Help. Can't cope with "toothache"

[HydrangeaBush]

I've got "toothache" that's been getting steadily worse. It woke me up last night and I took paracetamol and ibuprofen

Today it's got worse. I've stayed drugged up. At lunchtime I saw a dentist who said it's not a dental infection (to my surprise) and did an x ray of the area. However at that time the ibuprofen was working.

I can't take any more paracetamol as I'm probably slightly over what I shod take in 24 hours. I took ibuprofen an hour ago.

I'm in tears as the pain just won't stop.

What on earth can I do? What is it? NHS direct/111 when I go through it online just says to see a dentist... Which I have.

Look up trigeminal neuralgia. In the meantime call 111 over and over. The NHS is required to get you out of pain at least. Push.

I'm another who alternated paracetamol then 2 hours later ibroufen and repeat.
Also a hot water bottle against my face and salt water rinse.
Mine was a nerve dying and went on for 5 days and I was climbing the walls. Try not to panic and hopefully you will get some sleep and the pain will ease. Best of luck. Wouldn't wish it on anybody. My toothache was worse than gallstone attacks

Yeah me too, the pain I had was dying nerve. Jesus Christ the pain was ridiculous. They drilled my tooth and put some sort of steroid in there to kill the nerve. After a couple of days it worked.

My DH is a dentist and the amount of times other dentists have read X-rays wrong and he's had to correct them is shocking.
I would call the dental practice back tomorrow and ask for a different dentist.
Just because she's the head dentist doesn't mean she's any good. It just means she has money.

I've taken the paracetamol but a bit worried you're not supposed to take it 4 times in 24 hours so you can't actually take it every 4 hours if its at night too.

And ibuprofen can't be very 6 it needs to be 8 hours apart in 24 hours.

I'm going nuts. I can't work like this.

I can't cope not knowing why it hurts or if something more serious is wrong with the mechanic inside my jaw. It's been there a long time though?!

The dentist was the head dentist of my practice. And she did a small xray of the area (said hospital can do a bigger one but I don't know how to get seen by the hospital dentisr)

But I wasn't crying with pain then. Do I ring them again on the morning? I literally need to run a seminar in the morning so I can't be ringing all day either. I'm shattered. I can't do this.

I’m sorry and you’re not the only one. I’ve felt this pain too. Ring 111 now and explain your situation fully. Explain how much pain you’re in and the help you need without feeling rude. You won’t regret it.

You need to go online to contact emergency dentist,111 ASAP in the morning.
You will get a call back.
The main question will be "have you taken more than the recommended amount of pain relief"
My answer was truthfully "yes" and I was seen by another dentist a few hours later. Antibiotics prescribed and the pain subsided within 10 hour's. x

Get the hot water bottle over your face/cheek. Do the hot salt water rinse.

I've taken paracetamol/ aspirin before required time frames on occasion because I couldn't cope. Don't worry too much about that if you're taking it slightly early etc. It's a one off.

The doctor's likely to prescribe antibiotics quicker than a dentist if you focus on facial/ sinus/ tooth pain combo. Worst resort you might get short course of steroids. Basically, something will be done to stop the pain, whatever the cause. It is going to go, you just have to be firm with them.

Please forget work for at least tomorrow x
Nobody knows the level of pain the mouth can give, worse than labour x

Ring 111, they might be able to get you an appt at an emergency dental hub. Toothache doesn't go away, it only gets worse. I hope you get something sorted out. I have in the past couple of years had loads if trouble with my teeth (thanks menopause) and toothache is the worst pain I have ever experienced, you have my every sympathy.

You can have codeine with paracetamol and ibuprofen. You can't buy codeine alone, that's prescription only.

You can buy both codeine+paracetamol (called co-codamol) and codeine+ibuprofen. Don't try to buy both from the same place, they'll refuse the sale in case you're addicted.

12.5mg is the maximum amount of codeine in these OTC meds. Basic prescription strength co-codamol is 30/500 so 30mg codeine and 500mg paracetamol combined.

