where to turn if dentist no help

[lippalm]

my DD 15 is in excruciating pain with dental issue. It's gone on for nearly a week, with no let up, and getting worse each day. She's not slept properly for 3 days now and is maxxed out on paracetemol and ibruprofen.

Got a dentist app today, and x ray is clear, no obvious reason for this pain. The dentist was stumped as to what could be causing the pain. They've reluctantly prescribed antibiotics and said come back in a week.

DD is in agony - she's been a regular in A&E with various injuries, but nothing has come close to this. It's driving her completely mad and I'm worried she's going to harm herself - I've already caught her trying to remove the tooth herself with some pliers.

Dentist said to continue with ibruprofen for 1 more day only, and continue with paracetemol but they're not touching the sides. Ibuprofen was helping until today.

I know I can't go to A&E with dental issues but at a loss as to what to do to help her - AIBU to think there must be something that can help her?

Can you get her to another dentist tomorrow for a second opinion? Private dentists should have emergency appointments even if you are a new patient, especially if you explain how awful the pain is. Dental pain is the worst, I really feel for her.

I was in awful pain once and a dentist didn’t see anything but I went back the following day and was seen by another dentist who managed to pick up the tiniest hairline crack in my tooth.

Also, don't mean this as a dig at Dentists, more just that we had really hoped they'd have the solution and there would be some immediate resolution following the appointment, but that wasn't the case (obviously not the dentist's fault!).

She could have an internal crack in a tooth which is barely visible but very painful. Your poor DD. I think I’d ask for a second opinion or another x ray, keep going back until they get to the bottom of it.

Is it definitely one of her teeth that hurts? Not her jaw/ears/face? Could something like trigeminal neuralgia which is very painful

Might be worth trying gp if dentist has essentially said it’s not a dental issue

You can go to A&E with dental pain, people do all the time. If she's in so much pain that she can't sleep she needs stronger painkillers regardless of what's causing it. However, could it be ear/jaw pain radiating into the tooth? I've had this before when I had blocked sinuses I swore it was toothache.

Salivary gland stones? DS was in excruciating pain, ended up at emergency dentist via 111, full X-rays showed the stone. The whole side of his face was swollen and extremely tender. He had a course of antibiotics as the gland had become infected, and did so, on and off until he had the stone removed.

Go to a and e op. It might be something else if its not her tooth
I have had tooth pain for sinus infections and it can be excrutiating.

At the very least they might be able to give her something for the pain.

Actually I’d my dd was in excruciating pain, hadn’t slept for 3 days, maxed out on painkillers + I was worried she might harm herself I would go to A&E.
say the dentist said it wasn’t a dental issue (I didn’t know you can’t go to A&E with dental issues)

I’m wondering if it’s a sinus toothache. I’ve had these so many times where there’s no problem with my tooth but my sinuses have caused a horrendous toothache. The antibiotics kicked in after a day or so.

I would give them three days for work and go back to the dentist for another look. Keep her away from the pliars as they could cause cracks!

Take her to another dentist. Maybe you need to travel to another town, but if she is in so much pain, that is what I would do.

the pain is below front bottom teeth

If it were my DC I'd go to A&E, for nothing else than stronger pain relief until you get it sorted.

I have no advice unfortunately but sending my sympathies to her!

Ive had pain from my wisdom tooth since it cracked in December. I’ve had two removed for the same reason (condition which affects my teeth, particularly my wisdom teeth) so it wasn’t unexpected. They booked me in for it to be removed in the March but then cancelled it. So saw them the week they cancelled bc it was hurting. Got a temp filling. Then booked in for start of April. They cancelled again and rearranged for end of April. Then had to argue for an emergency appointment last week as wasn’t eating/sleeping due to the pain. They gave antibiotics and it’s finally coming out on Thursday (apparently) so keeping fingers crossed (and still not sleeping). Tooth pain is awful. At least I can be glad I’ll only have one more wisdom tooth after this 😂😜

I hope they find the cause for her soon. Make sure they check other teeth. My wisdom tooth pain reaches my top and bottom front teeth. If it hadn’t cracked, I would attribute it to a totally different tooth based on feelings!

What area of the country are you in, are you within striking distance of a University Dental Hospital? If so, they will likely have an emergency clinic on weekdays. Don't put off attending until the Easter weekend!!

Can she try co-codamol. I got it from the pharmacy though it did make me feel nauseous

Google says it could be a jaw joint issue.... maybe make a gp appointment too

She definitely needs stronger pain killers at the least Codeine to add to the Paracetamol and Ibuprofen. I had a cracked tooth with exposed nerve and the pain was worse than labour. I am 38 and know how to breath through pain and use mindfulness practices to calm fear. She is 15 and trying to pull her own teeth out! Go to A&E, call 111 ( if pain radiates to neck/chest they will probably send an ambulance). Could you also try a different dentist if yours can not find a cause?

Could be a hairline fracture which doesn't show up on xrays. Can be incredibly painful. A skilled endodontist may be able to spot it using a microscope only after the tooth has been drilled open

Salivary stones and/or infection more likely, we have a salivary gland there. She needs an ultrasound to check it and the ducts.

I agree, go to A&E and say dentist said it’s not a tooth or dental issue.

You can have pain so bad that it makes your teeth ache without the source of the pain being the teeth.

I wouldn't exclude the idea of going to A&E if only to rule out one or two seriously nasty things like an infection in the jaw (osteomyelitis.) I had it many years ago, possibly as a consequence of bruxism, (nocturnal teeth grinding.) Both osteomyelitis and bruxism are brutally painful, so I can well understand your daughter's harrowing response. I was a few years older and by the time my antibiotics kicked in, I was ready to hurl myself out of a window. That said, the hidden, hairline crack theory pps mention makes a lot of sense too and wouldn't be as obvious as bruxism, where there is usually visible damage to the teeth. I hope you can get it sorted soon OP. Dental pain is hellish.