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AIBU?

Share your dilemmas and get honest opinions from other Mumsnetters.

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Original poster

Tell me its not going to be that bad...

47 replies

CoffeeAndBiscuitsPlease · 21/05/2015 12:49

Had recurrent cases of pericoronitis in a wisdom tooth and dentist said "no more antibiotics, its coming out"

Its a lower one in perfectly good condition but a little bit of it is stuck under the gum and I keep needing antibiotics for it (3 times in one year)

Dentist said it should be fine for him to do himself just under local anaesthetic. Its in two weeks and I'm shitting it!

So tell me.... How bad really is having a wisdom tooth out wide awake? :(

OP posts:

yorkshapudding · 21/05/2015 20:41

I had a wisdom tooth out under local anaesthetic and it was fine. I couldn't feel a thing, it took all of five minutes and any discomfort afterwards was easily manageable with over the counter painkillers. It really will be fine and once it's out you won't have to worry about recurring infections, antibiotics etc.

grumpysquash · 21/05/2015 20:50

i had my top two wisdom teeth out under local some (many) years ago. The extraction wasn't too bad. It did start to hurt quite a bit in the night, but I think that if I had been older (I was 20) I would have anticipated that and taken ibuprofen before bed. The worst bit was trying to keep it hygenic while healing - extraction leaves a hole in your gum and you can't brush into it. But all fine in the end and not as bad as all that.......
Good luck!

chipsandpeas · 21/05/2015 20:56

i had 1 wisdom tooth out on a local at the dentist and the other 3 under a general at the hospital and had no issues, a sore mouth for a few days but that was it

i was referred to the hospital as i was getting recurrent tonsilitus due to infection but before it happened 1 tooth broke and the dentist pulled it - i was referred as the way they were lying it was better under a GA and was warned that they might need to break my jaw which wasnt needed or stitches etc

inmyshoos · 21/05/2015 20:59

I had mine out when i was in my early 20's and it was really not a big issue. You'll be fine op. Take painkillers and keep on top of the discomfort.

Oobis · 21/05/2015 21:20

I had some scary dental treatment and used a technique I read about for childbirth. Basically, you visualise a walk you're really familiar with and go on that walk/run/whatever in your head. See the things you would see, hear the sounds and smell the sounds. I was training for a half marathon at the time and had done a fair training run that morning, which helped. Together with concentrating on my breathing, it was really successful and the work was completed before I finished my run! The idea is your brain can only process so many things at once, so bombard it with a sensory bombshell to push the angst down the priority list.
All the best. I'm not the best dental patient and survived. I was lucky to have a baby sitter for the remainder of the afternoon and headed straight to bed afterwards - if you can afford the time I'd definitely recommend that aspect too.

Oobis · 21/05/2015 21:21

I obviously succumbed to some drugs too - smelling sounds?!!

Elllimam · 21/05/2015 21:54

I've had 3 out under local, all were fine. Just yank and out.

bigbumtheory · 21/05/2015 22:01

The injections hurt but they just bled a bit after and were sore. Get some soft foods: sweet potato mash, soup etc- no ice cream! Really hurts.

Just two of three days and me looking like a chipmonk but not as painful as a bikini wax!

Aermingers · 21/05/2015 22:11

Can he sedate you as well? I had sedation and local anaesthetic. Wasn't even aware of it.

backinaminute · 21/05/2015 22:12

I had exactly the same. On one occasion when I went to the Dentist expecting to get antibiotics he said the same and offered to do it there and then. I promptly burst into tears as the words biggest wuss however it was honestly fine.

The worst part was when two nurses appeared, one to hold my head and the other my shoulders and at that point I thought 'oh shit'.

Other than feeling it being tugged I promise I didn't feel any pain. It bled a lot. It was sore after but nothing painkillers couldn't sort.

I had the other three out under general anaesthetic and that was actually much worse.

It will be fine, good luck.

ToriaPumpkin · 21/05/2015 22:16

I had two severely impacted wisdom teeth removed under local. No bother at all other than a dull ache and it hurting to fully open my mouth for a few days. The procedure itself was over quickly and while the tugging sensations weren't pleasant it didn't hurt and it wasn't upsetting. They ended up cutting one of the teeth into pieces while it was still in the gum and removing it in chunks due to the positioning of the crown against the next molar and even that wasn't that bad.

DragonMamma · 21/05/2015 22:21

I'm currently in the same situation, I need a fairly sturdy bottom wisdom tooth out because I chipped a bit off somehow.

I initially opted to have it done under local, but my dentist is a bit sadistic and was positively gleeful telling me it had to come out that I have now opted to be referred to have it done under GA.

Totally wimping out but I don't mind the dentist usuall and have had plenty of root canals done etc but the tugging and yanking is a step too far for me. I think.

