Not literally obviously! Very dramatic title but it’s metaphorically exactly how I feel right now. Sorry for the long post but I’m so desperate for help or advice here
I’ve got toothache and it’s getting worse and ruining my life. We initially thought it was a sinus infection but I’m certain it’s the tooth now. 2 courses of antibiotics haven’t helped it at all, and the pain is getting worse and I can feel it affecting a bigger area of my face now. I know which tooth the pain is originally coming from when the dentist tapped it to check. I’m taking painkillers everyday to cope with it but it’s getting beyond that now and I can still feel it over the painkillers.
The pain started off just above my tooth in my cheek as a dull ache but would come in waves of extreme pain and throbbing. Then the pain eases off after 10-60 minutes and goes back to the dull ache again. Then later on, another episode of extreme pain starts again.
When it’s a dull ache I can just about put up with it and get on with my life, but the waves of extreme pain are agonising. Nothing helps and I end up lying down sobbing holding onto my face. They’re happening a lot more often now, and it’s not just the tooth that’s sore now- it’s my entire upper jaw, lower jaw, cheek area and ear. It feels like my face on that side is throbbing and the pain has been enough to make me sick. My jaw hurts as if I’ve been punched and it sometimes feels tingly, as if it’s itchy inside it. My ear throbs and feels exactly like when I had an ear infection. It also aches on the hard bit of my head (sorry don’t know the exact word) directly behind my ear lobe. The tooth itself is more painful now too and I can feel it throbbing in my mouth. The other side of my face is fine.
I’ve got a root canal booked but it’s months away (nobody’s fault, dentists are just extremely busy right now) but the thought of waiting weeks nevermind months with this pain makes me feel so scared. I don’t know why I’m posting, I just don’t know what to do😭 I can’t afford private unfortunately. I was thinking of enquiring about getting the tooth extracted but I really wanted to avoid that if i could at my age. Anyone else been in this situation, did you wait for the RCT or just have it removed?