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AIBU?

Share your dilemmas and get honest opinions from other Mumsnetters.

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Original poster

To ask for your miracle cures for infected wisdom teeth

49 replies

Umph · 26/12/2023 08:17

I have a partially erupted wisdom tooth that has been coming through for the last few weeks (and threatening to for years - my top two have finally come through in the last year after years of sore gums and slow growth, and now my bottom ones are doing the same). It’s now apparent that the gum has become infected. It was sore on Xmas eve but manageable, worse yesterday, and now the pain radiates into my ear and jaw and is making me want to knock myself out with a hammer.

I have been brushing after each meal, flossing (agony), and rinsing my mouth with salt water. And obviously have taken paracetamol and ibuprofen. Is there anything else I can do?! Obviously it’s going to be a hideously expensive dentist visit at some point but I can’t imagine I’ll manage to get an appointment until the new year.

OP posts:

WASZPy · 26/12/2023 08:21

Are you doing the salt rinse as hot and strong as you can bear it for 5 minutes several times an hour? If not, try that.

I also sometimes soak a make up removal pad in antiseptic (medicated) mouthwash, fold it and pack it next to the tooth.

Wisdom teeth suck.

Tinks1983 · 26/12/2023 08:22

You need antibiotics- call 111. I had this years ago and it made me want to dig my own tooth out with a knife.

M123gotns · 26/12/2023 08:22

Have you tried Corsodyl medicated mouthwash? Use it several times a day and it should help.

Pippa12 · 26/12/2023 08:23

I also suffer with this terribly 2/3 times a year! It’s agony, sometimes I can barely open my mouth. Sadly I’ve never found any relief from anything other than what you’re doing, other than ABXs from the dentist. Unfortunately, the type you cannot drink with!

I did find buying actual branded pain relief (ie: Panadol) was better. The pain relief is ultimately the same, but they work quicker for me. As a nurse I thought this was a load of old bum fluff, but desperate times and all that.

Try and see a dentist, it’ll give you more scope to get them removed if the frequency of infection is well documented.

erinaceus · 26/12/2023 08:23

Can you not call 111? In our area (albeit this was pre-pandemic) one of the hospitals has an on-call dentist who deals with people who are in a lot of pain.

I hope you get it sorted soon.

Original poster

Umph · 26/12/2023 08:24

@WASZPy No, not that hot. That weirdly sounds nice. I’m going to give that a go and up the frequency.

OP posts:

gurlwhaat · 26/12/2023 08:25

sorry to hear you’re in pain… experienced the same thing a few years ago during covid and genuinely thought I’d pass out from the pain, having a tooth infection is the worst! Clove oil works wonders, tastes disgusting but reallly helps numb the pain. Make sure you’re going back to back on painkillers so you’re taking them every four hours so the pain can’t creep in. There was also a drug I managed to get from the pharmacy sorry I can’t remember the name but it basically has an opioid in it (might be ocycodone?) so you can only get it over the counter at a pharmacy but I would go in and tell them you’re in severe pain from your wisdom tooth and see what they recommend. Best of luck!

DeathMetalMum · 26/12/2023 08:25

Corsodyl, either mouthwash or gel. Don't get the alcohol free version if possible.

I had to visit emergency dentist once who said to use a kids toothbrush and brush as hard as possible - even if it bleeds. If it flares up. These things do the job for me. Usually settles down within a few days.

I would err on the side of caution though and possibly contact a dentist. Your level of pain seems quite bad and may indicate infection requiring antibiotics. I also wouldn't risk leaving it just incase the infection spreads elsewhere.

Original poster

Umph · 26/12/2023 08:25

Funnily I’ve been accusing the kids of having terrible breath for the last week and thought it was due to a cold/sore throats. I now realise it must have been my own I was smelling 🤢

OP posts:

Mumsnut · 26/12/2023 08:26

Pack it with crushed aspirin?

JanefromLondon1 · 26/12/2023 08:26

This reply has been withdrawn

This has been withdrawn due to privacy concerns.

Papillon23 · 26/12/2023 08:26

I used to do corsodyl as well. I used to dip a clean cotton bud in and get it right in there with the tooth.

