Is tooth extraction pain better or worse than abscess?

[ThunderGarlic]

I'm due to have a molar extracted on Friday. It's a much-filled, root-canal treated and crowned tooth which I've had problems with for the last 30 years and have been expecting to fail for a while. This week it finally happened and after a few days of pain and facial swelling, an emergency dentist gave me a week of antibiotics and an appointment to have the tooth pulled.

As I've had so much trouble and pain with this tooth and the same one on the other side in the past, I'm almost looking forward to getting rid of it. I was continuing to make pre-Christmas arrangements to see relatives at the weekend and do a long train journey with DD (a well-behaved 10yo) to my parents first thing on Monday. When I said this to my mother she was a surprised and implied this was all a bit unrealistic and I might want to slow down. I was just thinking that I'd have to stick to lukewarm soup and yoghurt for a few days and rinse my mouth out with saline in the bathroom after meals.

It feels like I've been through pain so many times with these two teeth. I have my ibuprofen/paracetamol dosing and ice-packs plans in my head and know how many hours sleep I'm likely to get from each dose according to pain level. The worst time was when one of them cracked on a work trip overseas years ago and I ended up having to beg extra pain relief from someone's GP spouse in the margins of an event so I could complete the three-day trip and get back to my own dentist. I can't believe it's going to be worse than that experience but I've never had a tooth extracted before so maybe this is a bit foolhardy.

Am I wrong in thinking that unless I end up with dry socket, it's unlikely that post-extraction is going to be anything like as painful as a bad dental abscess?

I had four removed in one go for orthodontic purposes. The dentist struggled to get them out and had to drill through my jaw bone etc so it wasn’t exactly straightforward. I couldn’t eat while the gum healed but I can’t say it was more painful than a regular cut/abrasion/ulcer in the gum. It was definitely uncomfortable but so long as I don’t put anything in my mouth not at all painful.

Don't give it a second thought.
Ii had a wisdom tooth out 6 days ago, there was an abscess and infection, I would give birth daily for a week rather than go through that pain!!
As soon as the dentist numbed the area the relief was immediate, the tooth came out no problem and the bleeding was minimal.
I walked out of the dentist, nipped in Tesco, drove myself home and made tea. I could eat and drink normally within hours.
Honestly, it's no bother. Good luck

I had one like that out a couple of months ago, abscess, swollen face and filled cracked tooth, had to have antibiotics. It was a difficult extraction as the tooth broke and the roots had to be pulled out separately, it was very painful that evening and I took ibuprofen but by the next morning it was ok just slightly sore, I was very careful what I ate for the next few days because of dry socket but apart from that just carried on as normal.

Great to have more positive stories!

blueskies20: There's a few different options once your tooth is out (implant, bridge, denture) and you can read about them all online. I also know a couple of people who just left the gap after a tooth extraction at the back and their other teeth shifted to fill most of it (I'm not recommending this - not everyone is so lucky in the way their teeth move). Personally I'm going to think it over while the gum is healing and discuss pros and cons (and costs...) with the dentist next year.

I've had two out over the years and it's never been painful after. Well, a bit of a bruised feeling for a very short time as the numbing wore off. I didn't need to stick to soft foods either because I just chewed on the opposite side of my mouth.

Having had (too) many extractions, I'll add to the voices saying the soreness after an extraction is nowhere near as bad as a severe toothache or abscess. The worst toothache I've had is the 10 on my pain scale - a broken leg on a ski slope was nothing in comparison.

I've had teeth out with just a little discomfort after. I did have dry socket once and that was awful, the worst pain ever. My dentist did not give me after care instructions and I stupidly didn't think to check online so no salt water rinsing etc. You'll be fine.

I think you will probably be advised not to rinse with salt water too soon,
as it may rinse the clot out, and lead to a dry socket.

safariboot: Very much in agreement. Even 25 years later after migraines, childbirth and all the rest, I still think of the sinusitis-linked toothache I had when I was a teenager as being possibly the worst pain I've every experienced.

I'm a quick healer, I've had a wisdom tooth out before & within 3 days you would never known it was there. I always rinse with salt water at least 3 times a day, after meals is best, keep your toothbrush away from the site, your other surrounding teeth can cooe without being totally clean for a few days.