Wisdom tooth repeat infections.

[SwanShaped]

I keep getting infections in my lower wisdom tooth gum. But I’m very scared of having it out because I hate the dentist. Anyone else had this, and is it worth going through extraction? What’s the sedative like? I don’t want gruesome horror stories, please.

[SwanShaped]

That’s quite extreme, gerbil.

Thanks mama. One step at a time. I can always chicken out later. And who knows, maybe the hospital will say there’s something that can easily be done to stop the recurrent infections.

[mamakoukla]

Gosh SwanShaped, that dentist was unforgivable. Fear is a very real emotion. You are doing brilliantly, inching your way forward.

[NiceGerbil]

I know someone this happened to.

I think it was more pushed by the dentists etc as easier for them rather than treating.

My friend aunt went to have 2 teeth removed or similar and they said look it'll be easier and better for you and us if we take them all out. And she said ok...

[SwanShaped]

What?! All removed?! And wear false teeth? Or those ones that you screw into the bone? Antibiotics sounds a good idea. I’m the same as you, with the idea. If I’m on this thread I can just about imagine going through with it. And then other times I feel like I’m gonna have a panic attack about it.

[Medievalist]

I'm going to ring up on Monday and ask if I can have a repeat prescription for antibiotics (which worked really well a couple of months ago). I have to travel for work the rest of the week and don't want to be stuck in pain and unable to see my dentist.

I'm currently having a couple of crowns done (I did say the rest of my teeth aren't great!) so have to go back in a couple of weeks anyway and will discuss further then. But I know from what she has previously said that she will want me to have the wisdom tooth removed. If I'm in the right frame of mind I can just about getting my head round it. If I'm not then there's a risk I could become hysterical.

Ironically, I'm old enough to know that many people of my parents' generation had all their teeth removed in their 20s so they could have "nice looking" false teeth (the modern equivalent of veneers I guess). My godmother and mother in law did. Absolutely beggars belief!

[SwanShaped]

I let my mean dentist know I was scared and she was still horrible. But the ones I had the other day as an emergency were nice. So I need to see if I can see them again for my check up. What are you going to do about yours?

[Medievalist]

And like you, I also had teeth out at the dentist as a child - with gas and air. Nothing like being completely out of it but feeling in full the pain of each extraction!

What I would say is that most dentists now understand that some people are afraid. I recently registered with a new dentist following a house move and when i did so I declared myself to be a very anxious patient. So the dentist knew what to expect.

[SwanShaped]

Btw I clearly can’t spell medieval. I guessed it and then had to go back and check.

[SwanShaped]

Oh my god medivialist. That’s how I feel. I could just cry at the thought of it. So what I’m gonna do now, is take it one step at a time. So Monday I’ll phone up to get a check up. Then they’ll refer me. Then I’ll go to the assessment and then I may or may not have it out depending on what they say. I’ve been trying to ignore it for so long and it’s just hanging over my head. Like it’s lurking there all the time. And now this infection has been so bad I’ve had two days in bed from the pain. I think it’s just about turned a corner now and feels a tiny bit better. This thread has honestly been so helpful, partly all the positive stories but also people saying I’m not a wuss. I actually cried at whoever wrote that!

[Medievalist]

SwanShaped - am following with huge interest. I didn't follow dental advice to have my impacted wisdom teeth out in my 20s (too scared) and had no trouble until last year (now in my 50s). I've got a partially erupted wisdom tooth lower right lying on its side with roots embedded in my jaw. I had a really painful infection a few months ago and today I can feel it starting up again 😩.

Dentist said I should have it out if infection comes back and I am absolutely scared shitless. They'd have to cut through the jaw to get it out. The rest of my teeth aren't great and I'm worried the molar next to it will be damaged.

Totally understand your fear. Makes me cry regularly.

I'd love to know how you get on.

[SwanShaped]

Well that dentist has left now, thank god. She was so horrible. I will go back. I can’t have this happen again. It’s so bad. I can only eat soup. I wish my logical brain could just take over. But my fear one does. Which is why reading that other people have had teeth out and it’s worth it, really helps.

I don’t use corsodyl. Just tcp or salt water. I’ll try corsodyl.

[bestbefore]

@SwanShaped you're probably not really treating the infection if they come back, you do really need to have the dentist have a look properly. Understand you've had some back luck with Dentists but please do go back. Once the tooth is out it will be so much better. Do you use a mouth wash like corsodlyl - that will help wash the teeth properly (only use very short term)

[eightlivesdown]

The antibiotics will kick in in a day or so in my experience of using them for the pain of dental infections.

I've also been in a situation where the injection didn't sufficiently numb the pain, and had to ask for an extra injection. It isn't about most people - one size fits all - but about you, and a medical professional should be flexible and skilled enough to handle different situations. Their comment re dripping blood is completely out of order.