I may be wrong but I would be wary of agonising flossing - if your gums are inflamed and you're causing bleeding I would think you risk the infection worsening not improving?

Tigertailss · 26/12/2023 08:26

Extraction, £20

icouldhavebeensomeone · 26/12/2023 08:27

Crush a paracetamol and use your finger to put it around the tooth and sore area - or Clove oil, it tastes horrid but has always worked for Me! Feel for you OP, Toothache is the worst ☹️

gurlwhaat · 26/12/2023 08:27

Would also add that you should try and see a dentist as soon as possible too! You can only manage the infection so much , the tooth really needs to come out by the sounds of it

AllTheUsernamesLeftAreShit · 26/12/2023 08:27

Definitely lived on ibuprofen when I still had my partially erupted wisdom teeth. Another vote for corsodyIand I found sugar free gum helpful too. if you have a water flosser using that to clean may be good too.

Mumsnut · 26/12/2023 08:29

I find that reduces swelling (if a bit of stuck food has caused the problem, it is easier to free if the swelling isn’t trapping it).

Original poster

Umph · 26/12/2023 08:30

@M123gotns @DeathMetalMum going to get some corsadyl on the way to visit my parents (and then let them do all the parenting whilst I hide in a corner).

@erinaceus I know it’s stupid but I was really hoping to squeeze one last day of Christmas joy out of the holidays before spending the day sat in an out of hours clinic somewhere. Obviously it might end up being a case of needs must.

OP posts:

Santaiscomingsoon · 26/12/2023 08:30

Agree with upping the salt water rinses, when I had my wisdom teeth removed it was 3/4 times a days.

Ambesol with lidocaine will sting but numb the area and I weirdly loved it.

Does sound like an infection and you don’t want it going into your jaw bone (not to scare you). Please ring 111 and get some antibiotics

MrsEG · 26/12/2023 08:32

Antibiotics. Mine got impacted and infected and I really needed antibiotics nothing else touched it, they cleared up the infection within days.
Mine had grown in a way they were prone to infection too, so worth chatting to a dentist about removal - best thing I ever did was get them all out, after years of painful infections. Good luck OP the pain / smell is just awful.

GrumpyPanda · 26/12/2023 08:33

Ask the pharmacist for an iodide solution. Far and away the best oral disinfectant, was prescribed one with chronic tonsillitis prior to surgery. (Not in UK - I was given Betaisadona brand.)

Original poster

Umph · 26/12/2023 08:36

@Mumsnut sadly i’m asthmatic and not sure it’s the best idea. I actually have gargled with aspirin before with no adverse effects so I guess that might be worth a try (obviously not doubling up with ibuprofen though).

@bleughgreen will try to get some from a pharmacy. I remember having to gargle it after my tonsils came out. So grim.

@Papillon23 you might be right. I think it’s just the swelling but it feels like I need to floss. But it might not be helping.

OP posts:

erinaceus · 26/12/2023 08:37

Umph · 26/12/2023 08:30

@M123gotns @DeathMetalMum going to get some corsadyl on the way to visit my parents (and then let them do all the parenting whilst I hide in a corner).

Oh, I understand. It’s not stupid but how much Christmas joy are you getting if you’re in enormous pain and washing your mouth out with salt water several times per hour?

I don’t think I ever managed to clear a wisdom tooth infection myself using the types of approaches you are using whereas metronidazole works fast. The pain is really hard to endure. I’d fear sepsis as well. (Maybe that is a touch over dramatic? Not sure.)

I had two of my wisdom teeth removed after recurrent infection. <shudders at the memory>

Original poster

Umph · 26/12/2023 08:38

@Tigertailss it’s barely peeking through… I feel like extraction would be incredibly tricky and more expensive at this stage but I might be wrong!!

OP posts:

BeadedBubbles · 26/12/2023 08:46

@Umph - sympathies. This was me 2 xmases ago! You do need antibiotics and in my case they got on top of the pain and infection very quickly. However, I'd had repeated infections so ended up having the tooth out. Because of the awkward position of the wisdom tooth my dentist didn't want to tackle it herself and referred me to hospital so it didn't cost me anything to have it removed.

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