Active discussions

Meet the Other Phone. Child-safe in minutes.

Meet the Other Phone.
Child-safe in minutes.

Buy now

Please or to access all these features

Talk
AIBU?

Share your dilemmas and get honest opinions from other Mumsnetters.

Original poster

AIBU To ask for tips for horrendous tooth ache?!

27 replies

hallomother · 12/12/2020 05:39

I have got a broken tooth. I went to the dentist last week and they popped out a loose bit and put in a temporary filling after all x rays etc.
Turns out the tooth has a slightly curved root and needs to be removed but because of the root a specialist needs to do a surgical extraction and I can’t get an appointment until January.

All fine, until the temporary filling came out that evening. It wasn’t hurting or anything but I phoned them the next morning and they said if I had a temporary filling kit to use it as it would keep it clean and stop anything getting in. I had a dentek one so did as instructed and that was fine until the next day when The tooth started dully aching.

I’m now in pain and nothing is touching it. I can’t get the filling out as I thought getting it out and using salt water etc to clean it again might be a good idea and I can’t get an earlier appointment for an extraction.

I’m trying to get in to see them to have this filling removed and a new one put in but I’m absolutely dreading the next few weeks being in pain like this or it getting worse and not being able to do anything - especially over Christmas!

Has anyone got any tips for soothing the pain and making it manageable? I’ve used anbesol but it doesn’t seem to have touched it.

OP posts:
changedmynameforChristmas · 12/12/2020 05:48

Try paracetamol and Ibuprofen together.

Have you got any brandy or whisky ? Swish it round the affected area before downing it

Theworkwitch · 12/12/2020 05:53

This is awful. Can you pay private anywhere to get it removed quicker? You can use an ice pack to literally numb the area, not sure what else.

linerforlife · 12/12/2020 05:58

Orajel, which is a lidocaine gel. Ibuprofen and cocosamol. Sorry op it's a horrible pain Sad

Lemonydrizzle · 12/12/2020 06:05

If it's hurting very badly it's quite likely to be infected; contact your dentist emergency number to explain and they should take a look and prescribe you antibiotics and something for the pain. I went through similar a few years ago and the pain was insane, but the antibiotics helped a lot fast. Hope it's feeling better soon Flowers

AlmostAlwyn · 12/12/2020 06:09

Crushed garlic pressed on the tooth with some cotton wool gave me some relief from toothache.

Catsup · 12/12/2020 06:13

Corsodyl mouthwash - it tastes like shit! But will bring down any swelling, and it's recommended to use after oral surgery. If there's any infection it'll help combat that too.

Rachierach11 · 12/12/2020 06:24

Nurofen plus and paracetamol taken at the same time might help. The codeine in the nurofen plus works well with the paracetamol. Orajel will numb the gum too. Really hope you can get it sorted soon x

Pickypolly · 12/12/2020 06:24

Sympathies as this sounds utterly horrific for you.

As pp said orojel because of the lidocaine local anaesthetic properties, and you can buy solpadine form the chemist which contains codiene.

That and ibuprofen regularly will be the highest concentration of pain relief you can get over the counter.

Please please do not take more than is recommended on the boxes.

Please write down the times you took them so you can calculate when you are due to take them again. Adhere to the timings.
Ibuprofen is 8 hourly.
Try holding either warm or cold water on the spot on your mouth, some find warm, some find cold temporarily eases the pain.

All the best, again though, do not be tempted to take more than is recommended on the boxes and keep track of timings.

Goslowlysideways · 12/12/2020 06:25

Oil of cloves is amazing
But it's a very temporary relief.

2019user44 · 12/12/2020 06:27

Solpadeine

SassyPants · 12/12/2020 06:32

I'm the least herbal or woo person but oil of cloves worked wonders for me for an abcessed tooth which eventually needed to be pulled. Even when codeine wouldn't touch the pain

CarterBeatsTheDevil · 12/12/2020 06:35

My dentist says that opiates are not effective for toothache and research show that regular paracetamol alternated with ibuprofen is most effective. Huge sympathies, OP, it is the pits.