[eightlivesdown]

Don't feel a wuss. Everyone's scared of something, often things our logical mind tells us aren't a threat.

Being scared of a dentist is common - many of us have had painful dental experiences, often when younger, and it can stay with you for life.

[SwanShaped]

I haven’t actually had to have antibiotics for about two years. But get minor infections every 6 weeks. I sort them out with salt water and tcp. Weird thing is, I don’t actually mind the injections from the LA. It’s not that at all. It’s just the whole thing of it being the dentist. I had a small procedure on my foot recently and i was fine. It’s just something about teeth. I think it’s that I feel trapped lying back or something. And teeth are hard not soft so it makes it all feel worse somehow. Also, I once had a tooth out when I was a kid and the anaesthetic didn’t work. So that kind of put me off a bit too. Last time I had a filling, the dentist didn’t wait long enough for the anaesthetic to work and I could feel it hurting. When I said I could feel it, she tutted and said ‘most people don’t need two injections’ and made me feel really bad, like I was an idiot. When I left she said ‘you’re lucky you didn’t leave here with blood dripping down your face like most people do’.

[mamakoukla]

SwanShaped, you’re not a wuss. The other recommendation is, if done as a local, they can apply a numbing cream before injecting the local anaesthetic. In the UK, it was always done without at the dentists I had visited. Now abroad, and every single time a local is used, they numb the area beforehand. You wrote earlier of repeat infections every six weeks. That’s a lot of antibiotics and painkillers! The dentist was going to refer you to a specialist which is brilliant as they have the knowledge and skills to get this sorted as quickly and easily as possible. Some days of healing and then it’s all done

[bestbefore]

Please make sure the dentist sees the infection, especially if you've had repeated ones, you don't want them to damage the other teeth.
I recently had 3 out under general, had one out 20 years ago. It was fine, needed a bit of care afterwards as the biggest issue was food getting caught in the new hole but the actual op was fine. And the other one I had out before was under a local; some discomfort but ok, if you don't like the sounds you could try some earplugs or headphones?
Good luck and please don't be scared; these people really know what they are doing!

[OchonAgusOchonOh]

@Rowgtfc72 - mine was still coming up for a similar length of time. About 35 years ago, there was a tiny corner up. After about 20 years of gradual poking through that was slower than the Leaning Tower of Pisa tilting, it had maybe a half cm up in one corner. Then it did a bit of a spurt over the next 5 years, slowed down again for about 5 years and then another bit of movement in the last 5 years.

Bastard things, wisdom teeth.

Go and talk to an oral surgeon. They can do things like remove part of the tooth. I originally went to one about 30 years ago and did nothing as there was a danger of nerve damage and it wasn't really giving me much trouble. Things have moved on in terms of technology and techniques so they might be able to do something now that wasn't possible previously.

[SwanShaped]

Seriously what is the point of wisdom teeth?! They just seem to cause bother 32 years is a long time.

[Rowgtfc72]

I was in your position at uni in 1990. Had to see a strange dentist in a strange town because I couldn't even open my mouth enough to get a spoonful of cereal in.
Many years of antibs later.....I still have the tooth. Its almost all the way through now but I still get infections under the flap of skin, but not so painful these days. Who'd have know a tooth could still be coming through after 32 years!
Many dentists have told me I would need GA, jaw dislocation and my jawbone cracked, hence I still have the tooth!
Incidentally I had a top wisdom tooth out years ago, no problems, but it was all the way through.
Hope you get sorted.

[SwanShaped]

Oh my god I am still in so much pain! Didn’t feel well enough to phone up yesterday so will do it on Monday. Really hoping that the antibiotics start working soon as I can barely eat. I can’t open my mouth. I’m gonna have to get it out. Thanks for the extra positive stories. And also makes me feel less like a wuss that other people also find it scary.

[Sonata13]

Had one out in January at my own dentist. Very terrified. Local anaesthetic, two pulls and it was out. Didn't even bleed. No pain or swelling. Walked home on cloud nine. It all felt a bit miraculous! You never know you might be as lucky. Good luck and try not to worry.

[Howcanthisbe123]

You would be surprised actually! I have a fear of needles, and one going into my mouth is the equivalent of murdering me in my mind.

However I was in such pain once that I couldn’t wait days for the sedation thing to go through as I’m normally put out, and told them to just do it.

Felt like a fool after as it wasn’t bad in the slightest and it was the fear of it being worse than it actually being done!

You don’t feel a thing when they inject into your mouth- keep your eyes closed. They then pull it out and you can feel it but it’s completely painless, just like you can feel someone holding your hand or moving your arm but no pain.

He had his foot up on my chair at one point pulling it out- properly putting effort into it, and whilst I could feel it there was just zero pain- it was an intriguing experience!

[NiceGerbil]

Not RTFT

I had all 4 out under a general.

Just FYI

[mamakoukla]

Swanshaped, hope it’s not feeling too rough today and you have gotten an appointment.