Severe dental pain - help me :(

[amehh]

I last saw the dentist in January 2020, no fillings needed but I've been clenching my teeth at night so they are sensitive (stress related) and my 2nd molar is misaligned so meets the teeth before any of the others (if that makes sense) so that is extra painful. This tooth is filled to high heaven and is basically a bad tooth, my dentist says - we are in talks of extraction anyway due to the amount of problems it has had in the past 4 years. Had a mouth guard fitted but it didn't get made before the lock down so I've purchased my own for now.

This last week I've been in sudden and severe pain, all on the left side. Upper teeth, lower teeth, gums and jaw, plus now getting pain in my ear and temple. I think it's an abscess caused by the pressure and damage of clenching my teeth but I can't see anything. I've been taking paracetamol and ibuprofen every 2 hours for days and it's getting worse. Changed to cocodamol and ibuprofen yesterday and I've been given amoxicillin which I've started as well. Dentist wants me to check back on Monday but I honestly don't know how I'll make it to Monday! I can't sleep, lie down, the pain is horrendous, I'd rather be in labour and it gets worse every day. My gums on that side are so sore to touch I can hardly brush them (I use sensodyne rapid relief toothpaste as well).

Can anyone help me? I'm terrified of dentists and dental work but at this point I'd happily have them pull all my teeth out with no anaesthetic if that's what it took. I'm trying to homeschool DS and look after
6 month old DD and all I really want to do is smash my face against a wall
Sorry this is long - trying not to drip feed information!

Hello. I am so sorry you are in so much pain its awfu 😔
A couple of years ago I had a sudden onset of dental pain (what I thought was dental pain) didn't even have a dentist at the time so was getting really quite worried about it because of this too. Anyway I was getting to the point where I could of quite happily pulled my own tooth with pullers 😥. Long story short, got myself to a dentist who ended up referring me to a specialist as nothing wrong with my teeth (don't even have any fillings at 44) and a course of antibiotics did nothing for me so no infection. After a few appointments, questions, xrays, mri etc I have been diagnosed with facial arthromyalgia and a benign swelling in my synus.
Have learnt to manage the pain and avoid certain thing that set it off.

@amehh I have written a post just before or after you about TN wondering if there is anyone out there with diagnosed TN it's rare(ish). Mine was sudden shock like pain and happened a few times, I went to two dentists and paid for 2 xrays to be told each time there was nothing wrong, in actual fact it was the 2nd dentists who told me to go to my doctor and that's where my nightmare began! As we speak I have be off work a week with a flare up and on strong anti-convulsants meds. Once you have been diagnosed will be happy to talk more to you x

pigdogridesagain Would love to talk to you about TN?

OP Straight on the phone the second the dentist opens tell them you have been to a & e and what the dr said. You need to be seen for an X-ray.

It does sound like an abscess to me with the unrelenting pain! Could be wrong but it does fit the symptoms, all your teeth will be hurting through referred pain, it's exactly what I had!Hoping you don't suffer for too long.

Ladies with TN this is what my dentist thought I had when I was pregnant 7 years ago, I had 'toothache' for months and months with nothing wrong with my teeth, was awful. I had 2 teeth removed and 2 root canals to no avail and was sent to maxillo at hospital who thought the same I didn't get any nerve pain relief because I was pregnant. They thought I had atypical TN as it was more of a constant dull ache than the shock type pains.

It gradually went away (months and months later) and my teeth have been ok for a few years then recently with an abscess and now another tooth playing me up I'm starting to sense a bit of de ja vu 😔

Good morning everyone - I emailed the dentist last night (wasn't expecting a reply but just so he could see this morning) and he actually replied at midnight last night. He says he will try and refer me to the dental clinic and will change or add to the anti biotics I have.

Took 60mg codeine, 1000mg paracetamol and 400mg ibuprofen as advised last night around 11pm and from 12am until about 5am the pain was manageable and I dozed on and off on the sofa but then it reared up again. Off to get the prescription shortly. Feeling absolutely whacked with all the pills, lack of sleep and pain. Just want it to all be over now :(

Please be careful taking paracetamol. You can only have 4 doses in 24 hours also cocodamol has paracetamol init so don’t take paracetamol if you are using cocodamol. I know what you are going through I had bad pain for nearly a week a couple of months ago

Please please get some orajel you can get it in the chemists not sure If it’s behind the counter. I swear by it!!!! Completely numbs the area I was waiting for root canal and this got me through. And I’ve had abscess before and it got me through. Please get some. X

You have my most sincere sympathy! Dental pain is extremely hard to bear. My DH is having flare ups at the moment and is so miserable. He's taking some co codamal we had at home and has spoken to the dentist who doesn't think it's an infection.

Another vote for orajel the dentist recommended it to me gums sore and inflamed he said antibiotics wouldn't work it was the nerve that was causing the pain honestly the gel worked along with painkillers and after around 3 days pain free!

@Dodie66 don't worry, I've been keeping strict count of everything I've taken and haven't exceeded any doses :)

Chased the dentist just now, really hope to hear soon

@JJSS123 @madmumofteens if I use orajel, I'll need to use it over about half of my mouth, it isn't one specific tooth or bit of gum anymore, it just radiates constantly over the left half of my teeth, gums and jaw, and now my cheekbone as well. Do you think it would still benefit?

Thank god I have a maternity exemption, no way could I have afforded all of these prescriptions!

