arghh - I had two teeth (well the roots that were left) taken out just under 2hrs ago.......the numbness is starting to go.........

[TheQueenOfQuotes]

and it's starting to hurt a bit - but I'm scared to try and take any painkillers as I'm a wuss and need to wash them down with water.....and I'm scared of them hurting/starting to bleed again - what do I do???

The whole visit was just horrible, plain horrible 6 injections to number one side of my mouth and 1 on the other side for a filling. The sound of the drill made me feel sick, I was only in there 15 minutes but I left "dents" in the cushioning of the arm of the chair I was gripping it that tightly - and not only am I talking strangely I'm scared about when the numbness completely goes

You need to take the pain killers. Start now, give them a chance to work before the pain really kicks in. Keep taking the maximum you can for a couple of days - alternate ibuprofen with paracetamol.

Are you worried about the water making the sockets worse? You'll probably find you need to wash them down with water every now and again anyway. Dh found warm salt water good when he had an extraction recently, and he used mouthwash a lot.

Oh god, poor you! Get the painkiller on the go quick smart. Like Wigwam says, alternate Paracetamol & ibuprofen, then you only ever have to wait 2 hours for a top up. Don't worry about the water, it'll will only serve to keep the holes clean. I know its not much consolation atm, but dd had to have 4 teeth removed at the same time and just three hours later she had scrambled egg on toast for tea!

I had 4 teeth out when I was a about 7/8yrs old (believe it or not my mouth was too small ) - and I don't remember it feeling like this .

I took some ibuprofen at 11.30 - but doesn't seem to have made much difference....I'll try some paracetamol in 1hr's time - but I've never found them to do me any good for anything - but at least I can try.

And this is going to sound dreadful - but I can't even go outside for a cigarette (as I do when I'm feeling miserable and sorry for myself like now) as she said that I should try and wait at least until tomorrow - preferablly a week (yeah right!) - although of course "it's up to me" when I have one - tbh not sure I'm going to make it the until tomorrow without having one

It's just the horrible "ache" - the top has totally lost it's numbness now, the bottom still a bit numb, but the ache starting to come through....

Oh - and what do I do if it starts bleeding again - sheet I got says to use a wad of damp gauze or (clean) handkerchief (sp) and bite on it for 10 minutes -.....and I have neither!!!!

also I'm worried about taking too many painkillers as DS3 still gets an early morning breastfeed.......

yep, don't wait until the pain gets bad, keep it in check now. that's what the modern thinking is at any rate. [sympathetic]

Paracetamol and ibuprofen enhance each other, iyswim. I would definitely take both together - 1g of paracetamol and 400mg of ibuprofen is what the m/w told me to take when I had an infected episiotomy.

flannel?

PS - I was bf at the time, so definitely find to take these painkillers at these levels...

to bite on I mean.

soak a ball of cotton wool in whiskey and bite on it. not everybodys cup of tea, but works for me

harleyd - not to supposed to have alcohol either - damn.........and to think I've got at least one more to come out on the other side eeeeek.

Don't use cotton wool. If a bit comes off in your gap, it could get stuck and infected etc. Kitchen roll? If they haven't bled by now, its quite unlikely that they will.

DO NOT USE COTTON WOOL/TISSUE - it will break off & could get into the socket & cause an infection. A flannel is a good idea. Anthing that will not break apart.

DO NOT SOAK IN WHISKEY - as we knoew alcohol thins the blood & you will start bellding more.

Alternate painkillers as suggested.

The reason you have been told not to smoke is that it can cause the socket to dry & that is very painful. Wait as long as you can (although I think a week is extreme) dh was smoking within hours & had no problems, but that doesn't mean you won't have probs.

Regular painkiller should keep the worse pain at bay. You may still have some underlying pain. However, if they are not helping call your dentist asap.

Blimey, the speeling in that post is terrible. Can you tell I typed in a hurry!

Don't use kitchen roll either!

Be careful taking water - you have to be very careful not to wash the plug that has formed in the socket. I think I was advised not to drink for 4 hours after my extraction last year and my DH had to wait even longer when he had one out this year (different dentist). If the plug gets washed away it will lead to something called dry socket (I think) and you could be left with a hole in your gum.

Sorry to be alarmist but you do need to be careful.

I hope you feel better soon - it is totally crap isn't it.

I honestly don't think I'm going to make it even to the end of today I had no idea before going that my smoking would be affected and so am completely unprepared for it !

So you mean that ache that's there is probably just tip of the iceberg with regards to the pain - think I'll definitely be following advice to alternate the painkillers then .

well I had a tiny sip of water when I took them (painkillers) earlier - just enough to wash them down. Been told not to spit (got to swallow ) or rinse until tomorrow.....and no hot drinks - so no nicotine, no caffeine.....something's got to give

Gently sloshing warm salt water around your mouth will help soothe it & keep it clean. I know it's hard but really really try to go as long as you can before a ciggie - I used to be a dental nurse & we did get a few patients back in with bad infections due to the smoke. Take painkillers now to give them time to work - Ibuprofen is apparently best for dental pain.

Hope you feel better soon.

Not necc the tip, you may just get that & nothing more. Until the local has worn off, it's hard to say.

Once you notice that the local has completely gone, then you will know what extremity of pain you will have. But it will be short lived, as long as you follow the rules.

Siping water with painkillers shouldn't affect the socket too much. It's the gulping/vigorous rinsing action that you should avoid.

If you are unhappy at all, your dentist should see you asap to check it all.

Leave smoking as long as you can, then space them as much as poss. Maybe just have half the first few times (I don't smoke, so have NO idea if that is possible, iyswim)

Well, there is a silver lining to the smoking thing you know...... If you can go 1 day, you could go 2 and 3 and you get the picture! Am not being smug or opinionated about smoking btw, I smoke!

I think I can probably go the rest of the day on just 2/3 cigarettes (3 if the DS's are hard work later ) but I'm trying to hold out as long as I can........think the local has gone now bottom one doesn't feel too bad, top one a bit sore still (but that did take longer - and was bigger) than the bottom one so I'm guessing it's a bigger gap?

If I'd known hot drinks would be pretty much ruled out for the rest of the day I'd have had a coffee with my 8am cigarette - haven't had one all day............oh dear my poor DS's and DH - QoQ without a coffee all day .

MM - lol I know that about the smoking - but I'll be damned my 8am one was the last in the packet.......bought a new box of 20 on the way to the dentists

Can you handle warm coffee? It is just the heat, not the caffine....

Not necc bigger hole = more pain. It may have been a bit more tricky, it is poss that the hole will be bigger tho, if lots of messing around there.

You will need to take it easy. Not silly 'take it easy' but no rushing around, running/jumping etc. Anything that makes your heart beat faster, basically. As the blood will pump quicker & you will be more likely to bleed.

Also, don't forget that any blood will mix with saliva, so it will look like you are bleeding alot, when you may not be.

urghh - warm coffee no I like my coffee hot .

"Anything that makes your heart beat faster, basically." - oh you mean like when I walked out of the dentist rooms and went to reception to make an appointment to do the other ones (I have 2 more on the other side that need to come out).......and as I was waiting in the queue I could feel my heartbeating like I'd been exercising or something .