Dental abscess, antibiotics not worked - what now?

[SinkGirl]

I am on the waiting list to have two broken molars and a wisdom tooth removed under sedation or GA.

In October I developed an abscess and was prescribed metaclopramide which got rid of it.

Last week one of my molars cracked further and I ended up with a very painful infection. They prescribed amoxicillin. I have one tablet left and although the pain is better than it was (it was agony) I still have a lot of pain / throbbing.

I’m going to call them tomorrow - am I out of options? I wish I could just let the dentist do the treatment but my phobia is so severe I just can’t do it.

I will ask them to chase up the referral but it could be months. Can’t afford to go private. I want to cut off my own head right now.

Hi, it will have been metronidazole that got rid of your first infection. When you ring tmrw, mention that this has worked for you in the past.

Do you have a swelling or just toothache?

Unfortunately antibiotics don't really work on toothache. You need treatment.

If there's a swelling they could drain it, if it's toothache the dentist could dress the tooth, if you could cope with a filling? But tbh the best way to get rid of the pain is to have the tooth out

Even abscesses need treatment, antibiotics alone aren't ideal

Get them out...insist they book you in this week. I feel your pain OP. I would rather give birth than have toothache!!!

Thanks all, including the drug name - I’m sure that’s something either my mum or nan took and my brain substituted the names!

Yes, there’s been swelling, redness etc both times. It’s definitely been infections, not just toothache. This one caused pain in my neck and pain opening my mouth which fortunately has improved and this morning it doesn’t feel too bad but it seems to get worse as the day goes on.

I really hate teeth.

Will see how it is this morning and go back if it’s bad.

Is there a local dentist that offers sedation?

No, it’s all done through a community dental service which is massively over subscribed. I really wish I could just suck it up and get it done without, it’s hard to explain how debilitating it is. It’s taken me several years of intermittent pain to just sign up to a dentist. I wish I could go back and do it sooner as they’ve been so understanding and helpful but I didn’t.

I know how ridiculous it sounds but I can barely even sit in the chair. It’s completely disproportionate.

It started with a needle phobia I’ve always had but then got worse after a couple of really traumatic medical experiences involving needles, and now I feel hysterical at even the thought of letting them near my mouth.

I’ve even had hypnotherapy to try and get over it, I feel so silly and like I should be able to just do it, but I guess phobias aren’t really like that.

Do you have a dental hospital locally or maxfac dept in your local hosp as they both offer extractions under sedation/GA too it might be worth being on a few waiting lists but the way the NHS is at the mo the lists are about 6/8 MTHS for treatment but if you are under their care they have to offer pain management.

No there’s nothing else at all. When I lived in London I had treatment at the dental hospital under sedation and it was incredible, they were so kind. Provision here is basically non-existant.

Right now the swelling is down so I’m hoping it stays that way and will see how it goes today.

That sounds awful OP . My son is waiting for root canal work and has had 2 different lots of antibiotics .

I think he was told ( any dentists/medics pse correct me ) that the antibiotics work on the soft tissue but not on the infection in the socket .
So they only help a bit .

He found Oragel ( Boots/Superdrug ) helpful .And ibroprufen and paracetomal.

I imagine protocol is against it but I wonder if it would be possible for your GP to prescribe a some diazepam so you could at least have a dentist dress the tooth ? Could you ask the dentist if this is allowable ?

If it's a swelling would you be able to cope with them draining it? It would be a needle but it's very quick and no drilling.

I don't know of anyway to push through GA or sedation treatment. Everyone waiting is having problems unfortunately, there really isn't much provision for NHS treatment for sedation/GA.

The only other option is another course of metronidazole.

@BlueCornsihPixie do you know if dental patients can have dental work done if they've taken diazepam,lorazepam or similar ?

I’m phobic about dentists too. Recently had some root canal work done privately with nitrous oxide which was wonderful. However when I’ve had other work done without that, I’ve managed to change my thinking to thinking that the dentist is there to help me get out of pain and that has helped me go through with it. Also my doctor gave me a prescription for diazepam, which also helps. Dental pain is awful, extractions don’t take that long and then the pain is gone.

My dentist is happy for me to take diazepam before appointments, although I think it’s harder to get gp’s to prescribe it for this purpose.

I’ve had diazepam to see a dentist before, it was the dentist who prescribed it but this was a long time ago so not sure whether they still do this.

I don’t think my GP would - I’ve had to have two short courses of it in the last year due to a back injury so they’d be reluctant to prescribe it again. I could try it.

I have found that dentists have improved massively in recent years .My lovely ( NHS ) dentist is fantastic , I honestly don't know when I'm having an injection .He puts a cotton wool pad on the gum ,presumably it has some agent on it ,and then injects really slowly .

I always try and concentrate on the feel of his hand against my mouth as it takes my mind off work on my teeth . It's my mind/thoughts that need distracting as he has never caused any pain .

SinkGirl ask your GP - a couple of sedatives 3 times a year might be less of a health risk than ongoing infection and use of antibiotics .

Dentists can prescribed diazepam. GPs shouldn't.

Yes ask re sedatives because that versus the risks of not treating an ongoing infection and abscess are minor

dietcokemum
" Dentists can prescribed diazepam. GPs shouldn't."

because ?

Normally you would have to go to your GP for diazepam but you can be treated if you have taken it