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Original poster

Insane level of tooth pain

26 replies

TheViewFromTheCheapSeats · 01/08/2021 21:47

Last few days I’ve had worsening toothache, realised I couldn’t make Monday and I managed to get an emergency dental appointment.
She was rather young, I didn’t feel confident with her. She agreed though my root canal had failed, dark area in X-ray.
I took the first amoxicillin at 6 but the pain level has ramped up. Absolutely nothing touches it. Pain on leaving forward is severe, nothing topical helps. Painkillers zero effect. Cheek is now swelling and upper gum.

Wtf do I do??? I’ve never had this level of pain go on, and even childbirth and migraines don’t compare.

I’m going insane

OP posts:

WetWeekends · 01/08/2021 21:51

Do you mean you took the first antibiotic 4 hours ago? If you do it’s obviously not had time to work yet. It might start to help by tea time tomorrow. In the meantime I would hold cold water over your tooth to give yourself some slight relief for a few minutes and make sure you keep up with the maximum dose of paracetamol OR cocodamol and ibuprofen. Clove oil meant to be good too apparently but I’ve never tried it myself.

AimingForSerenity · 01/08/2021 21:52

What painkillers have you got? You can take paracetamol or co-codamol with ibuprofen or similar.

Toothache is often worse when you lie down so you may need to prop yourself up tonight
Keep on with the amoxicillin and, hopefully it will kick in soon

FrogsLoveRain · 01/08/2021 21:52

Based on what you've said I'd be tempted to visit A&E.

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FrogsLoveRain · 01/08/2021 21:53

It's the swelling that'd concern me.

atajs · 01/08/2021 21:54

Be careful going to A&E OP, the doctor might be 'rather young'

Kitkat151 · 01/08/2021 21:54

A&E now

WetWeekends · 01/08/2021 21:55

I’m not saying don’t go to A&E obviously only the OP can make that decision, an abscess will often cause the face to swell though, I’ve had a couple. A&E very rarely do anything for teeth stuff and the OP already has antibiotics. You could ring 111 for advice though OP. You do have my sympathy it’s bloody awful!!! I also second sleeping propped up.

stayathomer · 01/08/2021 21:57

Im saying A and e here too- my son (11) was sent to a and e last year with the exact same thing and they kept him in 4 days due to infection (the dentist was closed so not sure how it would have gone if he'd gone there) best of luck op

Eleoura · 01/08/2021 21:57

What analgesia have you taken so far?

dontknowwasmadetoknow · 01/08/2021 22:00

You need these

dewisant2020 · 01/08/2021 22:00

Welcome to the club I've had severe toothache for 2 weeks now, I thought I was over the worst off it when I had my tooth extracted on Tuesday but now I have dry socket and an infection and I've honestly never been in so much pain.
I've had 2 children and gall bladder stones and that doesn't even come close to the mess I'm in now. Let's hope we both improve soon x

ParkheadParadise · 01/08/2021 22:05

Toothache is the worst pain.
Clove oil is good for temporary relief. I would also take salted warm water hold it in your mouth for as long as possible.

GoodVibesHere · 01/08/2021 22:08

If desperate, soak a cotton wool ball in whisky and hold it on the tooth, it numbs the pain for a bit.

ButcherBaker · 01/08/2021 22:10

Can you call an emergency dentist for advice?

If you go to A&E you’ll be waiting a long time , I guarantee it

Lucienandjean · 01/08/2021 22:12

Toothache is just the worst pain.

My (bitter) experience says: take the best painkillers you've got (or can send someone out for) - paracetamol, ibuprofen, codeine...Then plan on sleeping propped up tonight, try a bag of frozen peas on your jaw, and take your next dose of antibiotics before attempting to sleep, even if that's a little early.

Also, remember stress makes pain worse. Keep reminding yourself the antibiotics will work, this is just temporary, you've been checked over by a dentist, tomorrow will be better, etc etc. Sounds a bit trite, but it really did help me to stay calm, and that helps with the pain.

Once the antibiotics kick in you'll get good relief. In the meantime it's all about doing what you need to to get some rest.

TheFairyCaravan · 01/08/2021 22:22

The antibiotics haven’t had a chance to work yet.

You need to keep on top of the painkillers. Ibuprofen or Aspirin is good because they reduce the inflammation. When I had an abscess I found 3 soluble aspirin gave me the most relief. Take paracetamol and codeine 2 hours after.

