Tooth pain? should I start the antibiotics?

[chocolatespiders]

After having 2 sleepless night with tooth pain in top back teeth I went to the dentist yesterday - he gave the area a good scale and wrote me a prescription for antibiotics if not better in a few days.
Today the pain is much more sharp on one certain tooth when I bite down or touch with my tongue. it only throbs a little bit when no pressure is applied.
Should I get the antibiotics? I am not sure as I think if it was an infection it would hurt all the time not just when pressure is applied.
Hoping it is just recovering from a bashing at the dentist yesterday.

thankyou

[BikeRunSki]

I'd start the ABs and ring the dentist. I suspect the dentist will ask you to finish the ABs before they do anything though,

[WowOoo]

Pressure will cause pain on an infected area. If you leave it, it may start hurting all the time.

I'd start taking them before it gets worse. Hope it gets better soon. Toothache sucks.

[CaffeLatteIceCream]

I disagree with the others (sorry!)

Antibiotics won't do anything at all for pain. Nothing. They should only be taken if you are systemically unwell (temperature, swollen glands etc) and/or have swelling.

Are you alternating paracetamol & ibuprofen? Also a hot salty mouthwash might help.

[CaffeLatteIceCream]

Should add, for clarity, that even if you do have an infection, you still shouldn't take the antibiotics unless you have other symptoms that suggest the infection is spreading.

[chocolatespiders]

I have not got a temperature or swollen glands.
Yesterday I could not pin point the painful tooth it was more an area but today I can.
He said if pain goes with antibiotics to go back to him or did he say if it doesn't go to go back - I was in so much pain to concentrate.

[CaffeLatteIceCream]

Chances are the pain will settle by itself over the next few days. Honestly, the antibiotics don't do anything for pain.

They don't actually do anything for infection either - the infection is in a place that antibiotics can't get to. They only help control any effects of infection...swelling and so on.

If that happens, take the antibiotics. If it doesn't, it's a bit of a waste of time.

Hope it stops hurting soon. Toothache is the worst.

[chocolatespiders]

Thankyou latte - I will see how it is over the weekend.
I will start with the salt water - only got table salt at work though so that will have to do for now

Some at work has given me a Co-codamol to try and ease it.