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Share your dilemmas and get honest opinions from other Mumsnetters.

Original poster

Raging toothache - please help

53 replies

LEMtheoriginal · 27/12/2018 23:32

I have raging toothache. Its a broken tooth with i suspect exposed nerve. Its fine during the day and then agony of a night.

Ive had paracetamol and ibruprofen and its not helping (usually does).

What else can i do? My whole face hurts.

I know i need a dentist but im beyond terrified. Not that they will hurt me but just of them looking in my mouth which is in a terrible state from years of no dentist. Im scared they will bollick me. I also have severe anxiety anyway.

Is it a hot flannel or cold that will help?

OP posts:
MummySharkDoDo · 27/12/2018 23:59

I’ve been through this recently, taking it to the point where tilting my head caused pain. I was embarrassed to smile, it affected my life hugely.

After 12 yrs I cracked and went , yes that tooth needed a root canal BUT the rest were fine! I was believing they were horrific, the worst ever, but now with a clear head I can see they are crooked but ok.

It rules my life, I can’t recommend going enough. I’ve cried in the dentist, I’m not loving it, it I’m not in daily pain or having nightmares and panic attacks over my teeth either. Get on your local Facebook groups for recommendations

Winterberriesonatree · 28/12/2018 00:00

Ring NHS 111 and see if you can get an emergency dental appointment.

Once it is dealt with sign up with a local dental practice and have regular check ups.

Original poster
LEMtheoriginal · 28/12/2018 00:03

I have missing teeth. Teeth broken to stubs. Its bad. I try not to smile and cover my moth if talking to people.

Im just so scared they will find something untreatable.

OP posts:
Sammy867 · 28/12/2018 00:04

Have you tried clove oil? It can numb the nerve on contact. It’s the Eugenol In It.
you will recognise the smell when you open a bottle of clove oil as dentists use it in their temporary fillings as it calms nerves down. It has the typical dentists smell

Original poster
LEMtheoriginal · 28/12/2018 00:04

111 don't deal with dental pain in my area. I am supposed to be at work tomorrow

OP posts:
Bebe03 · 28/12/2018 00:06

Google emergency dentist for tomorrow, 111 will deal with it they’ll ring you back with a person you can see, if it’s private then you’ll be able to get an appointment tomorrow with somebody good luck

BibiBlocksberg · 28/12/2018 00:07

Same here OP, total dentist phobia & a mouth of painful teeth as a consequence.

Dental pain is just the pits as it just keeps pushing its way through every level of consciousness & refuses to be ignored.

Can recommend neurofen plus if your system can cope with Codeine & alternating with Paracematol.

Icing the painful area can also help although may be basic that solely on experience of abscesses.

Another thing that helped me is to go to a private dental practice for emergencies (antibiotics etc)

Marvellous as the NHS is, it hasn't had the resources to cope with my level of phobia thus far as quick turnaround times needed etc.

Private emergency app mt cost £45 only last week & the dentist didn't bat an eyelid at the state of my mouth (despite panicked apologies) & is finally starting to gently persuade me that treatment will be possible with the help of sedation, patience by the dentist & a lot of detailed explanations at every step.

Good Luck & sympathies

Aardvarkitsabloodyaardvark · 28/12/2018 00:09

Oh Lem, I really feel for you. Have you googled dentists taking on NHS in your area. If so just give them a ring when you can tomorrow. Just take each step at a time.

123drink · 28/12/2018 00:14

Calling 111 can put you in touch with a local out of hours dentist. Please call them. Dental pain is awful.

123drink · 28/12/2018 00:18

What area are you in?

Blueblueyellow · 28/12/2018 00:19

If you think you have an Abbess don't use heat. Oh it's so awful really feel for you. I found salt water helps a bit, would you try that for a bit of relief?

Original poster
LEMtheoriginal · 28/12/2018 00:25

Its going off a bit thanks to the oragel. The trouble is tomorrow it wont hurt and I'll bottle it again.

Its not the treatment that scares me. Ive had root canal treatment and didnt bat an eyelud. Its a fear of someone looking in my mouth. I also can't look in other peoples mouths. Totally irrational i know.

OP posts:
Original poster
LEMtheoriginal · 28/12/2018 00:26

Thankyou for the advice. I will go to the dentist but will research specialists in nervous patients. Where would i start?

OP posts:
lazylumpylou · 28/12/2018 00:28

Just call your local dentist and say you have a fear. That's what I did and they were amazing with me!

Blueblueyellow · 28/12/2018 00:41

I kind of understand LEM, I had a terrible fear of the dentist but not because of what they would do but because of what they might think about me. But really they have seen it all. When I went to a dentist with pain like yours and abbess, and had not seen a dentist in 10 years Shock, he told me OK, we will deal with this one now and then I'd like you to come back and we can make a plan. He didn't bat an eyelid at how bad my teeth are he just wanted to do his job! Glad the oragel is helping, hoping you get some rest. And try the salt water if you can, it's very good. xx

Original poster
LEMtheoriginal · 28/12/2018 00:50

Thankyou xxx

OP posts:
SolemnlySwear2010 · 28/12/2018 01:29

I also 100% recommend clove oil - I always have some in our medicine cabinet now.

My mum was suffering really bad with toothache last week - face swollen, couldnt eat and no amount of heavy duty painkillers were touching the pain. I gave her clove oil and within 5 minutes the pain had gone enough that she was able to sleep for the first time in days.

She was really sceptical that it would work but she was amazed.

MattFreisCheekyDimples · 28/12/2018 01:55

yy to cocodamol, LEM, though it can give you a bit of a hangover ime, or clove oil if you can stand the taste. Also a little wedge of bell pepper placed against the nearest piece of gum to the painful tooth can offer some topical pain relief as a last resort til you can get to a dentist (contains capsaicin and does work, honest). I understand how you feel about the dentist btw. I had a tooth extracted swiftly at the hospital once rather than go through visit after visit to the dentist to fix a complex tooth problem.

Apple0301 · 28/12/2018 02:19

I have recently been in agony with toochace for the same reason. The pain was so bad I thought I may pass out my heart was racing so much. I found the only way I eased the pain was gargling tcp,piling on bonjela and oragel. it didn’t keep the pain away permanently but it took it away each time for around 20 minutes until I was able to get to the dentist. Hope you sort it soon
I also

AlbertWinestein · 28/12/2018 02:23

I used to be dental phobic. I then got a tooth access that almost killed me. Call the dentist in the morning and go.

Donkdonkgoo · 28/12/2018 03:13

Whisky helped me with tooth ache, so swill round mouth and spit out, try to hold it in your mouth and long as possible. Hot salt water too, as hot as you can stand it. Think the above kill any nasty infection that is exposed. Ultimately you need to pluck up the courage to go. My SIL has avoided her dentist for years and has lost all her teeth and she's 46. She looks old and dreadful and avoids being in public now. You need to be brave and get it sorted.

Tryingtobedebtfree2019 · 28/12/2018 08:48

Vitamin C! My teeth have random stages of aching and 2 days of vitamin c supplements sends the pain away. Still see the dentist though

easyandy101 · 28/12/2018 08:53

Clove oil or pack the gum area between cheek and tooth with actual cloves

Before you go to bed give it a good but gentle clean, rinse with something like corsadyl and then pack the affected area with clean cotton wool

Having it packed and covered will help if it's an exposed nerve

Myheartbelongsto · 28/12/2018 08:55

Op get some clove oil from over the counter at chemist. Tastes horrible but is amazing. Saved my life for 6 months last year until I finally went to the dentist.

Polkapjs · 28/12/2018 09:56

Please please go. It won’t be untreatable

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