I’ve never stuck to just one area or what it says on the label. When you’re in that much pain just do what you need to do. It’s so good honestly you’ll have instant relief x

amehh another one here who has had dental problems for years on the right side of my face, paid counteess times for emergency dental appointments. Had the most horrendous throbbing and electric shock feeling in the right side of my face four weeks ago, went on for three days worse than labour or any pain I'd ever had, and I've had tooth abcesses
Nothing touched it, dentist wouldnt see me as no swelling or bleeding, felt like every tooth was having an electronic shock. Still in fact, get twinges there now...
I was on the floor screaming in a pillow, and went to some very very dark places as literally no pain relief worked, considered taking as many tablets as I could to knock me out I am ashamed to say
Ended up at OOH as emergency dentist put the phone down on me when I was sobbing so hard I couldn't speak.
They diagnosed Trigeminal Neuralgia for me they said it was the electric shock feeling and burning that clinched the diagnosis. I have tablets but I am still not completely 100 per cent, better than I was for sure.
I would still like to see a dentist JUST to be sure but sadly they're all but closed.

I know there is a lot of dentist's on here angry about how they've been treated and rightly so, but the fact there is a very very limited amount of dental treatment out here for people who really need it is shocking. The government should have l, and be doing more.
Please let is know how you get on.

@TheWalkingTalkingRed it's utterly horrific isn't it, I can sympathise with you. I would rather have dental pain than this and that's saying something because I absolutely detest dental work. @Redflowers8 I would love to have a chat with a fellow sufferer

Just received an appt with the urgent dental centre for 3pm today - fingers crossed

Hi Op

Im a dentist

Firstly your pain sounds quite normal for dental problems. I wouldnt jump to TN before looking at more obvious causes.

Toothache doesnt mean abscess. An abscess is a collection of pus, if you had an abscess there would be swelling. Abscesses are not caused by grinding.
Toothache is often when a tooth starts to die, it is inflammation of the pulp - the nerve. You wont find an abscess but it is still the tooth causing pain. The tooth dies due to chronic irritation of the pulp normally because of tooth decay but it can be due to a deep filling. Your heavily filled tooth sounds like the perfect candidate, and you say it has been problematic for several years

Pain that radiates up the side of your face and accross your top teeth can still be tooth ache, it is referred pain.

My other thought is the pattern of pain is consistent with TMJ, and whilst it sounds extreme for this it is worth trying. TMJ is when your jaw muscles go into spasm because they are overworked, normally due to clenching/grinding - which you do. I would try hot compresses, ibuprofen gel and a soft diet just to see if that helps, however I think if it was this the NSAIDs you have taken would have helped. Absolutely do not wear a bite gaurd that is not made by your dentist as this can royally fuck up your bite. Make sure you are doing your best to consciously relax your jaw during the day.

Orajel around the area of the heavily filled tooth may still help, and again is worth a try if this tooth is causing your symptoms.

I hope you get seen, unfortunately round my way they are only seeing patients who have had 2 courses of antibiotics. Which is ridiculous as antibiotics dont always help, I will keep my fingers crossed for you

Oh thats good!

@DishRanAwayWithTheSpoon thank you for your insight - the initial thought has been the bad tooth and TMJ from grinding but I think the sudden severe pain has had my dentist and I baffled and the fact it gets worse every day with less "rest" time between periods of pain is difficult, especially with 2 DC at home - luckily my DH has been home too but he is due back to work next week so it really needs sorting. What is very frightening to me is the amount of pain relief I am now taking today and the fact I'm still getting attacks of pain intermittently and it is quite debilitating. I'd rate it up there with the latter stages of labour type pain - I've actually been resurrecting my hypnobirthing breathing techniques to try and get through some of the worse pain.

Hopefully I'll have some answers today - just need to get my big girl pants on as I actually have dental anxiety and get very worked up even for fillings but by this point I think it's all for the greater good!

I'll report back later

Good luck for your appointment at 3pm x

Goodbye tooth! All done in 20 minutes, he said there wasn't an abscess but the bad tooth had irreversible pulpitis and this one tooth was causing all that pain - crazy! Have to finish the amoxicillin anyway but he said there shouldn't be a need for any of the pain killers I've been prescribed, just back to OTC stuff while it heals.

Thank you all for messaging me during what was possibly the most distressing pain I've ever experienced and I hope anyone suffering now gets some relief soon

Brilliant op, I’m so relieved for you.

May you get a welcome night sleep.

"amehh* oh I'm so pleased for you! You've also put my mind at ease as there was someone bon here saying that tooth extractions would now be taking an hour to an hour and a half due to Covid and new procedures! Was this done at one of the new hubs did you say?
Oh I bet you're so relieved!

@TheWalkingTalkingRed yes it was at an urgent dental centre and in 20 minutes I had explained the problem, had an xray, teeth checked, local anaesthetic, tooth out and 5 minutes with gauze in. It was crazy!

I'm feeling nervous for when the local wears off (also I've just noticed my nose is numb which I wasn't expecting!) In case the dentist was wrong and all that pain comes back but DH has said to stop being so pessimistic so I'll try my best! I think I will probably be in pain anyway since my gums were so irritated and also the healing from the tooth extraction

That’s good. Hopefully the pain won’t come back or at least it will be mild after the extraction. So pleased you got some help

I'm so pleased for you that it's over, try and have faith the dentist knows what their doing! Keep up with the OTC pain relief and try and relax...easier said than done I know, gums and the hole from the extraction will likely be more sore than anything. Good luck OP here's to a better night sleep for you