I could cry - my bloody teeth

[Thehouseisatip]

Last night I started with toothache it was an intense throbbing and I knew something wasn't right. I managed to get some sleep and when I woke the pain was not so bad. My dentist is open today and I managed to get an appointment.
I've got an infection in a tooth that has previously had a root canal.

I've been prescribed anti biotics and I'm to go back next week for either, an extraction or root canal. Unfortunately I'm private and the cost of root canal is extortionate. Dentist did say antibiotics might work and I could leave it but infection is likely to return.

I could cry I am really dentist phobic and the thought of having my tooth extracted is freaking me out. It's a lower pre molar. I'm getting intermittent pain today and I've not needed painkillers until now all day. I've had upper molars removed that weren't too bad when being extracted.

I am gutted - about 8 years ago I got an abscess around the same time after Christmas and here I am again.

Ah that’s shit OP, it’s horrible isn’t it. I’ve just had an emergency patch up while waiting for a root canal that will have to be done by an endontist as it’s a complicated one. I threw myself on the mercy of about twenty dentist practices and begged to be taken on as NHS which I’ve achieved but the waiting list is long and I’ve earned I’ll almost certainly face problems including infection in the meantime.

just horrible xx

It might not be as bad as you think.

I've got a failed root canal in a lower molar. I have had a few infections in it over the years and needed antibiotics. The infections have always cleared up and I'm back to being pain free for another couple of years.

I will need it fixed eventually but a few courses of antibiotics in the meantime have let me get about fifteen years out of it so far. I'm not having an extraction or an expensive repair until it starts really bothering me, which hasn't happened yet.

Good luck!

Honestly OP ive had years of dental issues caused by lack of dental treatment because of fear. I’ve had root canals & extractions, and an extraction really isn’t that bad. It’s certainly a lot quicker and cheaper than a root canal so if you have to have one it’s not the end of the world. You’ll be numbed up completely either way x

Rubbish isn’t it I needed a pre molar at the top removed due to a old / high filling tried to hold on to it for ages in hope the pain would go away an it’d be okay. Was gutted to loose it but was so nice to not be in the pain! Came out easy x

This is what the Dentist said to me this morning. It may go away with antibiotics, obviously it will come back again at some point but antibiotics may be all I need right now. I'm praying they do the trick and I can avoid extraction or RCT.

This tooth was root canalled over 20 years ago though so I'm not hopeful antibiotics will be all that's needed.

I've just had a tooth out that had a failed root canal. It first failed about 10 years ago, and I had two infections in it which were resolved by antibiotics, so it is definitely possible that the antibiotics will solve it and you'll have no further problems for some time.

I will say though that the tooth was niggly for a long time and the amount of mental energy I expended worrying that I was going to get a bad infection again was immense. Mentally I've felt much better having had it out because it's entirely resolved all those problems too.

I’m sorry. I had an abscess about a year ago and had to wait months for treatment. What helped was salt rinses and peppermint tea.

Since that happened I got a deep dental cleaning and started leaving the toothpaste after brushing at night (the dental hygienist instructed me to do this because I couldn’t afford the tray of fluoride tretment). After brushing with fluoride toothpaste just spit don’t rinse. I also got a toothpaste that contains both fluoride and hydropaxite (spelling?) which is used in Japan because it helps remineralize teeth. So I alternate that with the standard toothpaste. Hopefully it’s helping. I do have less tooth sensitivity than before.

Well this tooth was RCT about 20 ish years ago and this is the first bit of bother I've had with it. It isn't crowned just very deeply filled. I'm hoping because the pain started last night and I've started the antibiotics that it's caught it in time and it won't develop into an abcess. It has niggled on and off for a few months though but I just convinced myself I was clenching my teeth and that was causing the sensitivity.
I have noticed that to tooth has gone very dark in colour and the gumline is darkened too.

@BeccaS34 I never rinse after brushing my teeth. Does the supplement you mention contain SLS as I can only use SLS free ones - I get terrible mouth ulcers otherwise.

I still haven't taken painkillers it keeps throbbing on and off but only when I'm biting down.

I had antibiotics for the exact same thing a week before Christmas. My dentist told me he’s giving my tooth three months - any more problems and it needs to be extracted as I also had a raging infection in the same tooth back in October.

He’s not willing to redo the root canal which upset me but I’m blocking it out over Christmas and worrying about it in the new year.

I hope your antibiotics take effect soon. I think mine stopped the pain by the second dose.

my understanding is that it’s a mineral naturally occurring in teeth. I spelled it wrong it’s hydroxyapatite. I ordered a toothpaste called ‘made by dentists’ that has both it and fluoride online. I don’t know what SLS is, sorry.

when I had the abscess I swear peppermint tea helped more than painkillers, I would swish it around that side of my mouth before swallowing it.

Extraction is quick and painless in my experience

I don't have the money for root canal anyway I'm private and it's not far off 2k for root canal and a crown.

If I'm lucky If and the antibiotics do the trick I might get a bit more thinking time. The dentist surprised me by saying I can leave it if the antibiotics work. I'm booked in for a weeks time to get it extracted but he made it clear that if I don't feel like I need it I can cancel.

@BeccaS34 I'll have a look for it and it's certainly worth a try.
I have peppermint tea in too, I'll give that a try if I need to.

Mine didn’t give me the option of having it removed either time it’s caused me trouble but I think it’s inevitable that it will flare back up again and cause more pain and stress when left.

I'm petrified of dentists at the best of times. I've had extractions before but on upper teeth, the thought of a lower extraction is freaking me out.

Another hour or two and I can take another antibiotic. I was expecting to be prescribed Metronizadole but he's given me Amoxicillin.

One thing I'm wondering is.... Is a tooth infection and abscess or not? He never mentioned an Abscess just it was infected at the root (I think)

The pain has been intermittent today but in the last hour or so I've had the most awful bitter taste in mouth and the start of throbbing again. I've done a corsodyl mouthwash rinse as well to see if that helps.

Sorry to hear that, OP. I had the same recently and am having my root canal redone in January. The good news is, tha antibiotics cleared it up after 2 days of taking them. Ibuprofen and codeine was the best painkiller in the interim.

I am terribly dental phobic. I got an infection in a (broken) tooth a few weeks ago. My whole face swelled up and I was dangerously close to having my airwave compromised.
Anyway, I opted to have the tooth removed. I had sedation and it was bloody marvellous! Highly recommend!

I would try regular salt water rinses; holding it in your mouth for several minutes at a time. Tepid/lukewarm water, as too hot or cold will hurt. I've always found it helps calm things down.

I shall try that tomorrow as well as the Corsodyl. Hopefully the antibiotics will kick in over the weekend and it will settle down.

I managed to sleep last night, I woke on and off with pain but mainly because I'd kept rolling on to my left side and I'd been pressing on it.

I feel a bit sick this morning and really tired. It has started to swell slightly but I can't feel a lump anywhere or anything like that.

I'm hoping the antibiotics start to work soon, I've taken three so that's one days dose, praying by tomorrow I feel less rough. I have plans I can't get out of today and I just don't have the energy to deal with anything 😔

How many days have you been talking antibiotics for?

I normally find it goes after two or three days, but I have had one I needed two lots for.

From what I've been told, you don't feel the infection until it spreads to the surrounding teeth. So it could be quite nasty already before you even properly notice it. That might explain the sensitivity you've been having. Although I'm no dentist!@

@SilviaDaisyPouncer I started the antibiotics yesterday lunchtime. I've just taken my 4th one. I have to take 3 a day for 5 days.