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Erosive oral lichen planus - Gp or dentist

Posted , 7 users are following.

tomsbestfriend
tomsbestfriend

Hi I have had erosive oral lichen planus diagnosed by biopsy a year ago. My (private) dentist says it is the worst case she has ever seen. She also says that my dental hygiene is the best she knows. I have zeros all round for my teeth.

My question is concern about treatment for the OLP. I have mentioned it to my GP but she says that it is down to the dentist. But will I then have to have private prescriptions and treatment for something which isn't dental? I am 70 years old and get free prescriptions from my GP.

My dentist is talking about referring me to hospital in Bristol but again, I'm not clear if this would have to be private.

I am worried about not having enough money for private treatment, so should I insist that my GP manages this condition?

0 likes, 8 replies

8 Replies

  • Nanny_mo
    Nanny_mo tomsbestfriend

    Posted

    I see a consultant at the dental hospital,which costs nothing. You need to ask questions and to be referred to an NHS dental consultant.
  • billhes
    billhes tomsbestfriend

    Posted

    It should not make any difference whether you are an NHS or private patient, you should be referred to your local dental hospital free-of -charge. I see an NHS consultant on a regular basis at no cost.
  • carol00748
    carol00748 tomsbestfriend

    Posted

    Iam a GP practice nurse and OLP sufferer. I also have a private dentist.  OLP is an area where the dentist has more expertise so that is probably why your GP says treatment is down to your dentist, but I am pretty sure if you got a letter from your dentist stating what he/she would recommend that your GP would prescribe it for you on the NHS script. The proviso here is that the items are available on the NHS (not everything is and not every medication can be prescribed by a GP-some items for instance are only prescribed by hospitals). Many areas also have formularies and GP's are under quite a lot of pressure to prescribe items from the formulary, so you may find that some items your dentist may recommend may have to be adapted, or your dentist asked for alternatives that are in the formulary. Please don't blame your GP for all of this- there are just so many regulations now. 

    If your GP really won't prescribe for you, it might be worth considering changing your GP or getting registered with an NHS dentist as well as your private one so you can get the prescriptions from them. 

    Hope this helps and that you get sorted, and good luck with controlling your OLP. 

    • tomsbestfriend
      tomsbestfriend carol00748

      Posted

      Hello Carol

      Many thanks for that clear and helpful reply. It was exactly the sort of advice I was hoping someone could offer here. To me that is one of the major benefits of this sort of Forum.

      Thanks again

      tbf

  • carol00748
    carol00748 tomsbestfriend

    Posted

    Seeing a consultant dental surgeon at a dental hospital is ideal, but many of us live a long way from one, in my case about 100 miles or so, so it isn't always a practical option. I had to travel 50 miles just to get diagnosed!. However, if you do see a consultant on the NHS, and they request  prescriptions it is more likely your GP would be willing to prescribe if it is something he/she can. I'm pretty sure the GP's where I work would accept a recommendation from the dentist, and my own GP prescribed some items for me (I have OLP and LP) from research I did about treatments on the internet! 
    • tomsbestfriend
      tomsbestfriend carol00748

      Posted

      Hi Carol

      Thanks for this. Like you, I live 100 miles from the hospital in Bristol where my dentist would refer me, so I hope for something that can be delivered via my GP if self-help doesn't work well enough.

      tbf

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