help! tooth ache from hell

[wannabestressfree]

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

The only possible neuro issues I can think of that may relate to dental abcesses are cavernous sinus haemangioma. Pretty rare though.

This is one of the reasons we advocate regular check ups, decay is easy to fix when it is small. Teeth are difficult when they are abscessed. A stitch in time was never truer.

I don't have surgical extraction kit at my OOH clinic so rarely extract teeth unless they will be straightforward. That said I also rarely prescribe antibiotics. I usually treat the tooth somehow.

OP, it may not be as expensive as you think to get the tooth taken out privately.

Yes agree with Peel.
However if you can't open your mouth they won't be able to do anything. They will most likely add metronidazole to the amoxicillin you are already taking, if your current other medication/ medical history allows it.

I'll just repeat what I said earlier that the only possible acceptible reason I can think of for not taking it out at the last visit is if the dentist judged it to be beyond her skills and requiring an oral surgeon rather than a general dentist. However, if that was the case she should have explained that.

This bit is important.... Is the swelling restricting your breathing, or beginning to? If yes phone NHS direct immediately and tell them this. It will then be categorised as an emergency and you will probably be sent to A& E.

Phone NHS direct again anyway and tell hem it's WORSENING. ( that's the magic word)
Good luck x

I have rung them and no one will see me until I have been on the antibiotics for 48 hours and I am back to school tomorrow. Will be thursday to be seen now so the children will have to tolerate an evil, snappy mum and my pupils the same..........
It might help the diet though

Did you tell them it's WORSE?

yes I have............
I am also prepared to pay but I still can't get in anywhere. If it gets any worse I will go to A & E.
I always went to the dentist regularly and as a family we had denplan [the children still do], I am 33 and have no fillings etc but when my health became a major problem it was sidelined. I spend a quarter of the year in hospital roughly.
Thank you for all your advice and I won't ignore it.......... trust me I wouldn't be able to

Wannabe - that sounds really awful to put up with, I really hope you get seen before next Thursday :-/

I failed to make my appointment having had moving day from hell :-/

wannabe, how are you feeling? any better?

I was wondering the same thing, yellow, and took the lack of a response as a positive thing - hopefully wanna is asleep !

Jeez, that is a long time to be suffering. Hope you can keep on trying to find treatment in the meantime.

I was asleep.............. I literally dosed myself up and then propped myself up and managed a few hours. Hopefully if I ring first thing in the morning they MAY be able to see me to assess me for removal.
The antibiotics appear to be working too as I seem able to control it although can't eat or drink more than a few sips. Taking my medication was awful.......
Thanks for all your messages :}

Glad you got a few hours sleep, but sorry it's still hurting. Hope you manage to get it taken out.

I am having problems with my wisdom tooth too. It's growing in sideways and pushing against my other teeth. I NEED to have it out, I know that. But I am SO scared and putting it off :( You are encouraging me though, I'm plucking up the courage...

I am scared too yellowraincoat so we can keep each other posted :}

Definitely. I'm going to go up to the dental hospital tomorrow, luckily I live in London. I should be able to get it out there and then.

well definately keep me posted then......... i reckon IF i can get in tomorrow they will poke about and say it needs to come out. Which I know. Am not holding out too much hope........

stress where in the UK are you?

Have managed to get an appointment today at 12.45. Hurray :} Am in Kent

Woo-hoo! Although Kent's a bit too far for me to come with my pliers if you get no joy today!!

I have a fractured back tooth and have been in agony for 3 weeks, When the infection started I had a high temp and was very poorly, I even spent Xmas day in bed as my temp was so high and was being sick, I couldn't open my mouth past a few mm's.
I went to OOH Doctors and he gave me 500mg of Amoxycillin, Took them for a week and it didn't help, managed to get to the dentist and she has given me a weeks worth of 400mg metronidazole, My infection is quite bad, can have anything touch my tooth at all, Not even my tongue.
Dentist has said she will remove the tooth once and if the infection has cleared.

Well I went and she has referred me for surgical extraction. She said no dentist will remove it until all the antibiotics have been taken and because I am steroid dependent it will have to be done at a hospital. Didn't give me any idea of how long that might take though :[

Think it depends on where you live, It is 6-8 weeks for a referral in Lincs.

I was also told they won't remove mine whilst it's infected, I was seriously considering getting my DH to do a pliers job I was feeling that rough!!

I know how you feel. Pliers are looking an attractive proposition at the moment, only thing that puts me off is the fact its broken so not convinced I would get it all :}

The ONLY reason for not removing a tooth if it is infected is if you can't open your mouth wide enough because of the infection.

There is a myth (perpetuated by some dentists , doctors, and a great many people of the older generation )that refuses to die that a tooth can't be extracted if it's infected.

This is complete and utter nonsense.

There is no reason whatsoever not to remove a tooth when it's infected. I do it all the time, and patients are extremely grateful.

I'm repeating myself now

Steroids do complicate things slightly and it is often better to do more involved procedures on those who are steroid dependent, in a hospital setting. Sometimes they will get you ready for a drip in case you have problems after the op as the steroids you take can affect your adrenaline production.

Sounds like it needs an oral surgeon though. I would phone back and pester, tbh (embarrassed to admit this) if I have patients who pester (in the nicest possible way) I then pester the hospital to get them off my back. It works though so don't be afraid to stay on their case.

I will do. She wasn't very pleasant to be honest and as I was sat shivering in her chair with a fever told me in no uncertain terms she would x ray but wouldn't touch it.

She told me I would feel better by the time the antibiotics finish [three days]

I have dropped in my repeat description for my medicines from the doctor and am now to wait for the hospital to ring me and just tolerate it in the mean time.

I will pester......... that I can do :}

Don't wait for the hospital to phone you -- call them and badger them constantly, and ask for any hope of a cancellation. Tell them you can get there at a minute's notice. Have your bags packed.