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.

I am with you! Have a very deep filling in the right side that has been twinging for a while, but I ignored it (idiot). On xmas day the pain was horrendous but I managed to hold on until yesterday when I got an appointment at my dentist - private unfortunately.... He has given me metronidazole and I've made an apt with my actual dentist for next week. The pain is still fairly intense, on and off - I've taken 4 M so far, and I've been doing a lot of sobbing and (probably) od'ing on painkillers too.
I've had problems with my teeth for years and have had three extractions so, although not happy, am going to opt for it if I can. Root canal is, as said, about 2K and a massive bloody faff.
It is shitty and awful and I cant bloody eat either!

Oh poor you! I had no real niggles before this flared up. I honestly thought it was because I'd been clenching my teeth I was in pain.
I thought I'd be prescribed Meronizadole as well. But he gave me Amoxycillin. The pain I'm getting is intermittent. We have booked to go for a meal later that I can't really cancel so I'm hoping I'm ok while we are out.

I felt so unwell this morning on waking so cancelled part of my plans today but the meal isn't really possible to get out of. I'm feeling a bit brighter now I'm showered and dressed.

I'm glad I have a dentist but because it's private this expense couldn't have come at a worse time. It's 1.8k altogether and I just do not have it. I don't know how I'm going to pay the £300 for extraction yet but I'll worry about that on Friday when I go for my appointment.

Maybe a bit too early for it to be easing off just now. Hopefully it'll calm down soon. Toothache is just the worst kind of pain 🌺

I'm going to try the salt water thing now! It's just really throbbing at the moment. weird feeling!

@SilviaDaisyPouncer this is what I'm thinking it's only been 24 hours. Usually I can't get the full dosage of antibiotics in me when I've had to take them. However waking in the night with toothache has meant I can get my next one taken rather than sleeping through it.

I have some salt water cooling ready to try this.
We only have sea salt flakes not table salt though - I don't know if that makes a difference!!

You poor thing! I know how that feels, one of the most stressful experiences to both have the pain AND the worry.

amoxicillin works very well for dental infections, and doesn’t cause as much tummy upset as metronidazole.

I agree with all previous advice about warm salt rinses and mint tea. Also recommend 1. Ice pack wrapped in soft towel constantly on face as much as you can 2. Dilute corsodyl as it will soon give you a really bad taste after regular undiluted use, also beware using for more than 2 weeks due to teeth discoloration 3. Very regular painkillers

Fingers crossed for a good response to antibiotics soon.

You must take the whole course of antibiotics (not taking them leads to resistance and is irresponsible).
Have the tooth removed. It will be gone. I'm needle-phobic and have had an upper pre-molar removed without local anaesthetic. It hurt like hell for a few moments. I've had an implant. I had LA for that. My dentist is lovely, and that makes a big difference.

You can have dental work done under sedation, which I have had, but LA is better apart from the needle bit.

My premolar had had RCT but it had a cracked root, which led to an abcess. An abscess hurts like crazy for ages. The gap showed slightly.

Don't worry I shall be taking the full course of antibiotics
I've done a salt water rinse and I will be doing one again later, I think I'll do that instead of using the Corsodyl.
I haven't had any paracetamol since 4am - I'm sore but not constantly throbbing.

I could never comsider an extraction without LA!! I have a fear of my mouth being numbed but I wouldn't dare have it without LA.

I would say that on a scale of 0-10, where 0 is no pain and 10 is about to pass out, it was a 9. But it was brief.
I have a high pain threshold.

The needle stuff isn't pain, it's fear.

My main tip is this, please absorb it.

BREATHE OUT.

That's it. No 'Take a deep breath'.
Breathe all the air out, slowly and as calmly as you can.

Keep remembering to focus on breathing out.

Obviously, this is for when you are in the dentist's chair not for sitting on the sofa scrolling on MN Chat. Unless MN has you hyperventilating, of course.

My extraction a few years ago was the end of years of pain and hassle.
Honestly, it was fine both during and after.

😂 I did actually breathe out while
Reading that!

I have had two extractions before and I worked myself up into a stupid state beforehand. Turned out at the time it wasn't actually as bad as I was anticipating. I'm trying to not think about it for the moment. I just want this pain to go and not feel so crap.

Try Peroxyl mouth wash by colgate hope it settles down. Extraction will give you instant relief.

I've had a few out now for similar reasons, I'm of the age where nhs dentists got paid per filling and consequently filled every nook and cranny, despite never having toothache, hence all broken as I've got older. All without LA too so no wonder i have a dentist phobia!! Didn't know LA existed until I was an adult and changed dentists as moved.

I'd honestly say @Thehouseisatip that the lower extractions are easier than the upper ones, I've even had a lower wisdom tooth taken out due to an agonising infection/abscess in seconds.......didnt even realise it was done! The latest I had done was an upper 3rd from the back and that was far worse than lower ones. Hope the antibiotics work for you but I would try ibruphren if you can take it as its the inflammation pressing on the nerve that increases the pain and that is anti-inflammatory 💐

@Mossstitch , that was me too. Drill & fill. By 18 I had a mouthful of fillings and crowns. The local anaesthetic never worked, so it hurt, and I'd be screaming in agony.

My dentist uses this wand for numbing that's not even a needle as such it's a very quick and not like NHS old style injections. I just panic when my mouth is numbed I have this irrational fear of swallowing my tongue and it just freaks me out.

Where abouts are you in the country OP? I'm in the NW and have been quoted approx £1000 for root canal and crown. Can you find a cheaper private dentist?

I'm E Yorks. I'm not sure I'm wanting to find anywhere else as I struggle so much with dentists as it is. Although my practice is expensive I feel safe there if that makes any sense at all.

@Thehouseisatip , another tip is to lie down straight in the chair, don't cross your legs. Put your hands on your lap loosely, fingers interlaced.
Focus on the breathing out.

You'll still be frightened, but it doesn't really hurt. You won't swallow your tongue.

If you trust your dentist, stay there. My implant is £2K, but my teeth are worn 24/7. I wore the NHS partial denture for about 2hrs.

My partner is coming with me so hopefully that will help me stay calm. The dentist said he would extract yesterday and I said no - I'm partly wishing now I had just got it done there and then.

Ditto! 70s child where every visit resulted in treatment. Gah!

You should look into a company called Dental Wise, based in Turkey, they actually have UK Dentists going over there to learn from Turkish Dentists.

a friend of mine quoted 20k for implants etc here, got it done for 5k by this company, i was sceptical and went UK.....

.... i recently paid £3k for 2 RC and 5 fillings, never again, 1 of the RC's is still not right.

Dental Wise will pay for your accommodation whilst you are there and transfers.

Yeah right. No way would I have it done abroad.

The warm salty rinses do work, but need to be done every half hour - it's about providing a hostile environment for the infection which kills it off.

I'm terrified of dentists too - mine will prescribe a very mild diazepam which helps, it makes me go very quiet instead of nervous babbling so must have some effect.

I had a lower premolar out in July. Dentist gave me local ready for filling, but I asked him to take it out. I was aware of him pushing the tooth on on̈e side, then the other then he pulled it out, I honestly didn't feel a thing, totally painless, took about 10 seconds max. Whereas with fillings it's like I can feel everything, even with LA. I suspect a lot of it is in my head based on bad experiences in the 70s but that doesn't help when the drill starts. I still stick my tongue in the gap and feel smug - not sure why😄