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Original poster

AAAAGH!!!!!!Agonising toothache in potentially failed root canal [sad]

65 replies

BoffinMum · 03/03/2012 20:51

Had root canal in 2007. Now in great pain. Feels like poker in side of head and up side of face. Tooth tender.
Taken codeine phosphate 30mg, amoxycillin prescribed by dentist on Friday, 1000mg paracetemol.
Have cold pack on head and ice cubes in mouth but nothing will make pain go away.
Dentist took xray and he will talk to endodontist when she is in next week about whether we can avoid extraction.
Advice needed from anyone who works with teeth or who has survived similar experience.
I am a very Sad Boff tonight.

OP posts:
thisisyesterday · 03/03/2012 20:52

:(

oh poor you, toothache is the worst pain ever. if you're still in pain tomorrow morning i would find an emergency dentist and get the thing removed

Original poster
BoffinMum · 03/03/2012 20:55

Then I will have a big gap. Sad Although I am tempted to pull it out with pliers myself, the pain is that bad.

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Original poster
BoffinMum · 03/03/2012 20:56

Plus I am scared of having a tooth out. All the crunching and wrenching and stuff. I am hoping they can drill through and fiddle about with it and save the tooth, which they are discussing next week.

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thisisyesterday · 03/03/2012 20:59

is it a visible one?

i was scared of having teeth out until i was in the same position as you. up ALL night with agonising toothache, by the time i got to the dentist i was happy for them to do anything.
mine just crumbled out of my mouth because it was so manky, it took less than 2 minutes to get it all out.

my dentist said that after root canal work the tooth does go brittle, so i wouldn't imagine having one removed would be that terrible? I don't know...

i've had 3 out (1 wisdom tooth and 2 ordinary teeth) and there was no crunching and wrenching with any of them, honestly

Original poster
BoffinMum · 03/03/2012 21:14

It's quite visible. I really would be sad to lose it, plus I spent a bloody fortune trying to save this tooth in the first place (had to have private endodontics, no NHS endodontics in East Anglia). However I would rather give birth to breech conjoined twins than have this pain for the next week tbh.

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harbingerofdoom · 03/03/2012 21:16

It sounds as if you have an abscess and I'm afraid that will normally mean the loss of your tooth. As you have already had root canal work there is nothing more to do to save the tooth. A dental abscess is very painful and can be very serious if ignored.
The tooth may well have become so brittle that the root itself has cracked and allowed bacteria into the area that has the nerves and blood.
Keep up with the antibiotics-vv important.

GossipMonger · 03/03/2012 21:18

OOh darling ............I am in exactly the same place as you.

I had an emergency appointment last wednesday and was given AB for a week and have basically been on paracetemol every 4 hrs ever since. Am currently not in pain but I would rather be in natural labour WITH NO PAIN RELIEF than have toothache.

No idea what the dentist will do next Monday but I DO know it will cost a fortune!

Original poster
BoffinMum · 03/03/2012 21:19

glad i am not alone
dh force feeding me whisky which is helping

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Original poster
BoffinMum · 03/03/2012 21:20

tell me exactly what an abcess is?

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GossipMonger · 03/03/2012 21:21

whisky with boiling water and sugar got me through last week Boffin.

After the paracetemol as well I was grateful to wake up in the morning!!!!!

Original poster
BoffinMum · 03/03/2012 21:22

I honestly was hoping prayer and drugs would work

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Original poster
BoffinMum · 03/03/2012 21:22

I have lots of spd related drugs in my stash and they are all coming out tonight!

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Original poster
BoffinMum · 03/03/2012 21:23

hate whiskey but it is doing good

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Original poster
BoffinMum · 03/03/2012 21:27

Very interesting ...

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mummyplonk · 03/03/2012 21:31

Oh boffin, I swear I would have childbirth over an abcess any day. I have had some experiences if you can get some clove oil tonight and rub it carefully on the tooth that works really well, but don't get it on your lips or gums be warned. Am ashamed to say I had one so bad I was being sick with pain and thought I would pass out (at weekend too) went to A & E In the early hours and they gave me a really strong tablet that worked so well and got me to sleep until I could get to the dentist in the morning.

harbingerofdoom · 03/03/2012 21:32

Think of the worst spot youve ever had or a boil that has a lot of puss in the head. An abscess is like that but bigger and as the puss is trapped in your tooth (can't burst through the skin) the only place for that infection/pus to go is into your bloodstream which is why the antibiotics are so important.

Original poster
BoffinMum · 03/03/2012 21:33

If you take antibiotics religiously, does that mean the abcess might go?

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Original poster
BoffinMum · 03/03/2012 21:34

I am really amazed how well whiskey works as an anaelgesic.

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harbingerofdoom · 03/03/2012 21:40

Who knows....It might but why did the tooth get infected in the first place? Does signify a damage tooth/root.
Some cracks on the roots don't even show up on X rays.
See how you go. BTW is it a visible tooth?

Original poster
BoffinMum · 03/03/2012 21:43

Yes, it has a crack in it because I have bruxism.

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harbingerofdoom · 03/03/2012 21:59

If it's got a crack,why the root canal work?
Is it a visible tooth?

Original poster
BoffinMum · 03/03/2012 22:05

Can't remember but I do have complete confidence in the team that treated me initially, so they wouldn't have done anything that wasn't best practice.

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SharonGless · 03/03/2012 22:20

Had same thing few years ago and it did settle down.send Dh out for clove oil - tastes foul but works as anaesthetic

Original poster
BoffinMum · 03/03/2012 22:22

Prob a bit late for finding clove oil now but tbh the whiskey has been ace.
Clove oil tomorrow, I think.

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pinkmagic1 · 03/03/2012 22:25

Poor you. I had an infected wisdom tooth once and I can honestly say the pain was worse than natural childbirth. i would be hammering on the dentists door begging for them to take it out.