Dental question

[blondiebea]

I have a tooth that needs root canal or extraction which I have been stupidly putting off. I have major panic and anxiety around dental work and health anxiety in general. This tooth has had a temporary filling that has held up well and fell out a week ago. Sod's law it has fallen out before I am due to go on holiday for our first wedding anniversary. I made an appointment to get it looked at before we go but last night it started to feel like my face was swelling (visibly it isn't) and was hard to bite at all. Also pain but nowhere near the level of toothache I have had in the past.

I have a big fear of abscesses (have never had one) so I fearfully made an emergency appointment at a private emergency practise.

The dentist was brutal. He said I have an infection in the bottom of the tooth and should start root canal today. I tried to explain my fear and that I would need to prepare for that and that I didn't want an extraction (which he didn't suggest) because I was flying in a few days.

He has given me antibiotics (amoxicillin) and filled it with a new temporary. He said it could go either way so he won't guarantee I won't have problems.

Totally fair enough he is just being honest. Can anyone hold my hand and tell me I may be okay on my anniversary holiday as I am taking antibiotics? He has really worried me. My husband is trying to calm me down saying they like to push treatment a bit more in private practice as its expensive, the antibiotics will be good and we have travel insurance so not to worry. I know I'm a baby but it took a lot to get there today and now I just feel scared and deflated.

Yeah sure. Thanks for the input. I don't feel sorry for my dentist. It's his job. I am paying private prices. An abscess with swelling is an emergency.

Oh behave yourself batfurger. Very patronising post.
Something about your post makes me suspect you may be a dentist, if so, you should be ashamed of your lack of compassion.

Batfurger

Your sympathy knows no bounds! Beat the girl while she's down, why don't you. I think she knows that now

Thanks Judy. I'll look into that and report back on how tomorrow goes x

try oil of cloves if you can get to the health food shop. if there is a visible boil with pus on your gum, if the dentist can lance it it will help with the pain.

Also Batfurger. For your pleasure no doubt, I'll take the bait.

I want to go on holiday because I have had a hellish year where my mother has been diagnosed with dementia, my father had a carers breakdown. I want to go on holiday because I have panic attacks and enjoying a break and getting on a plane and travelling does me good because sometimes I can't leave the house for days due to my anxiety. I want to go because it's been paid off painstakingly over the last year and I'm not sure we would get the money back.

Do I feel guilty? No. Not one bit. Am I unlucky that a temp filling chose this week to fall out and give me a world of pain that I have been to the dentist to sort out twice? Yes. And will I go a third time to try and sort it out? Yes I will. And I'll pay for the privilege.

How are you doing Blondie? When I had an abscess last year I went to GP for stronger painkillers and was prescribed Tramadol. GP was fine about it and it really helped. Would that be worth trying whilst the infection settles down? Just don’t pack too many of them in your suitcase though

Going back to the dentist shortly. Not sure what they will do, feeling sick with nerves but it's my last chance to try and get this pain sorted properly before I'm due to go on Friday. Was very painful when I went to bed last night but been okay so far this morning.

Thanks all for the advice and I'll let you know what they say/do

Good luck today

Just had the first half of a root canal. Let's see how it helps. It took a lot of courage so I am proud of myself no matter what. Thanks all

Well done op! I was going to say you really need to start that root canal if you want to be out of pain.
The root canal should work, essentially they have removed the nerve so there shouldn't be anything to cause you pain, starting the root canal should also drain the infection.
Now go on your holiday! When you get back it's really important you keep going to finish the root canal otherwise this will just keep happening and you will be back to where you started. I know going to the dentist can be really tough but the worst of the root canal is already over, it's just a long time to be in the chair from now on

Well done, blondie! How are you doing now the freeze is off?

batfurger after ten years of just six monthly checks and scales and polishes, no issues at all, last year I had a massive 28 appointments with my dentist, some of which were emergency slots. Yesterday I had my fifth appointment of this year, four of which have been with an endodontist, and I have at least two more with him, then two with my own dentist for crown prep/fitting. It has been hellish, and hellishly expensive. Sometimes things just pop up and can’t be helped. (I have knackered my teeth with clenching and grinding due to stress, and am now on the clear-up operation.) I am super-grateful to my lovely dentist for her kindness and patience, and never once has she made me feel guilty for using emergency slots - in fact on one occasion she gave me a telling off for not ringing the on-call person over the weekend.

Well done for getting the work done, I hope it starts improving now for you ready for the holiday.

Hey everyone- just thought I would report from my holiday so far so good. No pain and swelling has nearly gone. So thanks for the support!

Excellent!

Great news

So pleased for you, OP. And the tooth will be saved which is great.

Yay, first half of the root canal they kill the nerves so no pain. Have a happy holiday.

Can't believe I have to re-post!!

As you may remember I got the root canal done and I have been pain free ever since. I finished two whole courses of amoxicillin and the swelling was completely gone and as I say no pain from the tooth at all.

A few days after a I finished the antibiotics I woke up with what felt like swelling in the area where the abscess was...no pain though. I had been given a third course of antibiotics to take (before I got the root canal done) so I figured the infection must be lingering a bit and started that course. The swelling was gone by the next day and I finished the course.

I'm the meantime I was due to get my 2nd part of my root canal done last Wednesday but my mum passed away last Sunday and I really didn't have it in me so I rescheduled for two weeks time.

Now I am a few days after finishing my antibiotics (third course!) and this morning I can feel and maybe even feel a little bit of puffiness and swelling again!!! Still no pain!! What is going on! Was the root canal not a success? I have no more antibiotics and to be honest they clearly aren't working!! Any ideas before I get to the dentist!? I'm trying to get there tomorrow or Wednesday

Sorry to hear about your mum. OP, don’t panic - root canals can take a while to “settle”, and I wouldn’t worry too much at this stage, the procedure is not even complete yet. I am in a slightly similar situation as I was due to have the second part of a re-treatment done a fortnight ago, but had to reschedule as I had tonsillitis and there was no way I could have done two hours with my mouth clamped open. The endodontist is now on holiday so my next appointment isn’t until next Wednesday. My tooth is tender and I am paranoid about any tiny twinge, but I am keeping faith that I am in the very best (most expensive!) possible hands.

Sometimes there is a bit of infection still hanging about, dentist will prob clean it all out again & put another temporary filling over till it properly settles.