Dental abscess? So much pain

[DuchessofManchester]

I'm in absolute agony. Yesterday one side of my mouth swelled up. Horrible aching pain in lower back tooth area. I can't open my mouth more than a fingers width...
What do I do? Walk in centre, a and e? I've no dentist or emergency dentist round here.
Ice and painkillers not even touching it

If you call 111, they might be able to give you the number of an emergency dentist.

You poor thing!! I had two abscesses last year on two cracked teeth. Call 111 and see what they say. I had mine drained initially which was a great relief. They couldn't save the teeth with root canal treatment so I had mine extracted which was fine. Now considering dental implants....

You will need to see a dentist, but short-term, antibiotics may help as it sounds like you've got a nasty infection going on in there.

Generally a GP or A&E won't deal with a dental issue at all, apart from possibly issuing painkillers. But you can get those from the chemist more easily. When I had an abscess, they recommended alternating cocodamol and Ibuprofen.

You need an emergency dentist, there's no way around it.

And a word of caution for when you see the dentist- they will have to give you antibiotics before they can deal with the tooth. It's quite likely to be metronidazole, so avoid alcohol and even alcoholic mouthwash. Otherwise you may end up feeling worse

You need to go to an emergency dentist to get the antibiotics prescribed.

I had to do this just before Christmas and 111 were convinced that I was having a stroke as they asked if my face was lopsided and I said yes (because it was).

Had a dreadful abscess back in September and did go to A&E, I felt like killing myself. I could hardly book myself in I was crying so much! They did give me antibiotics after taking one look at me and I saw an emergency dentist the next day. Good luck. I wouldn't wish it on anyone.

If you have swelling on the lower, go to a&e. If it's swelling on the upper go to an emergency dentist.

If it's very back tooth region and horrible aching affecting the opening of your mouth, this sounds like it could be wisdom tooth pain.

I when my wisdom teeth were coming through, every couple of months they would move through a bit more and I would get a gum infection around it, absolutely agony but will settle down if you rinse with warm salty water and use corsodyl mouthwash in that local area. Don't continue use if corsodyl as it stains your teeth.

When I had this I called the nhs phone line and they got me an appointment at emergency dentist who killed the root then and there instant relief though had to go back for root canal

Thank you so much! Got an appointment for 2 this afternoon. I currently look like a hamster.

Good luck, dental pain is awful

You poor, poor thing, it's the absolute worst kind of pain. Best of luck for your appointment. The relief after having an abscess drained is incredible!

Thank you everyone. It's an infection so I've got metronidazole and strong painkillers. Hopefully it'll start to kick in soon x

Just searched and found this thread as I have the same! Had a bit of toothache at work Friday and by yesterday morning my cheek had begun to swell and now I also have the hamster look and feel really quite poorly.

I thought I’d wait until Monday to try and get an appointment at my usual dentist as we live very rurally and I’d potentially have to go miles for an emergency dentist and I don’t feel up to driving at the moment (plus I’m doped up to the eyeballs on cocodamol). I’ve had an abscess before but never with the swelling like this and it took two rounds of antibiotics to clear, then an extraction

Hope your appointment went well OP. What did they do?

Ah, cross post OP. Glad you’ve got something to help with the pain.

My DP had one start NYE we did find an emergency dentist luckily he is taking Penicillin and Metronidazole be warned he’s very tired taking it and has bad nausea. He has another appointment Thursday. I’ve never had an abcess but from what he’s been like they sound awful. Good luck OP

Advice I got at 2am by emergency dentist when I was in excruciating pain was;

To alternate between paracetamol and ibuprofen

Sleep with your head quite high to relieve pain, I had 4 pillows that night!

Apply an ice pack, covered in a tea towel, to the area

Hope that's enough to get you through the night!

Good luck it's miserable and painful.

It's an infection so I've got metronidazole and strong painkillers.

Good, but although this should relieve the problem for now, you really should see a dentist too.

Hope the painkillers are kicking in, and (obviously) do take the full course of antibiotics even if you feel fine before they're finished.

You can't have a drop of alcohol with metronidazole, literally not a drop. It's what they give alcoholics in rehab, so of they had anything with alcohol it would make them physically sick. Good luck OP. Toothache is by far the worst pain.

Definitely sorting the problem tooth out as soon as I can and avoiding my beloved savignon blanc! i no longer want DH to knock me out to relieve the pain so progress!!

Seen my usual dentist this morning and have both metronidazole and amoxycillin! X-ray showed two teeth that need either pulling or root canals , and a massive ‘bubble’ of pus!

You poor things. Worst pain I've ever been in was due to dental abscesses. Far, far worse than childbirth, c sections, a mammoth ovarian cyst, perforated eardrum... You get the picture! I was so delirious with pain I was entertaining fantasies about having all my teeth pulled out, just so this could never happen again!

Hope the antibiotics work quickly. In my experience, they kick in pretty quickly.

Oh you poor love. Glad its improving. There's no worse pain than tooth ache. With most other pain. You can get relief even if its for a few seconds,but Toothache is relentless. I'll freely admit I've screamed with it before today.
Honestly if I had 3 wishes. One would be never to get toothache again.
Do they want to see you for a follow up appointment