Surely there's something else that can be done (dental)

[Daniagainagainagain]

Morning all

Posting out of sheer desperation.
I have an impacted wisdom tooth. I actually have 2 wisdom teeth on the area of concern which is a bit of a rarity.

It's been sore on and off for a week, I managed to get an appointment for Friday but I can't deal with this pain anymore I am literally climbing the walls. I would take the birth of my child over this. My fave is swollen on one side and the inside of my mouth is swollen, my throats on fire.
Rang 111, said nothing they can do and to wait for the appointment.

I've taken nurofen, paracetamol, OTC co-codamol, I am in sheer agony and it's literally driving me insane. I'm tempted to show up in A&E just to see if they can help with this pain, I've never known anything like it.

The teeth were found a few years back when X-ray'd for cosmetic work but they hadn't broken through the skin and weren't giving me trouble.

Surely there has to be something else or someone else I can help? I can't afford to see a private dentist, and the NHS appt is days away

Sorry for posting here but I'm desperate 😭

I'd be calling 111 back and tell them that your face and throat are swollen and that high strength painkillers aren't touching it. I was the same with 3 broken teeth and got an appointment the same day as they were worried I was going to take more than the recommended daily dose of painkillers because I just couldn't take the agony anymore. Solidarity, I know how fucking awful tooth pain is

When I've had this happen I've ended up with a same day emergency appointment.
Have you made it clear just how bad it is with face swollen etc?

Yes I have :( I was in tears on the phone to 111 and she just gave me phone numbers for dentists that aren't accepting NHS patients!

I would go to a&e, if 111 aren't helping. You can't be left in that much pain. Hopefully max fax can see you x

I'd give them another call and say the pain has increased. Can you swallow ok?

If 111 won't give you an emergency appointment sooner then I don't think you would be unreasonable to go to A and E.

Another option is a dental hospital if you have one nearby?

Have you tried contacting your dentist again to see if your appointment can be bought forward due to the pain?

It sounds like you have an infection, so you need to phone your dentist and tell them it’s an emergency.

Dentists do provide emergency appointments for things like abscesses and can prescribe you antibiotics for the infection.

The dental hospital would be a good place to try if you have one near by.

Most dentists with nhs patients have an assigned number of emergency appts that can be taken by either registered patients or non registered - it doesn’t mean you are then a patient of that practice going forward just seen as a one off.

The best I can get is a private appointment today for £89 plus private prescriptions (which are probably needed) which I literally can't afford.

Dentistry is on its knees

Tooth pain is just the worst. I'm trying to work as a distraction and I just want to cry and cry!

If found some bonjela, or is that a bad idea?

No dental hospital nearby but our local hospital has a maxillofacial

You poor thing. The bonjela prob won't touch it if the high strength pain relief hasn't but don't see any harm in trying. You are desperate and in agony. I would be presenting at the hospital.

I think im going to go, im near to rocking in the corner - who knew teeth could be this painful!

Do you think they will remove the tooth (at some point, not today I know)

I have 2 wisdom teeth coming through on the same bottom side (lucky me) and one is growing outwards to my cheek. I was hoping they'd stay away now I'm 29 but evidently not!

I don't blame you. I hope they will remove but they may want to deal with infection first if that is there. Please let us know how you get on- good luck!!

OP if you are registered at a surgery - which it sounds like you are? - they should have “pain slots” set aside each day. Mine has appointments at 10 and 3 which they allocate on the day to patients with urgent needs in addition to the usual pre-booked appointments for checkups and treatments. It’s maybe a bit late today (at mine you have to ring at 8.30) but I’d call your own dentist as the first option.

I find on the tooth pain relief better than codiene or the other stronger opiates I have in the cupboard. Can you get topical lignocaine in chemists where you are? I find it needs to be reapplied very regularly but seems to work best. You could try ice or a heatpack. I don't know about tooth pain but wet heat often works better on jaw pain. Like a face cloth that you've poured hot water on as opposed to a wheat bag.

Aspirin as additional pain relief but do eat with them plus orogel £3.99 from boots life saver
Swelling can compromise airway so A and E if exhausted other avenues is fine

I had this last year and presented at A&E twice. The first time they gave me painkillers and antibiotics to tide me over til my dentist appointment but they weren't effective. The infection was so bad my dentist described it as trying to put out a house fire with a water pistol. That same night I ended up having to go back to the hospital. My neck was so swollen it was impacting my breathing. I was on IV antibiotics and oramorph within half an hour of arrival and ended up getting transferred to max fax at another hospital. The next day I had it out under GA which was another trauma but at least it was out.

In my experience doctors won't touch teeth unless it becomes medical ie impacting breathing or possible sepsis.

Good luck- it's the worst pain I have ever been in so I have so much sympathy

OP I was in your situation 2 years ago. My dentist just referred me to the emergency dental clinic at the hospital and I had my extractions a day or 2 later under general.

If it's so painful that you can't wait until Friday I suggest you go o the A&E. Especially now that your face is swollen, it is an emergency.

Good luck x

Just to add - No OTC painkiller will remotely touch the pain. When I went through the same there's nothing I didn't try.

We have a large dental hospital but they don't take walk-in appointments. So Even with a dental hospital it may not be worth it.

An impacted wisdom tooth most dentists won’t touch it, my private dentist wouldn’t. A dental hospital is the best option and maybe A&E meantime if they don’t have a free appointment. I’ve just seen your local hospital has a special department so badger them for a slot but be prepared to travel to a dental hospital if you really want to get the impacted tooth dealt with.

Agree

I'm looking into this, thank you. Very helpful!

Good luck with your impacted wisdom tooth (and the other wisdom teeth) by the way. It’s a day time appointment but ensure you keep the area clean as it can get infected (it did with me as I hated cleaning it). You should have dissolvable stitches in the area. They should give you painkillers but ask for stronger ones if you need them. You will also get antibiotics to prevent infections.

So I've managed to (somehow) get an emergency NHS dentist appt today at 2.30.

What will they do, refer me to dental hospital or you think? I'd really love it if they took them out but this is all new to me, I've never had teeth out before!

It's so, so incredibly painful. Even breathing makes me wince (I know I sound like a wuss)

Hoping for a referral to dental hosp to get the bastards out!