toothache; can't afford treatment what can I do?

[tralalala]

My tooth is now hurting. I know I need a root canal job, and then a crown (or a temporary thing that will need a crown eventually) but can't afford it.

I'm got a NHS dentist but will still cost around £200, I'm on the student dental hospital waiting list but it won't be until 2013 that it can be done there and don't think I can put up with it that long.

we are totally broke at the mo. we are saving up for it but will take sometime

any ideas, anything we can do?

Phone the out of hours dentist and complain a lot. I have a broken wisdom tooth that they have are treating next saturday after several antibiotics and painkillers and a two month wait...................

Have you tried clove oil? That usually does the trick, should keep the pain away until you can afford too have it fixed properly. HTH.

wannabe- do you have to ring at the w/e?. Lop.I have just chewed on a clove...it's worked a bit so thanks (where would i get actual clove oil from)!

Could your dentist do the payments in installments?

I really feel for you. I got an infection in my roots last summer that required a root canal and a temporary thing which I (still) need a crown for. Luckily my mum and dad paid because I was in agony.

Clove oil yes and ibuprofen works better than any other over the counter painkiller as it's a anti-inflammatory.

You can buy clove oil in the chemist, should be a couple of quid. It really is amazing stuff! Put a couple of drops directly onto tooth, i use a cotton bud, but avoid any drips onto gum as it burns a bit! Good luck!!

I phoned in the evening and was seen the next day at the local hospital. They gave me antibiotics and then I had to wait for an appointment at the sedation clinic :[ its next sat. It hasn't cost a penny.

You can bite the whole clove too to reduce the pain.

I had a root canal last year and dentist just put filling over. He is doing a crown in next few months. can you not get this done, or is there not enough of tooth left to fill.

Many sympathies tralala - I'm currently in agony and finding co codamol and ibroprufen helpful .
This has some advice as well
www.dentalfearcentral.org/faq/diy-dentistry/
Think you must press your case - you can't live with pain - surely pain = infection which must be controlled .
Have you tried GP ?
Sorry cant think straight at present .

You could try Orajel (can get this from Tesco or Boots)? I have it handy for the odd toothache I get and it is fab because it has a local anaesthetic (Benzocaine). IMO well worth the £3-5 spent on it.

Where do you live? I went to the dental hospital here in London and got emergency treatment - still need to pay eventually but it will get rid of temporary pain. There must be a dental hospital in every big city. It didn't cost anything (you do need to be quite firm that you need to be seen - I saw many being turned away, so I made it clear that I couldn't open my mouth properly - even though I couldn't even talk they were going to send me home!)

I really feel for you, I had an abscess and the pain drove me crazy.

Yep, what yellow says.
Nearest Dental Hospital and cry.