HELP! WORST TOOTHACHE EVER!

[DaniJade1990]

Hi all, just need a bit of advice. Have got very severe toothache in one of my back teeth, I visited the dentist last week and he advised me that I'd either need root canal treatment or it would have to be pulled out. He said he can't really do either as I'm 31weeks pregnant. Instead he gave me a course of antibiotics to take. They've not worked and the toothache is that severe I can't eat or sleep and have been crying! Have an appointment at the dentist later today but is it really that unsafe to extract a tooth in pregnancy? I'm in that much pain I just want it out!
Thanks

[Hevster]

if it's safe to have a filling then i can't see why you couldn't have a tooth out, my logic being that you have the same anesthetic either way so whats the difference - having suffered from dreadful toothache several times i would say there wasn't much choice as toothache is not liveable with when it's bad. Did he give you a reason why he couldn't do either root canal or extract?

[TheArmadillo]

I had teeth out during my last pregnancy - they said it was safer than another course of antibiotics.

The only thing was that the anasethtic (sp?) affected me more than usual cos of the pregnancy.

don't know about root canal though

[ConDemNation]

Hi Dani, I can sympathise having had the worst pain imaginable (to me!) last night...I was eventually prescribed Naproxen which I know is safe for breastfeeding but not sure about in pregnancy - will look it up for you. It is a good innterim measure if you can get some decent pain relief.

Regarding taking the tooth out I think it's probably fine, if the situation requires it. Also they should give you some different antibiotics.

hope it goes well today.

[thisisyesterday]

yes, you can have it done

i had root canal treatment while I was pregnant, AND I have had a tooth out whilst pregnant

they can use local anaesthetic that isn 't harmful (i think my dentist said it's a different one than they would usually use) and they can fill with a non-mercury filling if you have the root canal treatment

[ConDemNation]

I'm sorry, just checked and Naproxen isn't recommended for the third trimester but they should be able to give you something else for the pain, at least.

Let us know how you get on...having mine out this pm!

[ConDemNation]

yy I think they usually need to wait for the infection to subsside a little bit before they extract, because apparently the anaesthetic doesn't work so well when it's swollen.

[OneMoreOfUs]

If your infection clears up they can clean out the tooth and put in a temporary filling and you can get the root canal done after having your baby.
I didn't want mine tooth extracted ( even though half of it had fallen of) and went for this option at week 11 in pg. I'm now 36 weeks and it's holding fine.
Good luck today!

[nickschick]

The anaesthetic doesnt work at all well if you have an infection - i know this from experience .

Toothache is truly dreadful - can you take nurofen meltlets in pregnancy?? they are excellent at relieving dental pain,also when you are in pain you tend to hold your face quite taut- try and lie on a warm towel off the radiator or tumble drier and relax a little- that might ease it a tad.

hope it soon gets sorted.

[ConDemNation]

Ouch, Nickschick!

I'm a bit worried now...I'm relying on this painkiller stuff to get me through it, it's anti inflammatory so hopefully will also affect how well the anaesthetic works...the plan being that tooth being out will not hurt as much as tooth being in!

oh dear though.

Danijade, please let us know how you get on...hope it is as painless as possible.

[nessmay]

I had toothache a couple of months ago, not as severe as yours as it was just my wisdom teeth trying to come through. Paracetomal didn't work so someone recommended clove oil, you just dab it on to the area and it numbs it. Most chemists sell it but you'll need to ask behind the counter.

It may not work for you if the pain is really deep, but definitely worth a try

[thisisyesterday]

depends if there is actually an infection or not though doesn't it? the dentist may have prescribed the anti-biotics just in case (mine has done this before) in the hope that it is that and it will ease the pain

but if the OP has been on them for a while and nothing has changed then maybe there is no infection and she just needs the tooth out

[oldmum42]

the reason for the dentist not wanting the tooth taken out while there is a raging infection is because pulling the tooth out can spread the infection round the body via the blood, which MAY increase the risk of premature labour (it is well known that dental work pushing infection into the blood increases the risk of heart attack too).

However, if the infection gets worse, or does not resolve, it will need to be dealt with, as your risk of nasty complications will go up.

Maybe you need a course of a different antibiotic?

if you are still on the antibiotics, maybe they haven't had time to work yet.