I’ve never had toothache before…

[ToofHurty]

I’ve managed to get to the age of 46 having never had toothache in my life, until Friday.

Oh my God it’s just the worst pain ever. Paracetamol, Brufen and codeine haven’t touched it today. A friend dropped some Tramadol off earlier and I’ve just take one. Childbirth was easier for me, I genuinely mean that.

I’m not even joking when I say had DH been awake with me at 3am I may have considered asking him to grab some pliers and see if the tooth came out fairly easily, as it couldn’t have been any more painful than it already was.

I’ll be at my dentists at 9am tomorrow refusing to leave the waiting room until I’m seen. The tooth is a root canal, it’s got to be infected to be this painful, and I want the bugger out!!

Just posting to try and distract myself until the Tramadol kicks in.

Oh god I really feel for u ! It’s absolutely horrific the pain and no amount of painkillers seem to touch it. Last year I had an infected root banal abscess and was pregnant. I was actually crying in pain on my own with a toddler while everyone was at worked. I then got it out which was horrific in itself as the Absess stopped it for numbing properly then for good measure ended up with a dry socket which is without a shadow of a doubt the worst pain I’ve ever had in my entire life. I’d sooner saw my head off than live tht again. I hope u get sorted at the dentist tomo !!!

Oh I’ve spent this afternoon reading up about dry socket and going back and forth between trying to save the tooth and getting it pulled, but the thought of another root canal treatment and then this flare up possibly happening ever again is not a nice one.

I haven’t been able to leave the house since Friday night and I’ve had maybe 6 hours sleep in total all weekend. It’s agony.

Try having a swill with whiskey or vodka.

Do you not have an emergency dentist number you could try tonight?

God yeah. Another one voting for emergency dentist. Realise this isn't easy depending on where you are. But I've had a fair bit of similar issues and thank all the gods that I've got a great emergency dentist.

Try and get some Oil of cloves from a chemist and keep dabbing it on the tooth and gum. I thought it was one of those old fashioned remedies that don’t really work, but it does!

I'm 38 and have a wisdom tooth coming through. The pain has been unreal today. I've been to the dentist twice but its not erupted yet so they won't do anything just antibiotics.
Currently sucking on an ice lolly to ease the pain

Is it coming through straight? Have they x-rayed?

No emergency dentists nearby, I’ve looked today and couldn’t find anyone, private or NHS, available on a Sunday.

I called 111 yesterday to see if they’d tell me of anywhere I could go, but as I don’t have any visible facial swelling or a closed throat or breathing difficulties they advised keep taking painkillers and see a dentist on Monday (that was yesterday).

I’ll try my NHS dentist at 8am when they open and I have a list of local private dentists that offer emergency appointments (unfortunately not on Sundays though). At this point I’ll pay whatever it takes to be seen by the first dentist that can see me tomorrow.

Took a Tramadol at 7pm and it’s done nothing.

Be careful taking medication not prescribed for you OP. But I do understand. I’ve had so much tooth trouble this year I have almost pulled my own tooth out!

I hope you get the help you need tomorrow

Be careful taking medication not prescribed for you OP

I know, I’ve never taken anything like this in my life, certainly never taken anyone else’s meds before but that’s how much pain I’m in.

I will have the utmost sympathy in future for anyone that tells me they have toothache. I had no idea it was this bad.

I’m self employed and have already cancelled my work for tomorrow, there’s no way I could work feeling like this. I NEVER cancel work.

What on earth do people do who aren’t registered with an NHS dentist and can’t afford private? I’d genuinely think I’d pull the tooth myself.

Been in the same boat myself and 111 got me through to a dental nurse about 3 hours later who said the same - cycling the usual 2 OTC tablets which barely made a dent. I went back to oral surgery as it was post operation and they gave me an antibiotic but still no other pain relief. Something about the UK that they rarely prescribe any strong painkillers for tooth pain!

Dissolvable sulphadine max,
Followed by 2 x ibuprofen capsules (fast acting) 2 hours later
Repeat

Orajel extra strength 20% (from over the counter, make sure it is the 20%), it numbs it, and is bloody brilliant. It doesn't last long, but even temporary relief is worth it.

