Before Christmas last year my dentist told me I had quite bad gum disease. In February this year my gums started bleeding and I used Corsodyl mouthwash (I had used it before) but my mouth and gums came up in ulcers and my gums were inflamed. My dentist couldn’t give me an appointment, I was in so much pain that I went to see another dental surgery who saw me there and then. The new dentist said I had an allergic reaction to the mouthwash. They discovered I have been grinding my teeth. Since then the ulcers have gone but now my gums have receded to the point that it feels like I have almost none, they hurt all the time, my teeth now hurt and I keep getting headaches. I saw the new dentists once a week for nearly 3 months and was sent to my GP for blood tests to check for underlying issues but it was clear. The new dentist said I need to see a periodontist – but they all charge more then I can afford. I’m a single parent on benefits and on NHS tax credit exemption. But I cannot find an NHS periodontist anywhere and I’m in constant pain. My GP referred me to a dental hospital but they do not offer the service I need. How can I get seen and treated via the NHS for this?