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Original poster

Toothache - Please someone help me

34 replies

JollyHolly30 · 22/02/2022 04:43

I currently have the worst toothache across my whole right side of my jaw. I'm just sitting crying and shaking because nothing is helping.
Have had ice on my face for the last hour. I was so close to phoning 111 to see if I can go to A&E about this. It’s so unbearable.
I’ve tried salt water, anbesol, orajel, ice, heat, crying, clove oil, far far too much ibuprofen, 30mg co-codamol, aspirin and nothing is taking the pain away. It’s agony. It shouldn’t be right that you can’t see an emergency dentist if you can’t pay for it. If I could inject my own gums I would in a heart beat. I really don't know what to do.
Sorry this isn't very coherent - I'm typing with my left hand and haven't slept for two nights 😢

OP posts:
endofthelinefinally · 22/02/2022 04:45

I would absolutely phone 111.

mycatthinksshesatiger · 22/02/2022 04:48

Phone 111 and they will get you an appointment at enerfency dentist (NHS). Sounds like you have an abscess and you need much better pain relief. Please call 111 and get seen ASAP.

Justilou1 · 22/02/2022 04:51

Have you got any cloves in the house? It won’t fix it, (and it’s bloody gross) but chewing on cloves and sucking on them right near the tooth has a mild anaesthetic effect and will help (a little) with the pain.

You can also take ibuprofen and paracetamol together at the same time. Or ibuprofen and cocodamol if you have that. Just be mindful of the timing and don’t take paracetamol and cocodamol or you will overdose.

Original poster
JollyHolly30 · 22/02/2022 04:55

@Justilou1

Have you got any cloves in the house? It won’t fix it, (and it’s bloody gross) but chewing on cloves and sucking on them right near the tooth has a mild anaesthetic effect and will help (a little) with the pain.

You can also take ibuprofen and paracetamol together at the same time. Or ibuprofen and cocodamol if you have that. Just be mindful of the timing and don’t take paracetamol and cocodamol or you will overdose.

Hi,

I've taken co-coda ok, aspirin, ibuprofen all at once and it isn't touching it enough to be able to stop crying, nevermind sleep and I have a really decent pain threshold and I'm not a teary person.

I have clove oil which is so disgusting but I've been dousing my whole right side of my mouth in it to the point it feels like it's burning my skin/tongue etc and still no good.

Thank you for the suggestions though.
I'm actually shaking with the pain.

OP posts:
Original poster
JollyHolly30 · 22/02/2022 04:57

@mycatthinksshesatiger

Phone 111 and they will get you an appointment at enerfency dentist (NHS). Sounds like you have an abscess and you need much better pain relief. Please call 111 and get seen ASAP.
I don't think it's an abscess but I know my teeth definitely need attention and it's just gotten too painful for me to control. Everything I've read says that you have to pay for emergency dentistry though and unfortunately due to a series of really distressing events I'm just 100% not able to at the moment.

I don't want to go and be turned away because I can't pay. 😢 Absolutely sobbing to be honest!

OP posts:
steff13 · 22/02/2022 04:57

I don't know how it works there, will the emergency room see you? Here they usually have a dentist on call, but at least they'd be able to give you pain relief. I would go there, if so. If it's an abscess it could be life-threatening.

I feel for you; I have awful dental issues and tooth pain is the worst. I actually had an emergency dental treatment today.

endofthelinefinally · 22/02/2022 05:01

I dont think you have to pay for hospital treatment. At least you will get pain relief.
My dentist is private but he referred me to hospital for an extraction and I didn't have to pay.

Youngatheart00 · 22/02/2022 05:01

I don’t believe they would turn you away if you can’t pay, if you have an abscess or similar. Something is obviously causing the awful pain. I hope you get it sorted.

Justilou1 · 22/02/2022 05:01

I’m sorry… Toothache is abysmal. (Bloody nerves!) That’s all I can think of. Maybe swilling with warm bicarb soda (gentler than salt, and changes the PH around the gum - also not quite as gross or stingy) and then ice pack. I think you’re going to need an X-ray tomorrow.

StaplesCorner · 22/02/2022 05:32

I’d ring 111 and explain you can’t pay see if they can help - you might have a local provision that no one here would know of. Alternatively the British Oral Health Foundation have a brilliant helpline that’ll open at 9am, can’t recommend it enough.

StaplesCorner · 22/02/2022 05:33

Www.dental health.org

TheFairyCaravan · 22/02/2022 05:35

It sounds like it’s an abscess so it won’t matter how many painkillers you take unless you get some antibiotics. Ideally they should open up the tooth to let it drain, too.

Please stop taking too many painkillers, the last thing you want is a GI bleed, or worse, on top of this.

An emergency dental appointment on the NHS, where they look at the tooth, probably X-ray it, and prescribe the antibiotics is £23.80 atm.

