OUCH! Climbing the wall with toothache but it keeps moving?

[minxthemanx]

Can anyone in the know explain this one? (Am seeing my dentist tomorrow but am perplexed). Have had niggling toothache for just over a week, but couldn't say specifically which tooth - one of the bottom big molars. Much, much worse Friday so made an appointment with my dentist tomorrow. Absolute agony Sat morning, still somewhere under back bottom molars but also in area between nose and top gums. Really painful. Rang NHS emergency dentist - a nurse diagnosed over the phone (!) that I didn't qualify for emergency apt as not severely swollen (silly me for saying 'a bit'), and I'm not taking enough pain killers. So I dutifully upped the painkillers. This morning the pain is shocking - under the TOP molars?! Bottom still aches but not as bad as the top ones. Still tender from nose in face, so I'm assuming sinus problem there. Why would the pain move - infection? Abscess? Will the dentist think I'm barking?

I've had root canal. It was 100% less awful than I expected it to be.

Was anaesthetic-ed up to the eyeballs. Dentist was very quick, and efficient. I had two sessions to get everything out, and have had no repercussions, and that was treatment about 6 years ago.

Thank you Mrs C,I'm assuming it's going to be hideous and then anything better than that will be a bonus!

MrsMorton Thanks for explaining that! So different. I hope people who do really need help aren't being put off by this new method. I wouldn't have thought NHS direct were the best at deciding what was a dental emergency & what wasn't, to be honest. :(

Well no, it's certainly not ideal! I think it's changing to NHS 111 soon? Who knows how that will go but you're right, the system doesn't have patients' best interests at the core IMO.