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Dental abscesses

42 replies

Bridecilla · 14/04/2020 10:54

I was due to get a tooth pulled last week (booked a few weeks ago) after going to the dentist for the first time in 30+ years after lovely support on here.

Obviously my appointment was cancelled.

I think i have an abscess or something. If I explain I'm hoping someone could advise?

The tooth is raised and I jarred it the other night. The pain was excruciating and lasted for about 5 hours (I took and am taking ibuprofen and paracetamol) felt like a stabbing / trapped nerve 9/10 pain

2 days later I'm down to probably a 7 or 8/10 throbbing pain and my face is a bit swollen.

Does it sound like an abscess? Can I ring and ask for antibiotics do you think?

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Glaceon · 14/04/2020 11:00

You NEED to ring them. As I have just said on another thread, abscesses and infections in the mouth and face can turn life threatening VERY quickly.

My friend cracked a tooth and ended up with an abscess because she didnt get it treated even tho she was in pain and was basically told it needed treating in the next day or shes be in intensive care for 2 weeks. Itd spread in her face I think. It was all swollen I remember that.

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Mrsmorton · 14/04/2020 11:01

Dentists should be doing phone consultations and advice plus remote prescribing. Phone them up and see what they say. There are a few hubs where they have the PPE to do treatment but this hasn't been handled very well by the NHS/PHE.

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Cosmos45 · 14/04/2020 11:04

I have just posted a query regards something similar, my friend is a dentist and they are doing an triage consultation first - which consist of the 3 A's (Advice, Analgesic, Antibiotics). If that does not sort the problem you can phone 111 and be referred to one of the new dental hubs that have opened up to deal with emergencies. She said before this happened they would have been advised against not prescribing antibiotics if they could help it but at the moment it is safer to do that. So I think you just phone the dental practice in the first instance and get some advice.

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heathspeedwell · 14/04/2020 11:04

Definitely ring them, they will be able to help. My dentist prescribed antibiotics over the phone and then taped a box to the door of the surgery so I didn't even have to go and queue at the pharmacy.

He also gave really helpful advice about swilling my mouth regularly with a cup of very hot (obviously not boiling) water with a teaspoon of salt stirred in. I was amazed how much it helped.

Good luck and hope you feel better soon!

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Jellybean27 · 14/04/2020 11:04

Yes! Call!

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Bridecilla · 14/04/2020 11:19

Thank you. Obviously my knowledge of dental stuff is crap, hence never going and I'm trying really hard to sort it.

I'm jumping in the shower then will ring - hoping they can prescribe me something over the phone. I'm interested in the hot water thing (I've been drinking my team on the other side of my mouth though to avoid pain)

I swilled with mouthwash yesterday and nearly went through the roof 😪

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Bridecilla · 14/04/2020 12:34

I phoned and spoke to a lovely triage nurse - the dentist is going to ring me back. Fingers crossed, thanks everyone!

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Redpurplegreen · 14/04/2020 12:45

Nurofen plus (paracetamol and codeine) is really really good with dental pain if you can take that in the meantime.

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Greenteandchives · 14/04/2020 12:51

I’m in the same boat, Bridecilla. I am pretty sure I need root canal work. I am on day two of antibiotics but in so much pain it is almost unbearable. I go to the dentist and hygienist regularly and can’t believe this has happened to me now. I can’t sleep for the pain, and can’t eat much either. My dentist has been helpful, and is so upset at not being able to do anything more to help. I really don’t want to lose the tooth but I can’t stand much more of this pain.

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rosiethehen · 14/04/2020 13:00

Try to get some Corsodyl mouthwash, sore throat numbing spray, CoCodamol, clove oil and salt.

The Corsodyl provides a background level of antiseptic action and I've headed off a couple of abscesses on my root canal before using this.

The sore throat spray is antiseptic and numbs the pain.

Cocodamol contains paracetamol so don't take paracetamol with it. It's a stronger pain reliever though.

