To think dental pain isn't taken seriously?

[MrsLouisTomlinson]

I'm up literally pacing the floors with pain from an infected root canal. I have been to the emergency dentists twice (currently away from home) and now have a second course of antibiotics after the first did nothing. I've been in pain since Friday. It has really ramped up the last 24 hours. I am taking ibuprofen and paracetamol with dihydracodeine in. Neither time would the dentist prescribe me any analgesia as over the counter should cover it. It isn't, I'm crying and pacing and am at my wits end. I don't want to bother A&E and can't face being told I'm in the wrong place or misusing the system and can't/won't be helped. The emergency dentist is costing me 20 quid a pop plus prescriptions so I'm reluctant to go back there, especially given the fact they told me last night they wouldn't prescribe analgesia. Why are they so reluctant? Is there anywhere I can go? Walk in?

[RubyPumps]

I've had this. Worse pain than Caesarean. Also on smile line (one in from canine, top row).

Panadeine Forte (prescription strength paracetamol codeine combo) alternating with script strength ibuprofen helped a little.

I actually ended up having local anesthetic shots so I could get a bit of food in and have some mental relief.

2 rounds of antibiotics then canal surgery and porcelain crown. Paid about 650 gbp on top of private dental care policy. It does look perfect now but was at least 6 appointments and took maybe 2 months to sort.

Nightmare. In mid 40s with zero fillings....I could not comprehend pain like this was even possible.

[stopfuckingshoutingatme]

I hear ya . Mine was a molar and honestly life is so much better without it !
Surely the antibiotics will evenetuallt work ? Failing that emergency GP for the strong stuff ??

[Areyoufree]

Oh god, YANBU. No tips, just sympathy. Dental pain is the absolute worst!

[MrsLouisTomlinson]

Thank you all. Everyone's commiserations are genuinely helping.

[Natsku]

So sorry your pain is being dismissed by the dentists, dental pain is horrific. I think I must be lucky because last time I had an infection after an extraction I was given codeine straight away and offered tramadol.

[Mammylamb]

It is horrendous! Try using a cold compress. This really worked for me zx

[BakeOffBiscuits]

Go back today and tell them you need something stronger.

[opalescent]

I totally agree that dental pain is not taken seriously. It is the weirdest loophole within the whole healthcare system.
I had a dental abcess in my late teens, and the experience gave me a really profound fear of dental pain. I get imaginary twinges in my teeth before any kind of event where I won't be able to easily access an emergency dentist- such as holidays abroad and bank holidays!! Literally, every time.
And I can't process any level of discomfort in my teeth, because I immediately get into a blind panic that it's going to progress to an abcess.

Black paramol are always in my handbag.

I am an otherwise rational person 😳.

[myfavouritecolourispurple]

In mid 40s with zero fillings

How weird you even got an abscess then. I have had it once - in a tooth had had been filled twice, in my first term as a student so no doubt I was a bit run down and not looking after myself as well as my mother would do :) Fortuantely mine was easy, I went to a local dentist, got it sorted out with a temp filling and it was the end of term so the end of the week I went to my own dentist. I didn't need antibiotics.

DH had one years ago (also in a tooth that had been filled, lost fillings etc) before we were married and the dentist gave him anti-biotics but course was too short. He came to stay with me at my parents and started to feel awful - not just in pain but feverish - and fortunately this was in the days when GPs were open Saturdays and you could get an appointment easily. He got some more antibiotics and within 24 hours he was feeling much better. Nowadays he'd probably have ended up in A&E because there would have been nowhere else to go. It is wrong that A&E make people think they are wasting their time. Pain is PAINFUL and needs fixing.

[Gobbolinothewitchscat]

My DH is a dentist.

General advice without seeing you obviously

1. No hot compresses. Cold only.
   

1. This will sound horrific but try and keep your mouth as clean as possible. Keep cleaning the area with your toothbrush as much as you can. Rinse your mouth with warm salty water often
   

1. Where are you? Are you seeing NHS out of hours? He's assuming not. If you are in the U.K, call the general NHS number, they will triage you to an emergency access centre. Don't go to A&E, they won't be able to help unless someone from max fax is randomly available.
   

1. In the interim, take together max doses of paracetamol and ibuprofen
   

1. Be aware that the access centre dentist may advise extraction.

[Gobbolinothewitchscat]

Reason for no hot compresses is it actually encourages the bacteria to multiply and makes swelling worse. Cold should help a fair bit though.

