Toothache - Please someone help me

[JollyHolly30]

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 😢

I’m not sure either @JollyHolly30 but it’s better to phone and speak to someone who is medically trained than you sit in pain yourself, they will listen to your issue and be able to advise. How are you feeling now?

OP if all you can afford is extraction just go for it. It's safer anyway tbh.

The only thing that touched mine when it was like this was some co-drydamol I had left over from an operation.

I think you get get it OTC (panamol? Black packet) but it won’t be as strong as the one I had was prescribed.

You have my sympathies, I called up my GP sobbing after two days of no sleep, and they took pity on me and prescribed 30 codeine and then naproxen, which I think is unusual as they don’t usually get involved with dental pain, and neither touched the sides. As I said it was just the co-drydamol

You can also get something called orajel which is a numbing gel, much more effective than Clove oil, but it depends where the pain is, if it’s too far up the root it may not work. It’s only around a fiver or so, so worth a shot.

@JollyHolly30 - I don;t know if you are eleigible for this but it's worth a punt

If you are on benefits such as Income Based JSA etc you are eligible for free NHS treatment

or if you are working but on a low income fill in one of these. Either collect a form from any NHS dentist/ even Specsavers had them and fill it in and send it off. Or, you can download it and send it off.

www.nhs.uk/nhs-services/help-with-health-costs/nhs-low-income-scheme-lis/

The main thing is get registered with a dentist and ask for help.

I have felt that ipain

@JollyHolly30 Here you are

Important numbers

Call 0300 330 1348 for the dental services helpline
Call 0300 330 1343 for the Low Income Scheme helpline
Call 0300 330 1341 for queries about medical exemption certificates
Call 0300 330 1341 for queries about prescription prepayment certificates (PPCs)
Call 0300 330 1349 for the prescription services helpline
Call 0300 330 1347 for queries about tax credit certificates
Call 0300 123 0849 to order a paper copy of the HC12, HC5 and HC1 (SC) forms
Call 0300 330 1343 for all other queries

p.s be careful with the co-codamol after three days it can make the pain worse and there is a rick of addiction. I never found it worked.

Be careful of over the counter meds.

I found warm salty water (just use whats left in the kettle) rolled around the tooth took down inflammation and kept the area clean.

@LouiseBelchersBunnyEars

You can also get something called orajel which is a numbing gel, much more effective than Clove oil, but it depends where the pain is, if it’s too far up the root it may not work. It’s only around a fiver or so, so worth a shot.

Hi Louise, unfortunately Orajel extra strength is one of the things I listed in my first post that didn't work at all. Clove oil worked better than that did a couple of nights before, but the night I posted this it was doing nothing at all. The pain has definitely been more manageable since in that I haven't needed ice to sleep, and haven't been at the point again where I feel I need to phone 111 for help but I know it still needs looked at as a priority.

I've been going through this for past 2 weeks... Low on funds too. I do have a NHS dentist and they kept prescribing me amoxicillin. I finally lost it and rang yesterday and told my dentist if I die from sepsis from where a infected tooth has got into my blood stream, my family will sue this dentistry.

Within 1 hour I got a call back asking me to come asap.
She cleaned out my tooth and put a temporary filling in.. and is referring me to the root canal specialist. She said my root is dying or something! I begged her to remove it but she wouldn't.. she said it can be saved??
I still have maternity exemption so I wasn't charged

Since yesterday I still have some pain/Nigging.. but I haven't used extra paracetamol or oraljel yet so I can live with this!
Saying that.. if the pain comes back I will just demand an extraction because it is horrendous

Now it's not very moral but.. find an emergency nhs dentist (111 will refer you same day) and claim you have had a baby within the last 12 months and it will be free (I did it once with a wisdom teeth when i was 20 lol )

I went to A&E with horrendous tooth pain, honestly it was worse than childbirth it felt like the side of my skull was caving in.

Got given some oramorph on the spot and some more to take home- job done