Knittingchamp · 22/02/2022 05:52

Just wanted to say I've been there and it's so awful, you have my greatest sympathy...I went to A&E and asked for it to be pulled out. Somehow I managed to get to a dentist the next morning, can't remember how I managed that, but I would've had it pulled. It's a terribly unfair thing to suffer such terrible pain with the feeling there is noone to help and I know it's utterly debilitating. Just wanted to lass on my sympathy and understanding to you.

garlictwist · 22/02/2022 06:17

This is why I got a credit card. I have had so many problems with my teeth and couldn't get an nhs dentist (even then you have to pay)

Landlubber2019 · 22/02/2022 06:30

Contact 111 NOW, i have an NHS walk in centre locally. 111 will no which ones locally have a dental facility and will direct you/book you in. I used it many years ago, caught the 6am bus to get there as they opened and still had to queue and wait several hours.

Original poster
JollyHolly30 · 22/02/2022 13:52

Thank you so much everyone.
I think I fell asleep from pure exhaustion, but only with a bag of ice directly over the right side of my cheek/chin and ear. Kept waking up soaking wet and in such debilitating pain again that I refilled the bag with ice and lay down again. My pillows are soaked but I'm so grateful for the four hours of broken sleep. I feel like a zombie today but I didn't think I could face waiting hours in a hospital last night as I was so exhausted from not sleeping a wink the night before either.
Its still very very painful but not that white hot, throbbing pain right now. It's more bearable (no ice on it right it now for example) so I'm going to make some phone calls and see what help there is. It's come just at the very worst time and I legitimately can't afford to pay for proper treatment right now. I'm praying there Is some help for someone in my position even if that is extraction of the tooth/teeth causing the pain 🤞🏻

OP posts:
Knittingchamp · 22/02/2022 14:12

Honestly I'd get it pulled out of I were you if there aren't other options available in the very short term, I still would do it now in the same situation. I think the pain is literally impossible to live with. And putting your body through this pain and lack of sleep and antibiotics is very bad for it, too. I know tooth extraction isn't done lightly but I still remember all those years ago being where you are now and it was worse than childbirth IMO!!

Avacadoandtoast · 22/02/2022 19:34

Hey - can you call your doctor for pain relief? They might then take a look and refer you as it sounds urgent. Also keep in mind - it might not be your teeth, you have lots of nerves around there. You need to be seen by someone.

Original poster
JollyHolly30 · 23/02/2022 01:28

I'm not sure what other pain relief they'd give me in this situation?
I'm already prescribed Naproxen and 30/500 co-codamol at the moment for a shoulder injury following a car accident - any idea what else they'd try?

When I say this combination + anadin extra did absolutely nothing to the pain last night, I mean I without doubt took more than I was supposed to in sheer desperation and it didn't even put a dent in it. And I think if anything the clove oil was enraging if even more (and burning my lips/inner cheek skin at the same time) whereas that had actually helped a little last week when it was hurting a bit.
You have all been so sympathetic and it sounds like some of you have sadly 'been there, done that' and can really relate. I'm grateful to you all for the advice and suggestions!

S

OP posts:
YukoandHiro · 23/02/2022 01:29

You probably have an abscess. I went through this a&e won't help. Call 111 and they will direct you to an emergency dentist or make you an appt with one first thing.
Have you tried codeine in the meantime?

BiscoffAnythingIsTheWayForward · 23/02/2022 01:42

I went through this whilst pregnant. It did turn out to be an abscess but they couldn’t treat due to pregnancy. Felt like whacking myself over the head with a hammer. Out of hours doctor at the hospital prescribed me antibiotics and codeine. The codeine did the trick. I was terrified of taking it whilst pregnant but like you, I hadn’t slept in days. I had to have the tooth pulled in the end as it reoccurred shortly after. My mums had emergency hospital dentist appointment for a filling due to terrible toothache and wasn’t charged. I hope you are able to seek treatment asap.

CindyLouWho1 · 23/02/2022 02:13

This happened to me. I walked to a 24h Sainsburys in the middle of the night only to find the pharmacy bit was closed… So I bought vodka and drank it straight. It was gross but it relieved the pain enough to let me sleep until I could get to the dentist the next day. Might be worth a try as long as you don’t mix it with the other things you’ve been taking.

jamandmarmaladeoncrumpets · 23/02/2022 02:54

i had this and it was irreversible pulpitis following a crown prep.

I'd had four separate courses of Amoxycillin and Metranizadole over several months but the only permanent relief i got was an emergency dentist NHS who kindly extracted the tooth. This was at the dentist' discretion. They are only obliged to get you out of pain. They may do root canal but i was just glad to get it out.

The relief was instant. I am soooo grateful.

jamandmarmaladeoncrumpets · 23/02/2022 05:38

ps the antibiotics were for the abscess below the bottom tooth but had radiated referred pain to the whole right side of my upper teeth.

you may well have more than one dental issue. The anibiotics will bring the inflammation down.

red321 · 23/02/2022 06:02

You have my sympathy. I had a root canal infection a few years ago and it was truly horrific. Like you, no pain relief would touch it. It was excruciating if I tried to bite anything. I couldn't focus on anything else.

The dentist ended up draining it (I think that's the term) and I had three very long sessions with the root canal specialist. It felt manageable after the first dentist session and got better quite quickly. But sounds like that's not an option for you so I'd try the 111 option.