Pinot4me · 21/05/2015 22:24

I've Had mine out. I was really worried but hardly felt a thing. The crunching noise was much worse than the pain...I didn't even need painkillers the next day - it was fine. Don't worry!

Missdread · 21/05/2015 22:34

I had three out in one go under local anaesthetic and it was absolutely fine. It literally took SECONDS for each one so would have been way over the top to have a GA. Best thing ever; no more impacted infections which used to make my life a misery. Go for it OP

unlucky83 · 21/05/2015 22:35

I've had 3 out
I had two out top and bottom one side at the same time - bottom one hadn't come through properly -never got infected but kept coming out/covering over. Top one was healthy but done for 'balance'.
Done by a private dentist. Waited till he could see the bottom one. Didn't have insurance - he said I could have it done under GA for £600+ or he'd 'whip them out' under local for £180. Went for the cheap option. As others said a bit freaky as it took a lot of strength - at one point someone was holding my head back as he did a two arm yank - I also bit his fingers by accident. And he had to cut the gum on bottom one and I had to watch the scalpel coming towards my throat...but actually it wasn't too bad - not as bad as I expected. And afterwards didn't have much swelling etc, healed quickly - had a day off work and then I was fine. (Corsodyl recommended to help gums heal dyed my tongue black though!)
Last one was because my other lower one never came through so the top one overgrew. It was really irritating, used to get food stuck in it etc. So had that taken out under LA by an NHS dentist. And I can't remember! - it was so easy (think it depends on roots -but they xray in advance so have a good idea). The only thing that was a bit yuk was I developed a hard lump on the roof of my mouth near it -first noticed it a couple of weeks? maybe a month later ...seemed to be getting bigger, then felt a bit rough -had to wait for an appt. One day I scraped it with my finger and a sliver of bone came out (maybe 5mm, 2mm wide) - was just skin underneath -no wound/blood etc. Apparently it must have been a bit broken off my jaw when the tooth was taken out and it worked its way to the surface...amazing really but still a bit grim.
(I do regret the last one it a tiny bit though - I later chipped a lump off the furthest back one (on a bit of bone in a pork chop) and it has been a headache - filling falling out etc - currently has a pin in it and it has been fine for a few years but if I'd left my irritating wisdom tooth it would have been damaged - and then I could have a broken tooth out rather than a healthy one and not had the problems-but I guess that was just bad luck..).

Original poster

CoffeeAndBiscuitsPlease · 22/05/2015 16:31

Thank you so much everyone! Oobis I'm going to try your method :)

OP posts:

Original poster

CoffeeAndBiscuitsPlease · 03/06/2015 21:15

I thought I would update as I recall a couple of people watching the thread as they were preparing for the same.

I went in at 3pm yesterday, was numbed, had a chat about whatever music they had on in the room, 2 mins later he waved his tools around and said "I'm ready!"

Kind nurse help my hand while I grabbed the dentist's shirt haha. Was all over in a matter of 30 seconds, there was a few creaky noises but nothing like a crack or anything cringe worthy.

Bit on a swab for a few minutes, then they sent me on my way.

Haven't taken any painkillers, felt fine yesterday, a little tender today but I'm already eating biscuits and apples again and all is well. Just washing with salt water and not using straws as instructed.

Really wasn't worth all the worry!

OP posts:

LokiBear · 03/06/2015 22:07

It isn't that bad. Being injected and numbed is the worst part and even then, it isn't last bad at all. The relief when it is extracted washes over you like a wave. It's wonderful. At least it was for me but I had an access which was, in my opinion, worse than child birth. When the tooth came out I sat in the waiting room waiting for dh to pick me up and I felt like I was floating on air.

Original poster

CoffeeAndBiscuitsPlease · 03/06/2015 22:22

I don't mind the injection, that's the only bit I don't fear :).

I had no pain at all in the wisdom tooth, just kept getting a niggling gum infection, which on a 1 to 10 scale was about a 2. :)

OP posts:

hellsbellsmelons · 04/06/2015 08:55

I'm so glad it was all easy and relatively painless.
Well done!

LobsterQuadrille · 04/06/2015 10:13

Well done on getting through unscathed! Teeth are my worst phobia - I have always had dreams about losing them. I was terrified a couple of years ago when I had to have root canal - although my dentist is brilliant - and my first question to him was "has anyone ever died in your dentist's chair?" - I only realised afterwards how a) insulting and b) unlikely this was, but I was petrified. I have also been put off a GA after my niece, a doctor, told me that occasionally when junior doctors are manipulating the tube down your throat after the GA, a tooth (of the patient) can be broken.

Writerwannabe83 · 04/06/2015 10:40

I had my upper wisdom tooth out under local anaesthetic and it was soooo simple. I couldn't believe it. My DH dropped me off outside whilst he went to park the car and by the time he got in to me I'd had it done

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