Dentist always reluctant to do anything about wisdom teeth and I'm in pain:(

[ToadsJustFellFromTheSky]

I've posted about this before but my wisdom teeth have caused me nothing but trouble ever since I got them about seven years ago. Every couple of months or so they will start hurting and it is so painful. The pain will usually last a couple of weeks at a time. This has been going on for seven years now.

They've also been infected at least twice and I had to have antibiotics to treat it.

I've been to the dentist numerous times about it but every single time I just get told the same thing - to come back if they hurt again and they might have to take them out.

I last went to the dentist in January because they were really hurting and was basically fobbed off then too.

Anyway about a week ago they started hurting again. I'm reluctant to go back to the dentist because I know what will be said.

Seriously, what does it take to get wisdom teeth out? I've heard of people having theirs taken out for what seems like less so why are they so reluctant to do anything about mine?

Does anyone have any advice to help with the pain for now? Paracetamol and ibuprofen don't help.

Forgot to say, I was actually crying earlier because they hurt so much . Felt like an idiot but they are so sore.

Get a second opinion from a different dentist?

Why are they so reluctant to take them out? I agree you need a second opinion.

Ask your GP to refer you to hospital dental consultant. Mine did and he agreed really 'easily' to remove my wisdom tooth. It is lovely not to be in pain! Definitely worth fighting for.

PS you are not an idiot. They are painful things!

I'm not sure if it's just the dentists at my surgery who are this bloody stubborn but I have heard that they don't really like taking wisdom teeth out these days unless absolutely necessary.

I have seen more than one dentist and as my surgery is a small one there's not many dentists there. I think I've seen them all. The thing is, whenever I go they even say themselves that they look sore.

I guess the only option is to be more assertive.

Park your arse in the waiting room and refuse to leave unless they agree to remove them. Be prepared to show proof- dates, prescriptions, appointment slips to prove just how much you're suffering with them.

Is there another local practice you can visit to be seen by another dentist?

Unfortunately it is not your dentist who makes the ultimate decision to extract your wisdom teeth. If they are fully erupted and in a good position then recurrent problems are likely to be due to poor hygiene. If they are not fully erupted and you have had X-rays taken following recurrent infections then a referral may be appropriate.
Wisdom teeth extraction can be fraught with complications ranging from nerve damage to fracture of the jaw and life threatening infection which is why oral surgeons no longer take them out routinely. The complications tend to occur after surgical removal of partly erupted teeth and teeth whose roots are close to or 'wrap' around the large nerve bundle that runs through the lower jaw.
However most of the above applies to lower wisdom teeth. The upper wisdom teeth are often very easy to remove. Often removal of the upper wisdoms reduces problems where when you bite together the upper wisdom is chewing on the gum over the lower wisdom tooth.

Sorry getting very technical. I would go back to your dentist and ask for an explanation why they do not want to remove your teeth. If you have had a lot of pain having the easier, upper wisdoms removed can be much less traumatic and give instant relief, if you are chewing the flap of gum at the back of the lower wisdom tooth.

GP referrals are unlikely to be accepted by oral surgery departments since most oral surgeons will expect an X-ray so they can assess the need before seeing the patient. As a result of the new NHS dental contract they have been swamped by referrals for simple extractions and many no longer accept a referral without an xray. It costs around £500 to carry out a simple extraction in the hospital, the same procedure in a dental surgery would cost around £60. They have a strict budget like any NHS dept and prefer to use it for the complex and often life saving surgery rather than taking out teeth that most general dental practitioners are trained to and capable of taking out!
Please note this is not the cost to the patient but the budget allocated to that procedure (staff cost, overheads etc). The GP would be charged for the referral. Again not something their keen to do when the patients dentist can do it and dentist is not charged to make the referral. The reason dentists are referring simple extractions is a major political debate in itself so I won't go into it.

My wisdom teeth are impacted (as confirmed by more than one dentist).

They are still bloody hurting