Salt to make mouth washes with. Don't use hot water as this can cause the infection to enter the bloodstream.

Clove oil is a local anaesthetic. Try not to get it on the insides of the mouth as it's irritant to skin and mucous membranes. Just dab some onto the most painful area using a cotton bud or put some onto some cotton roll and hold it against the painful area.

Try to get antibiotics from the dentist. I think they can also prescribe stronger painkillers.

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Mrsmorton · 14/04/2020 13:37

@Redpurplegreen nurofen plus doesn't have paracetamol in it.

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Hippofrog · 14/04/2020 14:00

If you are prescribed Metronidazole please done drink with it, don’t even use any alcohol based mouthwash, it’s dangerous and can make you very very sick

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Greenteandchives · 14/04/2020 14:03

Thanks Hippofrog. That’s what I’ve got. I wasn’t intending to drink alcohol, the dentist was adamant that I shouldn’t. It’ll do me good to abstain for a few days. But the mouthwash thing is helpful. I wouldn’t have thought of that. Does Corsodyl have alcohol in?

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IcedPurple · 14/04/2020 14:08

You need to get antibiotics. Pain from a dental abscess is horrific (been there many a time!) and while pain killers will help you cope, they won't do anything for the underlying infection. Even if you could get a dental appointment chances are they wouldn't be able to do any procedures until the infection was gone, which would require antibiotics. As someone all too familiar with the misery of toothache, I hope you get some help!

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Hippofrog · 14/04/2020 14:16

Yes it does contain alcohol unless you have the one that’s specifically sates alcohol free.

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SanFranBear · 14/04/2020 14:16

My DS decided to tell me about an abscess two days before we were 'locked down' so we were lucky as got a face-to-face session for the initial consult and he was prescribed antibiotics to take the pain away and another appointment to remove the tooth ten days later.

The appointment was cancelled as there was no pain anymore but I had to take pictures of the gum and send them in so the dentist could make that decision. If the pain returns, we must make an urgent call.

So far, so good - but as others have said, abscesses can be life-threatening so I hope you get some treatment!

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Bridecilla · 14/04/2020 14:35

Thanks everyone. The dentist rang back 10 minutes later, I'm off to pick up antibiotics now. Amazing! I'm so grateful

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Bridecilla · 17/04/2020 08:23

How long would antibiotics normally take to work? I'm on day 6 of pain, day 4 of antibiotics and it's still really painful (probably a dull, constant 5 or 6 out of 10)

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MehitabelWhurl · 17/04/2020 08:26

There should be emergency places open. My friend had an extraction the other day. Not at her usual surgery but they referred her. Same day treatment.

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Bridecilla · 17/04/2020 10:55

I thought I knew which tooth it was butim honestly not sure, it's the whole right side of my jaw. I've just had a cry on dp (which freaked him a bit as usually I'm quite tough!)

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cosmo30 · 17/04/2020 11:06

Antibiotics normally take a day or two to get into your system. I've taken them ones before they made me so ill but hopefully they won't you. I've had an abscess on my wisdom tooth before, my face swelled up bad I looked like a chipmunk, and had to work like it 🙄 hope the pain goes soon

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heathspeedwell · 17/04/2020 11:08

Sorry to hear you are having such a rough time.

I think you need to call the dentist again and ask their advice, you shouldn't have to be in pain like this for so long.

Good luck!

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Greenteandchives · 17/04/2020 11:20

Me too Bridecilla I feel sick with pain and it feels like my face is going to blow open at any minute. Nothing has worked so far. I am on day 5 of the antibiotics.

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danni0509 · 17/04/2020 11:46

@Bridecilla & @Greenteandchives have you both had amoxicillin? You might need metronidazole.

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danni0509 · 17/04/2020 11:48

Can you get nurofen plus or paramol. Don't take both together.

I would do nurofen plus and paracetamol together.

Or

Paramol and plain nurofen together.

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