Wisdom tooth taken out - lots of pain, what to do?

[InTheoryBut]

I had a badly impacted wisdom tooth taken out under general anaesthetic 6 days ago. It was doing ok, sore but manageable. But last night the pain cranked up and is now almost unbearable :(

I'm waiting for the world to wake up, but who should I call? The daycase unit where I had the surgery, my dental practice (which is huge and anonymous and never has any appointments for weeks), or my GP, who is
lovely and brilliant? I suspect infection and want anti biotics and v strong painkillers.

[uggmum]

The same thing happened to me and I went back to the day unit. They packed the hole with some special stuff and gave me antibiotics. It healed well then.

[InTheoryBut]

Thanks, that's what I thought, but my notes from them say only to contact them if I have problems in the first 24-48 hours.

I just phoned NHS direct, and a dental nurse is calling me back. I hope she says go back to the unit. I need someone to do something

[luckoftheirish]

Sorry to hear you are in pain sounds like a dry socket. Go back and they will clean the area and put some kind of clove stuff on it. The relief will be instant

[gingeroots]

Go back .

Or go to GP .

Good luck and let us know how it goes ?

[InTheoryBut]

Well NHS very nice, but just said phone your dentist, who open at 9 (and got v concerned with the amount of ibuprofen I've taken in the last 24 hours, which is probably more than I should).

Have to do school run, then will phone dentist at 9. They aren't v nice there. The receptionists are very abrupt so I'm going to have to get assertive....

[gingeroots]

Oh poor you .
Don't forget you can take paracetomal alongside ibuprofen .
Can you pop into pharamacy and ask for advice on stronger painkillers ?

[ShirleyRots]

No, don't self medicate any more please. You will make yourself poorly.

You MUST go back to the dentist, you might have a dry socket or an infection and you will need hard core AB's.

CRY when you get there (I'm sure that won't be too difficult) and they might give you a numbing shot - beg them for some heavy painkillers.

If they won't prescribe painkillers ask at the chemist for their strongest OTC stuff (I find codeine is very good for tooth pain)

You poor, poor thing. You have my every sympathy.

[MrsApplepants]

Take neurofen max, it's codeine and ibuprofen, ask for it at pharmacy. Is really good for dental pain.

Hope you feel better soon

[Beanbagz]

Infection most likely. I had one when i had my wisdom tooth removed. Gargle with salt water whilst waiting to get your antibiotics.

Hope it's better soon.

[InTheoryBut]

Thank you all for your kind messages and concern.

Well, I take it back about my dental practice and now feel guilty for maligning them. Phoned at 9 and a very sympathetic receptionist got me an appointment at 10. Saw very kind dentist who tried to remove stitches to see what was going on, and then confirmed nasty infection. She cleaned it out and numbed it and packed the hole with the most disgusting tasting brown substance. I have a prescription for anti-biotics and she advised continuing to take strong co-codemol, and top up with ibprofen if I need to, but carefully watch intake over a 24 hour period.

I've got to work tomorrow, primary teacher, which I'm not looking forward to, especially leading the whole school singing assembly! May bow out of that if at all possible, and will try neurofen max over the weekend if still in pain (though lovely dentist said that anti-biotics should kick in fairly quickly, so fingers crossed).

[gingeroots]

I really don't think you should be going in to work - it's hardly a job where you can take it even the slightest bit easy .
And your body needs time and rest to fight the infection .

[Reenypip]

Hiya, I had 2 impactes wisdom teeth out by GA at normal hospital day case unit.
After 5 days, pain was getting even worse.
Fortunately I had number for the oral/maxiofacial clinic at dental hospital and I called them and said to come to clinic. I had antibiotics given and more mouthwash. A week later I was given a second antibiotics to take on top of the 1st one, after 3 weeks, the pain started to very gradually get better.

[Mycatcoco]

You will look a right sight, but while at home wear a hoodie and put ice packs or frozen peas against your cheek where pain is. Oral surgeon told me that one.

[SomewhereInCanada]

Poor you. I had to have a horizontally impacted wisdom tooth taken out by a maxillo-facial surgeon, as my dentist was too scared to touch it. I was told not to go back to work for 3 days. Turns out he took out the molar next to it too, as it crumbled when he took the wisdom tooth out. I had a huge hole at the back of my gum.

Luckily I didn't get an infection but the horse tranquillisers painkillers he prescribed me were so strong they made me sick!

[GRW]

This happened to a friend of mine who had a wisdom tooth taken out at the dentist. She was prescribed antibiotics 2 days later but felt really unwell and was vomiting so couldn't absorb them. Then her face swelled so much she had to go into hospital for intravenous antibiotics. She had to have surgery the next day to drain a large abscess inside her cheek, and she and was in intensive care for 2 days because the facial and neck swelling was compromising her airway, and she needed a tube in her throat to protect that. She has made a good recovery now, but it was hard to open her mouth wide for a few weeks afterwards.
I would agree with the others that you should stay off work tomorrow, and seek medical advice again if you're not improving on oral antibiotics.

[gingeroots]

You don't all think that possibly that's enough with the horror stories ?

Fortunately my wisdom teeth are out ,but I certainly wouldn't want to click on this thread if they weren't

[Iceaddict]

I had 4 dry sockets from having mine out a year ago its the worst pain ever so I hope it heals really quick for you, I was rinsing constantly but it wasn't enough, the thing that saved me in the end was a big syringe with a blunt needle needle to flush out the sockets. When food gets trapped sometimes it cant get out and causes infection. I used corsodyl morning and night and water in between, always after eating. get well soon

[Iceaddict]

Oh and cocodamol 30/500 from docs are brilliant