A recent visit to a local dentist recommended by mrs maytrees, I had assumed would involve a thirty minute visit with maybe some work on a sore tooth.

The reality was quite different with the visit lasting overall at over three hours. 

The lady dentist, who was not the same as the dentist visited by mrs maytrees and youngest children, was brilliant. Her surgery was large clean and full of up to date equipment, She and her assistant took some time measuring gums and teeth with several instant X-ray photographs. She said that the issues were more than normal dentistry so that she would have to telephone St George's NHS hospital dental department for advice and for them to admit me there.

The telephone call she made on loudspeaker so that I could listen and be involved if needed. 

The St George's consultant said that  my issues  though serious were not sufficiently serious for an immediate visit to their dental department but that I would be tri-aged and probably called in, in about 12 days. Meanwhile advised her to prescribe two anti-biotics as there were multiple abscesses which needed to be sorted. She did this and the local pharmacy had the anti-biotics in stock. He also advised that she prescribed the tooth paste above or maybe she herself decided that what was required.

In any event, the prescription included  eight packs. of the toothpaste pictured above. Upon checking the price on Google I was amazed to find that their cost was c. £14 per small pack. 

The dentist came down to greet mrs maytrees and we profusely thanked her. The receptionist told me that the total cost  for her treatment and care, was £27.40 which seems amazingly inexpensive, with there being a nil cost for the  prescribed special toothpaste and antibiotics given my OAP status.

There are so many general  moans about the NHS that maybe the post above is  also worth considering in the general mix.