Active discussions

Meet the Other Phone. A phone that grows with your child.

Meet the Other Phone.
A phone that grows with your child.

Buy now

Please or to access all these features

Talk
General health

Mumsnet doesn't verify the qualifications of users. If you have medical concerns, please consult a healthcare professional.

Original poster

help! tooth ache from hell

81 replies

wannabestressfree · 02/01/2012 23:34

Need some advice really..........
Saw out of hours dentist today who said I had a broken wisdom tooth and gave me antibiotics and told me to get in touch with a dentist.........
So
1.How long will the amoxycillin take to work? I have an abcess and its very painful :{

  1. Do I have to wait until I finish the antibiotics until they will remove it?
  2. Can they do that at the dentist?
  3. Is it going to cost me an arm and a leg? No one is taking on NHS patients where I live.
  4. I have been taking paracetamol and tramodol for the pain as its constant, any other suggestions? Can't have aspirin/ ibrufen because of crohns disease.

Thank you in advance

OP posts:
yellowraincoat · 03/01/2012 05:17

Yeah, why didn't the dentist remove it? Some NHS dentists are beyond a joke.

Let me tell you a grim story to take your mind off things (if you don't want to get the dental willies, look away now).

So I stupidly fell onto my face and my front tooth was pushed up into my gum, fucking agony. Went to hospital, they said it might come down on it's own. It didn't. Faffed about, got a veneer eventually.

After a couple of months it started hurting. Went to dentist. He said it was fine, even though I insisted it hurt like hell. This went on for a couple of years, no-one listened to me, and the veneer was coming off but they wouldn't replace it.

Went to a private dentist who said it was horribly infected, did surgery on me and found a COTTON WOOL BALL INSIDE MY ROOT CANAL. It was left there by the previous dentist.

Cue ridiculously expensive treatment, huge levels of pain and my enduring hatred of the NHS.

Jasper · 03/01/2012 05:18

Wannabe, have you tried the hot salt mouth bath?

yellowraincoat · 03/01/2012 05:18

Jasper for the story above and because the OP said they aren't taking on NHS patients near her.

Original poster
wannabestressfree · 03/01/2012 05:21

Am planning on going to private dentist first thing.
I used to have Denplan but due to very complicated medical history all my insurances etc became void.
No she didn't give a reason just that she was glad I had a high pain thresh hold and nice teeth and that once I had finished the antibiotics it needed to come out..........Swelling is getting worse not better do I still stick to the every eight hours for the antibiotics? Have got to take a massive dose of steriods too this morning am going to rattle lol

OP posts:
Jasper · 03/01/2012 05:21

Yellow that has nothing at all to do with NHS / private. There are good dentists and bad ones.
I am a very good dentist , I never turn away anyone in pain ( whether registered with us or not ) and the worst dentistry I have ever seen was expensive, private work. My two colleagues are fully NHS and both are top clinicians , as well as kind and lovely individuals

Jasper · 03/01/2012 05:23

The cotton wool inside your tooth was part of an unfinished root treatment.

Original poster
wannabestressfree · 03/01/2012 05:24

I have trawled the phone book and google and no one is taking on where I live.........NHS I mean.
Yes am persevering with it..............bath i mean

OP posts:
yellowraincoat · 03/01/2012 05:27

I went to countless NHS dentists over the years who refused to even look at the tooth properly Jasper. I just don't think I would ever trust them with my teeth again.

I know why the cotton wool was there. So why was it there? Why wasn't the root canal finished?

Anyway, I need to sleep. No bunfights over dentistry.

OP, I hope you get some rest and are painfree soon.

Jasper · 03/01/2012 05:27

Just saw the bit about dentists in your area not taking on NHS patients.
How did you access the emergency dentist?
Were they in a hospital?

Original poster
wannabestressfree · 03/01/2012 05:36

Yes I rang a number and they gave me an appointment at a hospital in the next town. Thanks for your advice Jasper. Do you think I should return to them then?

OP posts:
mathanxiety · 03/01/2012 05:43

exFIL mentioned Ludwig's angina, infection in the jaw bone, cavernous sinus thrombosis, endocarditis and a few other lovely conditions when exMIL had an abscess. He usually saw dental abscess patients only if there were serious complications though.

Jasper · 03/01/2012 05:46

I think whoever you ring you say " I am in severe pain from an abscessed tooth . Please would you take it out now " .
I am really quite upset on your behalf. ( can you tell ? )
Part of my job is in organising emergency dental services and sadly I come up against stories like yours all the time.
I think some dentists lack confidence taking out teeth , and getting trickier cases to numb. There is another thread on the go just now about a dentist inappropriately giving antibiotics for a slightly different problem.
I really despair about this situation.