Clove oil

It'll still be horrendous, but the above is the best you can do until you see the dentist. I've had lots of toothache, afew root canals. This by far was the only method to take the edge off, and I have tried everything!

Honestly the relief when they go in, and stick the sedative dressing on the nerve is like nothing else!

There is an over the counter numbing gel Oragel I think it's called.
It really helps numb it , if you can get some first thing?

I ALWAYS have a fresh tube at home
It lasts about an hour and you can apply several times a day.
Sleep sitting up as its worse if the blood flow increases when you lie down.
Take an anti inflammatory like Ibuprofen or Naproxen if you have any.
Hope you get sorted tomorrow

Oops xpost !

I'm so sorry, it's horrendous isn't it? I have unfortunately had a lot of issues with my teeth over the years but an abscessed wisdom tooth was the worst. I'd give birth 1000 times over rather than suffer that again. Over lockdown, couldn't get a dentist appointment for weeks even emergency/private, it was actual torture. I spent a lot of time as a sobbing, delirious, drooling mess.

I found swishing with diluted TCP helped, or just swishing with lukewarm water in general - but it varies massively depending on what kind of pain it is (and I ended up taking all the skin off the inside of my cheeks from the TCP and hospitalised with water toxicity from drinking too much water so maybe don't take my advice 😆 at least they gave me morphine in the hospital!)

Good luck, I hope you can get it dealt with tomorrow!

Thanks everyone.

Well the Tramadol didn’t even touch it.

I can take another one at 11pm. I’ve just taken another 2 paracetamol and I can take some more Brufen in 41 minutes. Done a swish with warm salt water. Found some bonjela in the cupboard that expired in November 21 - I can’t feel much worse so I’ve slathered it on.

I'd give birth 1000 times over rather than suffer that again
I don’t think I’d have believed anyone that said this until now. I’m with you 100 percent!! I can’t imagine suffering this in lockdown with no appointments for weeks. It’s only the knowledge that I’ll get seen tomorrow no matter what it costs or how far I have to travel that has stopped me trying a DIY extraction.

At a pinch, a whole clove between your tooth and gum will release enough oil to numb it. Better if you can bear to chew it a bit to soften it up.

Try the whiskey or vodka on it - alcohol may help kill the infection if you believe old wives tales. And it may help you sleep!

Oh dear, so sorry your in so much pain. I found that the Tramadol made no difference whatsoever. The only thing that helped at all was Ibuprofen and Codeine and Paracetamol.
Really hope you get some relief soon x

Orajel or Anbesol (liquid if u can get it) will numb it - can you send someone to a late night pharmacy?

OP boots do a pain killer which is ibuprofen & codeine. I took that, along with clove oil and it helped.

I had wisdom teeth out and then got dry socket, so if you have the tooth out DONT take ibuprofen as it can thin the blood and I think that's what lead to dry socket. But they're fine to take before extraction.

I feel your pain, it's absolutely horrendous and also would rather give birth than go through that again. Good luck!

I’ve seen my dentist, I cried, both he and the reception staff were so lovely to me, maybe because I look like death warmed up.

One x-Ray later I’ve got a very infected tooth and it’s lifted the gum away from the bone. I’ve got Metronidazole and Amoxicillin to take for 5 days, the tooth is being extracted next Monday and I’ll have an implant in 6 months time which is expensive but I’ve spent a fair bit of money already on this tooth and now want to get it sorted once and for all.

Dentist reckons I’ll have a noticeable reduction in pain even by tonight if I get a couple of doses of the antibiotics down today.

I feel incredibly lucky to have an NHS dentist today, and one that has seen me so quickly. I’m going to have a nap and then find out where I can leave them an excellent review.

Thanks for all the advice, hoping for a decent nights sleep tonight.

Supermarkets have standard Orajel, but an extra-strength version is available at pharmacy counters:

https://www.boots.com/orajel-extra-strength-dental-gel-53g

Really feel for you. I woke up with hellish toothache in 2013. Never felt anything like it. Miles worse than childbirth.

Mine was a wisdom tooth that I was able to get removed the same day, thankfully.

The experience stayed with me so much that my biggest fear in lockdown was it happening again with no help available.