Co-codamol 12.5/500
Plus
Ibuprofen+codeine 12.5/? (IDK the amount for ibuprofen)
Equals
25mg codeine total

You needn't start with that though, you can try co-codamol 5/500, with separate plain ibuprofen, and see how you get on, that would be the next step up from where you are now. (I think 5mg codeine is the lowest OTC, a pharmacist can advise you).

You can't take aspirin and ibuprofen together, they're the same drug family. IDK if you can take aspirin alongside co-codamol.

I have used Oragel before which worked very well, but on a tooth, not implant, but it might tske the edge off. Good luck

I’m up with toothache too op and I swear it’s worse than the 2 horrific labours I had, both induced.

mine is a tooth that is broken and I have no dentist. I am on a lot of pain meds anyway as I have fibromyalgia and other issues and
nothing is helping. I have 2 autistic kids to look after and I am destroyed. Solidarity and a big hug to you.

I’ve just had my wisdom tooth extracted but before that it was infected. Horrific pain.

Youre right to be careful re Paracetamol but you can take quite a bit more than the standard dose of Ibuprofen over a day. My DP has migraine disorders and the neurologist told him to take three at once (with other meds too!). The NHS website has the info re this.

You potentially need antibiotics. If you think that’s the case you can get them online, overnight. But I would contact 111/your GP and describe jaw/facial pain. Don’t call it toothache. Tell them you’ve been seen an x-rayed by a dentist who has ruled out a dental cause.

Your GP (or a duty doctor) can prescribe both antibiotics and prescription painkillers. I needed both to get me through.

Hi

When you say metal work inside your face, was this under a maxillo facial surgeon? If so -a trip to A&E would trigger a review by them. Otherwise you need to return to the dentist as an emergency.

You have my sympathy. There’s nothing worse.x

I had this and rang nhs and they asked about the paracetamol sent me in as I took two extra doses for blood tests to make sure I hadn't damaged myself. Doc gave me antibiotics and pain relief might ne worth going that way

Your GP can fast track you to the maxillo facial doctors at your local hospital but I would go to A&E as you will get the on call Registra who will access your previous records and get you sorted.x

oil of cloves-apply with ear bud. stings like hell but works.

few questions - can you identify a tooth that hurts to bite on ? Did the toothache start with sensitivity to cold , followed by sensitivity to hot ? Has the pain moved around ie not sure if coming from top tooth or bottom .
Your symptoms sound to me like a nerve dying off . This can be tricky to diagnose which tooth it is . In a few days it would be likely to become painful to touch and therefore easier to identify. Treatment is to numb tooth up and start a root canal . At this stage of acute pain and with nothing showing on X-ray yet , antibiotics are not an appropriate treatment . It's safe to take x 2 Panadol, x 2 Ibuprofen and 30 mg codeine all at same time. They all work well together . Don't stagger the ibuprofen and Panadol - they work better taken at same time.

Do you have a hot water bottle? That will help until you can get a second opinion.

It was but like 15 years ago.

I'm very tempted to go to a and E bow. I got 2.5 hours sleep. But can I go for pain if its a gp thing. I'm so confused.

I was going to teach this morning.

I’m so sorry you’re going through this. I had an infected back molar years ago and the pain was so bad I was crawling on the floor and banging my head on the carpet. It was bloody Christmas Day as well.

Try and get a prescription for Dihydrocodeine. It’s much stronger than codeine - Codydramol is what you need, it should help at least take the edge off. Ring the dentist first thing and tell them
that you’re in extreme pain and need to be seen immediately today. It’s quite possible that you’ve been misdiagnosed.

I hope you feel some relief soon.

Slow release ibuprofen is like magic when it comes to toothache. Hope you get some relief soon.

So called 111 this morning as realised I'd taken more paracetamol than id realised. Thankfully it's under the toxic limit as I'm quite overweight but it means I can't take any more now for a while.

I'm waiting a call back from my Dr and it's Throbbing again.

111 said Dr won't touch dental. But I'm also not sure how to get back to hospital dentist.

I'll wait and see what Dr says.