has become a scary place for us in our situation and we just have to do our best to navigate ourselves through it as best we can whilst trying to remain as safe as we can.
Hope you have a good experience like I did. Please let us know how you get on.
Best Wishes
Sue
They they, the dentist always ware mask, and should be protected, Go to your dentist but always call them as far as what they do to protect themselves, and you.
I just cancelled my upcoming next 3 dental appts. I have 2k to use this yr & then another 2k next yr. however I’m afraid to go.
Hi Ledge, Like you I hadn’t been out but really wanted to see the hygienist. The PPE and proceedure was excellent and I was very reassured. Mind they charge an extra eye watering £20 for using it which I thought was greedy.
My second and only other visit was to Boots opticians. Again I was very impressed. The only problem with having your eyes tested, and your on oxygen, is when they drop the different lenses in they can steam up, so a bit if a slow process.
Give them a call, I did, and was reassured.
Good luck and here’s to a lovely smile 😃. Jax
Crikey...that is expensive ... i think the expression is they have you by the short and curlies on that one...i wonder what they charge at my dentist????
...thanks for the reply
Mine take your temperature plus only have a few people well apart all have masks and the dentist aswell
I know how you feel apart from college havnt been brave to go shopping but I hate shops anyway. We had our dentist app cancelled in June and they recken won't be able to see us for months. Hard to decide what is safe at moment. Stay safe.
Hi ledge, like so many of the others who replied I am extremely vulnerable and I have been to about 4 dentist appointments since August as my front tooth snapped abs fell out ☹️
They have more hygiene/COVID safety proceedures than the hospital do (I was rushed into A&E the other week), I was so impressed the first time I went that all of my fears vanished. But I have my own transport, which I know some others have mentioned about, so that makes a big difference!
If your dentist are anything like mine all of your worries will disappear after 10 minutes there.
I hope you manage to go, it’ll give you a confidence boost too x
All very good reasons for me to go...thanks 😀
I went to my dentist yesterday and measures are in place to keep everyone safe. I had a broken tooth repaired and a check-up. My dentist has remained open throughout the pandemic. I wish you luck
I am fit and well but shielding my husband and I wouldn’t visit a dentist or anywhere else for that matter , but I’m like you lacking in confidence 🙈. I’m so scared of passing anything on ive decided to carry on isolating until the vaccine is up and running but I do feel sometimes, and indeed I’ve been told by family , that I’m being over cautious . For me though it’s better safe than sorry , I really need to see a dentist but then it’s not life threatening, if it was I would maybe feel differently. Good luck with your decision, it’s so difficult isn’t it 🤔
Take baby steps ledge. A first appointment is a good one to have as I see you've mentioned this. Our dentist is very strict. You're not allowed inside until someone has greeted you at the door then stringent measures in place and a one way system. My GP practice is like fort Knocks. Not allowed inside . I had to collect something the other day and I had to wait outside until a receptionist came to a side window that has grills over it then she handed me the parcel through the slit of an opening.
How about wear a face covering and walk on your street then back home as a first step. May help to relax you. xx Take care Anita
Onestly i dunno how you’ve maniged 8 months Ledge, ur made of strong stuff. I did 2 weeks and I nerly went mad 🤪. U gotta find a way 2 like be part of the world at ur own pase and on ur terms. Uve bin given grate advise on here so I’m just gunna say good luck with it and stuff wot the gov or enyone else seys, u do wot ur hapy with at ur own pase. We’re all behind u 2 cach u if u wobble 💪 xx
Oh sweetheart thats so lovely..bless you xxx
Hi i was shielding my husband during the first lockdown. I only walked the dog. But did go to my Dentist who stayed open. I had a tooth out and felt very safe. But some dentists still are not open. I was nervous about going out . Working at an Infant School at lunchtime, i decided to try going back. Things are very different but i am very careful and take care. Like you say life must go on. Just take care and be prepared. xxxx
I went to the dentist this morning to have a tooth out but i wouldn't have gone otherwise, they had very good hygiene and distancing policies xx
I am worried about the same thing, Have not seen or heard from my surgery apart from flu jab which I attended under duress, and have consultants appointment next week at the hospital which fills me with dread, the last one was by phone so he may well cancel. I really need a dental appointment but that seems to be as rare as hens teeth! I am always worried about the dentist so have not really pursued it.
You must do what you know you can cope with. There are enough worries currently!
Stay safe, sopsx
I was like you, my daughter doing all my shopping and needs. Dental check up cancelled by dentist, eye test cancelled by me. Now trying to do some things myself. Have hand sanitiser in car but find shops very good at providing it. Am tempted to make another eye appointment as I have been assured they are following all guide lines. I do walk along the canal every morning to get the exercise and get some contact with others doing the same thing.
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