Toothache worse than labour! Talk me off the edge

[mawof3soontobe]

Currently 32 weeks pregnant with DC3 and I hands down have the WORST toothache I have ever known in my entire life (and I've had a tooth knocked out accidentally).
Went to the dentist yesterday who gave me antibiotics as she suspects internal infection. I've now taken two full days of antibiotics and I'm taking the maximum dose of soluble paracetamol which isn't even touching it!
My poor DP thought I was in labour yesterday watching me pace floors moaning and howling like a deranged animal!!! I NEED RELIEF ASAP! How the hell do I get through this pain?! I would gladly give birth weekly over this! I have a very high pain threshold and have given birth twice drug free but JFC this is horrific!
Someone give me a remedy safe in pregnancy? HELP!!

I'll be on the phone to the dentist the second it opens tomorrow if I survive the night! Oh i cannot wait for the walk in the park that is labour after this, its going to be a bloody breeze!!

Walk in centre can also give analgesia usually. Would ring them and check they have a prescriber on though as in our area they don't always.

I was given stronger painkillers while pregnant so paracetamol definitely isn't your only option. Although I was in hospital (not for toothache!) for so it could be different as I was being monitored? I had codeine, pethidine and morphine. Definitely ask about something stronger.

I feel for you, I had it when I was 37-38 weeks at Xmas last year, 4 visits to dentist including Xmas day where they filled it and packed it too high and made it worse, it was agony! I was praying for labour just for decent pain relief, luckily a different dentist finally pulled it on New Year's Eve and the relief was amazing (I also have dental phobia due to emet)

Oh poor you! I had all four of my wisdom teeth removed last week and one had to be broken up and pulled out then stitched up and it's been hell. No infection just pain, I can feel the stitches too which annoy me. I've lived off painkillers this week, luckily not pregnant. They didn't give me any strong stuff so I had to go to the pharmacy for cocodamol as I was on the verge of overdosing paracetamol and ibuprofen, they worked but wore off after two hours and then I was just counting down till the next dose.

I was prescribed co-codamol in pregnancy for bad headaches
Call OOH

Just off the phone to OOH, no clinics open in my area at all till morning. I was fully prepared to let an OOH butcher rip it out it's that bad! I think I'll bite the bullet and take the cocodamol, I doubt very much it'll cause me or baby any harm if people have been prescribed it before during pregnancy and surely the stress hormones being released into my system will be more harmful to baby? That's how I'm thinking

You can take co-codamol. It's what we give pregnant women in pain+++ on our surgical ward.

I'd go to a walk in centre. Why didn't you explain to the dentist how bad the pain was?

Prequelle thanks for the reassurance! I took 1g of paracetamol at 6pm so I'll have to wait till 10pm to take it unfortunately

Oh OP, if it is pulpitis you need to get that tooth drilled and a temporary filling put in asap. I really feel for you - mine drove me half insane.

Place a warm teabag against the site of the pain and leave it in place for as long as you can. I have had 3 abscesses over the last 5 years and this is the only thing that has reduced the pain.

God yes, worse pain ever, I was banging my head on the floor just trying to stop the agony last month, early days pregnant. I had an abscess under a root canal, the antibiotics did eventually work but in the meantime the only thing I found that helped was to constantly swill water around my mouth. Then spit it out. And repeat. And don't try to lie down, just prop yourself upright on a sofa to doze until you can get to an emergency dentist.

The tooth already has a silver filling, which partly fell out and I replaced at home with over the counter temporary filling. She thinks there's infection and I could have impacted it causing pressure. The intensity of the pain is making me think pulpitis is more likely as I dont feel the usual pressure you'd feel from infection, its just sheer red hot inflammation type pain

OP you can buy Orajel -benzocaine tooth ache gel from a pharmacy.
It says to check with pharmacist if you are pregnant.
I always have a tube just in case.
Its temporary but just knowing you have something really helps.

Pack the tooth area with a compress of sea salt ( or frequent strong salt diluted mouthwash ) the salt draws out the inflammation and will help remove pressure from the nerve. Bloody dreadful being in pain and pregnant. I had killer sinusitis which was easily as painful as giving birth !

Whisky? You can hold it in your mouth for 30 seconds or so then spit it out.

Chamomile is also good for toothache, can you get some chamomile granules from Holland and Barrat or similar, even biting on a warm chamomile teabag can help a bit.

Ashton and Parsons teething powders have helped me too and biting down gently on some white bread.

I have horrendous teeth and have suffered unbearable pain with abcesses more than once - these are things that have helped outwith codeine/ ibuprofen.

I'm just thinking, given you're pregnant shouldn't you go to a&e? If it's a terrible infection you need antibiotics ASAP to avoid anything systemic going on

I don't think it is infection and NHS 24 didn't advise A&E

Also already on antibiotics

Emergency dentist if theres one near can prescribe more suitable pain relief. Otherwise take a big glass of ice cold water and hold it in your mouth. Makes the pain briefly worse but then numbs it. Only works for a minute or two though so you have to keep drinking constantly.

Pulpitis is usually caused by infection

Yes to co-codamol - this is what worked best for me when ibuprofen didn't touch it. I also dabbed clove oil on the tooth!

Co-codamol is the only thing really. I feel for you, must be horrendous. My mum had 2 wisdom teeth out when pregnant with me, zero pain relief. I have no idea how people cope with tooth pain like this

Maybe some white rum to gargle???!

I had this last week and they recommended:
Hold ice on your face as heat can make it worse. Do 15 mins & then take it off
Salt water every hour - this also helped me
Don’t lay down, sleep with your head as upright as possible
Rest as much as possible - literally try not to move too much
Co-Codamol was the only thing that worked for me
Also - they said to call my dentist and leave an answerphone message to say I needed an emergency appointment which I did & they called me with a time before the surgery opened

I am not sure any of this will work for you as it sounds like a different thing causing the pain.