Original poster
wannabestressfree · 03/01/2012 05:47

I do worry as I don't have the best luck healthwise. I am hoping the fever/ palpitations etc are just because of abcess. No one consultant wise will treat me except to stabilise me so it means a trip to Guys otherwise :{

OP posts:
Jasper · 03/01/2012 05:52

There is ONE treatment for an abscess.
DRAINAGE!!!
Either by extraction or pulp extirpation. (sometimes by incision as an interim measure)

Wannabe, your dental problem is keeping us both awake Confused

Original poster
wannabestressfree · 03/01/2012 05:54

Thank you Jasper and I will take your advice. I do agree with what you said about the quality of care though...........you can have poor dentists/ doctors private or NHS.
In the lady's defence she was over run yesterday and I did feel for her. Everyone got the antibiotics and standard advice.

OP posts:
Original poster
wannabestressfree · 03/01/2012 05:55

Sorry Jasper. I may go to the hospital if I carry on feeling like this anyway. Just so I can be monitored

OP posts:
Jasper · 03/01/2012 06:04

If everyone got antibiotics that's even worse. Being pushed for time is no reason at all for not treating the problem correctly.
I should add that at our emergency clinic lots of patients actually request just antibiotics with no actual treatment. Some because they are scared and some because they have Been fed the myth it's the right thing to do.

I saw a lady on new years day with a big swollen face, in agony. She said " I know you can only really give me antibiotics. My daughter told me and she is a dental nurse " I reassured her that was not so, took out her tooth ( painlessly ) and she was so happy she hugged me.

This is not an uncommon scenario!
Sometimes I think I have the best job in the world.

Jasper · 03/01/2012 06:05

Wanna I am going to try to sleep for a bit.
I really hope you get relief soon

Original poster
wannabestressfree · 03/01/2012 06:07

Thank you sleep well. Your a star :}

OP posts:
ManateeEquineOhara · 03/01/2012 06:35

Wannabe - I hope your tooth is feeling better?

I also have a wisdom tooth disaster ongoing and can really sympathise. Mine is also in the most part stemming from the failings of the emergency dentist.

Went to emergency dentist about a year ago having not had a new dentist since I moved, I had never needed a filling, teeth always very good, but all of a sudden it felt like someone had packed dynamite into my tooth cavity and was setting it off. Emergency dentist said...use Sensodyne. Left feeling a bit Confused and embarked on extreme Sensodyne use. Amazingly it improved but very slowly, and eventually it stopped hurting.

Finally got a dentist and went along about 6 months ago. He said I need a filling on said wisdom tooth and was surprised I had felt no pain. Explained about the emergency dentist. He started drilling and had to stop because it was so rotten and so deep that he wouldn't be able to fill it. Said it will have to come out, make an appointment. I did but all they did was take x-rays, and then I started a new job and haven't had time to have it out.

Since just before Christmas it has really flared up again, my dentist has been closed over Christmas/ New Year so I have been in constant pain! Been alternating every 2 hours between paracetamol and ibuprofen for the most part, plus salt water, and rubbing sensodyne on the tooth (it does seem to have some effect - maybe just the placebo effect!?) and I move house tomorrow so no time for an appointment until Friday (if they have any available and I get time to call today between moving house, argh!).

Original poster
wannabestressfree · 03/01/2012 06:51

I love your name manatee :}
No, no better, cheek is even bigger, have severe ear ache, right nostril is numb, head hurts, palpitations and can't open mouth. Oh and can't get off the loo.
And i have yet to close my eyes......... want to cry but I imagine it will hurt.
Make sure you ring the dentist today and chase it up!!!!! [this is in my best mummy voice]
Personally if anyone comes near me with Sensodyne I may maim them.........

OP posts:
Original poster
wannabestressfree · 03/01/2012 09:39

Jasper when you reappear can you advise me what to do if I can't get in ANYWHERE? The earliest I can be seen is next thursday.............

OP posts:
WellHello120mm · 03/01/2012 11:06

have you spoken to your local dentist at all? Are you registered with one. Can't believe they won't see you until a week Thursday. Ouch

Original poster
wannabestressfree · 03/01/2012 11:35

I may be able to be seen thursday for an initial assessment after bawling down the phone........... oh dear

OP posts:
PeelThemWithTheirMetalKnives · 03/01/2012 12:15

UK residents who are on holiday in another part of the country or who are not registered with a dentist can call the 24-hour NHS Direct helpline on 0845 46 47 to find an emergency dentist in the area. You usually have to wait a while at an emergency dentist's surgery, but in most cases you will be seen on the same day

Could you do this? I know you've seen an emergency dentist already but it didn't do any good so I think you could call again and refuse to leave without treatment as Jasper describes