PlugUgly1980 · 12/12/2020 06:36

I was going to say if the pain is that severe you should be considering whether you have an infection. I say that as someone who ended up on morphine prescribed by my GP as no painkiller would touch the pain I had and I had to wait 6 weeks and try 3 different lots of antibiotics before I finally became an "emergency" and was admitted to hospital for surgery as soon as the Maxiofacial Consultant saw me, within 5 minutes he was phoning the ward and booking me a bed!! He said not to bother with Corsodyl mouthwash, just use regular warm water sat washes as they're just as effective. Even after surgery I was taking the max dose of over the counter paiknlkillers for a week or so. I've never experienced pain like it, never felt suicidal in my life but this pain was off the scale so you have my complete sympathies.

Original poster
hallomother · 12/12/2020 07:20

Thank you so much for your suggestions, I’m going to get some orajel today.
I’ve found the stronger ibuprofen that I didn’t use after my c section (turns out I can hack that with no medication but this, nope!) and will use that today.
I’m going to call them when they open at 9. They’ve been pretty good it’s just this annoying fact that I need to have a particular kind of extraction and because of Covid there’s a backlog. They bumped me up the queue already to get me in for January but god the idea of having this until then is not one I’m relishing!

Thanks for the advice about solpadene I’ve taken it before for migraines so know to be very careful but thank you :)

OP posts:
mummy2oli · 12/12/2020 07:33

Ring 111. They have emergency dentists on call who would be able to help.
Nothing worse than dental pain. Hope you get it sorted

dizzygirl1 · 12/12/2020 07:35

I'm with you on the toothache, I've had a broken tooth for a while (scared of dentists and I'm not registered) which I think has an abscess under it. 😭

Reedwarbler · 12/12/2020 07:37

You know, it's really shocking that, in 2020, a person in extreme dental pain is having to be recommended to use garlic and cloves to treat a toothache, as well as otc painkillers. It's barbaric. OP, I feel so sorry for you. Your answer is to see your dentist again and insist on immediate treatment to make you pain free. Can you afford to go private? It really is a terrible comment on our 'wonderful' nhs when it is okay to leave someone in horrendous pain (unless you can pay, in which case it will be sorted straight away.)

Boulshired · 12/12/2020 07:38

I used abesol during lockdown, but as other pointed out, after feeling a lump on my gums it was an infection rather than tooth ache causing the pain. I phone the emergency dentist line as my face had swollen. I was prescribed two antibiotics over the phone and as the infection cleared so did the pain.

sandgrown · 12/12/2020 07:39

My dentist always recommended warm salt water mouth washes every few hours to fight the infection.

NotExactlyHappyToHelp · 12/12/2020 07:46

Oh god you poor thing. I feel your pain. Dental troubles are the absolute pits.

As a veteran of many dental emergencies my pain management plan has been carefully tweaked. Rotate ibuprofen and cocodamol while using the Orajel Max (it’s only available behind the pharmacy counter) and holding a warm hot water bottle to the affected jaw. Be scrupulous with your hygiene and don’t eat anything ‘bitty’ that could get lodged in the broken tooth.

It’s definitely worth contacting a couple of private dentists in the area if you have no joy getting in at your own. There’s one here that charges £150 for an emergency appointment but any work needed is covered up to the value of the fee. They’ve saved my skin a few times.

gettingolderbutcooler · 12/12/2020 07:51

Oil of cloves-magic xx

Oblomov20 · 12/12/2020 07:53

I too agree with Reed that in this day and age, January, or leaving anyone in this much pain, is just totally unacceptable. Please ring your Dentist back. Be firm.

Original poster
hallomother · 12/12/2020 07:55

Thank you. I did look at a few private places as a back up plan but they were fully booked due to I guess other people having the same problem but I’m definitely willing to look again!

I always forget quite how bad toothache is until I get it again.

It’s so frustrating as it’s my little boy’s first birthday before Christmas and I’ll be so sad if I’m in pain for it.

I’m hoping they’ll give me options when I call up at 9. When they booked me in for January I wasn’t in pain so I’m hopeful that they can bring it forward although the specialist only works at their practice on Saturdays so who knows.

Googling oil of cloves now!

OP posts:
Thisisworsethananticpated · 12/12/2020 07:55

I’d search for a private dentist
I had one that my MHS dentist would not remove
In desperation I found a private emergency dentist 🦷 who took it put for £200

What is your nearest city ?

You simply can’t wait that long

It’s too painful 😣

Thisisworsethananticpated · 12/12/2020 07:57

And yes In the interim you need oTC co codamol
And ibuprofen 400mg

And frankly the only
Thing that even helped was emergency diazapam but good bloody luck in getting that 😣