Warm salt mouthwashes will help too. A teaspoon of salt in a tumbler of boiled water. Let it cool a bit and rinse your mouth every hour.

An ice pack on your face will help too.

I wouldn’t go to A&E unless the swelling gets so bad that it starts tracking down your neck. You’ll only end up sitting in the waiting room all night.

endofthelinefinally · 01/08/2021 22:38

@TheFairyCaravan

The antibiotics haven’t had a chance to work yet.

Warm salt mouthwashes will help too. A teaspoon of salt in a tumbler of boiled water. Let it cool a bit and rinse your mouth every hour.

An ice pack on your face will help too.

I wouldn’t go to A&E unless the swelling gets so bad that it starts tracking down your neck. You’ll only end up sitting in the waiting room all night.

This is exactly what my dentist advised. He is very good and I have faith in him. It takes 48 hours for ABx to kick in IME.

PurpleMustang · 01/08/2021 22:45

I have honestly found the pain of infection around a tooth needing a root canal worse than child birth. Due to dentist being ill and then lockdown I had a period of 6 months having reoccurring infections, think about 6 in total and the treatment was half done, took the nerve out 2 months in with no injections due to an infection (that was hard going) but after 4 more months I begged them to just take it out in full lockdown. They wouldn't finish it and did not want me to even go to the emergency dentist to remove it. I was also recommended the Paramol above, but be careful with the dose and side affects. On the last infection my face swelled and I was told (as my neck was sore to touch) that if the pain kept travelling down towards my throat to ring 999 as it could close my throat. So do be careful. Good luck

CakeIsMyFavouriteAndBest · 01/08/2021 22:54

Get to A & E now. I had this on Monday evening and by the time I got to A & E my cheek was so swollen, I ended up on IV antibiotics at 3am and had to go to the specialist hospital at 10am to have it drained (the injection for this was the worst pain I have ever felt in my life)
I had a reaction to one of the 2 antibiotics I was prescribed so am now awaiting results from a blood test on Friday to see if they have affected my liver.
So get yourself to A & E and get treated sooner rather than later.
I also saw my dentist on Wednesday who cannot treat me until the infection is gone and the swelling has gone down. Dentaline on Monday evening couldn't even give me a dental telephone triage.
My cheek is still swollen (but nothing like last week) and I'm struggling on the antibiotics (plus I was on codeine for the pain) but I am so glad I went to A & E as it could have been even worse if I hadn't.

CakeIsMyFavouriteAndBest · 01/08/2021 22:57

Oh and I called 111 before I went who told me I had to see a dentist within 12 hours and a clinician would call back within 12 hrs.
Couldn't get an emergency dentist to see me and they didn't call back within 12 hrs. In fact they called when I was at the hospital having it drained the next morning.
I'm so glad I ignored them and went to A & E and both doctors and nurses told me I'd done the right think going up there (even if I was there for 7 hours)

ParkheadParadise · 01/08/2021 23:03

Bloody Hell @CakeIsMyFavouriteAndBest
That sounds horrendous, hope your on the mend.

gegs73 · 01/08/2021 23:07

DH had something similar last year. It was horrendous I’ve never seen anyone in so much pain and no-one was helping quickly. I would recommend ringing 111 and asking them to give you a pain relief regime until it’s sorted and a dentist can see you to treat it. Whilst he was waiting for treatment they got the pain under control, think he was taking Paracetamol, ibuprofen and codine (?) every few hours as recommended and through the night. He also had pretty bad swelling which started going down after 3 doses of the antibiotics. He did go to A and E and they just said to keep an eye on it. Hope they sort it quickly.

DonttouchthatLarry · 01/08/2021 23:19

Only thing that helped me was a bag of frozen peas. The pain is horrendous, you have my sympathy.

Original poster

TheViewFromTheCheapSeats · 03/08/2021 15:55

The swelling became awful, I asked but was told it was normal/ to wait. The weird thing was it was not really the area of infection involved. My eye was the worst and it was spreading over the skin even though the tooth pain went. I was starting to worry as my head was progressing to a football. Luckily I got advice from a hcp friend who correctly said it was actually an allergic reaction. Once it was addressed everything came back under control again fast.

OP posts:

catlovingdoctor · 03/08/2021 15:58

You think older dentists/professionals never get anything wrong then?

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