[MrsLouisTomlinson]

Thank you Gobbolino, I am in London temporarily with work, I called 111 last night and got an appt at an emergency dentists who to their credit were very good and said they wouldn't remove the tooth without trying metronidazole first due to its location. I have been using cold flannels on my face which gives minute relief. I've been brushing and using corsodyl religiously.

[GlitterGlue]

I sympathise. Dental pain and infection are not taken seriously. I had to insist on a prescription for decent painkillers by the hospital after having an impacted wisdom tooth removed - for the previous one they wouldn't prescribe anything and told you to buy your own. Simply didn't cut it. In no other specialty would they send you home after surgery without adequate pain relief.

[Gobbolinothewitchscat]

You poor thing.

Before DH left, he suggested various packs of cold peas wrapped in a thin dish towel. You can then lie down with your face on it. Get a few packs if possible so you can put them on in rotation. If you're in a hotel, ask for an ice bucket and wrap a load in a towel

[NoraDora]

Neat clove oil on the gum if you can bear the smell. Gives temporary relief. I found whiskey neat on the gum helped numb the pain too.

It's an awful pain OP.

[PurpleMcPants]

I'm off to my dentist now, hope he can do something. 😟

[LeSquigh]

Is there not a walk in at the Eastman Dental Hospital? It's about 10 mins from Kings Cross. You will need a do for to prescribe the strong codeine. I begged my dentist to prescribe it once, he did and the pharmacy wouldn't fill it as it was on a yellow script and they said dentists can only prescribe certain medications.

[Gobbolinothewitchscat]

On a privately basis, dentists can prescribe as any doctor would as long as it medically justifiable.

However, they are limited in terms of what can be prescribed to NHS patients - basically on a cost basis. However, you can ask for (and pay for) a private prescription

[liz70]

I understand completely. I had a back molar tooth with an old filling in it that had cracked (the tooth, not the filling). My regular dentist attempted a repair but it was unsuccessful and the whole tooth started to die off. God, the pain was excruciating. It's all consuming, and makes you feel near suicidal. I had a pot on the mantelpiece with ibuprofen and paracatemol with caffeine in, and I was was watching the clock constantly, just waiting to take my next dose.

Thankfully for me when I phoned my dentists and begged for help, the receptionist told me to come in the same morning. Not my regular dentist (like I cared) but one of the others. He squeezed me in between his regular appointments - gave me local, I sat in the waiting room while it took effect and he saw another patient, then called me in, quick x-ray, then surgical extraction to get the fucker out - he had to cut the gum and break the tooth and roots up to remove it. The relief was immense. Dr. Lewis, you are my saviour.

OP I really hope that whatever needs to be done to bring you similar relief, happens soon. It truly is miserable, suffering pain like that.

[Talith]

When I had widsom tooth complications after extraction dentist didn't prescribe pain relief so I went to my GP who prescribed the codeine I needed. So I recommend GP or walk in.

[PaintingOwls]

If you're in that much pain and painkillers aren't doing anything you need a root canal asap. I'm surprised that the dentist hasn't suggested it?

[CSJ113]

I completely agree OP, a couple of years ago I had 2 bottom wisdom teeth removed. I got a complication called dry socket on BOTH sides (where basically the wound doesn't heal and the nerve is exposed). I have literally never experienced so much pain in my life, including delivering 2 big back to back babies. The dentist told me to take paracetamol and that I should even avoid ibuprofen (my anaesthetist husband was appalled and said that was a load of cr*p). I was going out of my mind with pain and thought I was going to have to go to A&E for morphine (unfortunately the effects would have been temporary). Luckily a sympathetic GP gave me tramadol and dihydrocodeine. She was none too impressed with the Dentist's stance either! It lasted a month and I swear I had PSTD afterwards.

[MrsLouisTomlinson]

Paintingowls, there was already a root canal
Done on this tooth. The X-ray shows it is in place. I assume whilst there is infection present they wouldn't do a root canal anyway.

[MikeUniformMike]

Get implants.Teeth are about more than just appearance - your mouth affects your speech, eating, kissing, etc. I currently have a swollen face due to a bad root that already has had root canal treatment. It's coming out once the infection has cleared and I'll be saving up for an implant.

[FannyFifer]

Get implants, if only it was that easy.
I have massive problems with my teeth but unfortunately unless I win the lottery then implants are not an option.
Sympathies OP, I have sat up many a night actually sobbing with dental/nerve pain. Horrific.