Gum infection wisdom tooth

[Laurz09]

Hi
I’ve been in pain for a week now with the gum around my wisdom tooth I called my dentist but had to have a phone consultation was told it’s most likely pericoronitis was given amoxicillin antibiotics 4 days in still wasn’t working pain unbearable I’m making out on pain killers every day ibuprofen/codeine & paracetamol
Got in touch with 111 was then prescribed
Metronidazole so now on both but I still feel no improvement pain is still the same painkillers last about 2 hours then I feel like I need to take more could there be something else wrong 🤷🏻‍♀️
It’s like gum flap over my bottom wisdom tooth which is red swollen and has pus which has caused my throat to be sore and glands swell up

Was meant to say maxing out the dosage amount of pain killers not making out Lol

Are you gargling regularly with salt water?
Did they give you an anti-inflammatory/pain killer?

Gargle HARD with very hot VERY salty water.

Brush HARD ideally with one of those poky little brushes.

Floss until it bleeds a bit.

Use Diflam for topical anaesthetic before eating.

DO NOT drink alcohol on Metronidazole.

I am not a dentist, or a doctor, but I do have one wisdom tooth has got infected once a year for the last 23 years.

Also, one of those microwavable heat pads/rice pillow things... Can be really soothing.

How long have you been on the Metronidazole? If longer than 72 hours, no improvement, call doc/dentist.

Very hot very salty water

Hold an ice pack against the painful side. Get some orajel to put round the gums. If youre on OTC codeine then try paramol which is dihydrocodeine plus paracetamol. Some GPs will prescribe small amounts of pain relief.

Oh @Laurz09 this was me this week and I so almost made this exact post as the pain was just getting me down so much, especially in the evenings and those long nights that stretch out in front of you laying in bed feeling so uncomfortable. After 4 days (and 2.5 days of amoxicillin) I finally got a private dentist appointment and asked the dentist to extract the wisdom tooth. This was done on Thursday and today is the first day I'm starting to feel some relief. I'm not gonna lie it's really sore having it out and I've got a couple of stitches as it leaves a big old hole but I know the exact pain you are going through right now. Keep on taking the ibuprofen and paracetamol (I was taking them alternatively every 2 hours) to just take the edge off it but I've really noticed that I don't need the pain killers as frequently today. Good luck and I really do hope you feel better soon

Thank you everyone.
Yes been doing hot salty water since last Sunday, I have found holding a hot water bottle against my cheek eases it especially at night time but being awake the last 4 nights for about 3 hours in pain is really getting on my nerves I even tried clove oil that someone said is really good.
I’ve been on Metronidazole for 2 days now so if I’m still the same by Monday I think I’ll have to call dentist again and hope that they will see me as no one has actually looked at it because of COVID.
Would rather give birth again 😂then this pain honestly tooth gum pain is the worst

You need it treated OP, you dont need antibiotics.

The dentist should be seeing you, its ridiculous they arent. Pericoronitis is easily treatable, you need to push for them to see you

In the meantime you need to clean under the gum between the tpoth and the flap. Use corsodyl mouthwash. Dont suppose you have a waterflosser? Thats ideal for getting under the flap

Actually if theres pus antibiotics are needed but as an adjunct to treatment

It wont go away without treatment

Aww that's the worst OP, I had this every few months for a year or 1i months as I had an impacted wisdom tooth, they extracred it in the end

Luckily for me the antibiotics did seem to help each time, but for pain relief could you try spreading out your pain killers so eg take your paracetamol then 2 hours later take ibuprofen then 2 hours later take paracetamol etc.

Keep gargling with salt water. The other thing I found helped with pain relief was if I had a cup of tea and held the hot tea in my mouth on the side where it hurt.

DO NOT put a hot compress on the outside of your face/jaw. I was told by my dentist it can make it worse and make the infection spread. He said hot drinks inside the mouth is fine but not a hot compress on the outside of your face.

@MyNameForToday1980

Gargle HARD with very hot VERY salty water.

Brush HARD ideally with one of those poky little brushes.

Floss until it bleeds a bit.

Use Diflam for topical anaesthetic before eating.

DO NOT drink alcohol on Metronidazole.

I am not a dentist, or a doctor, but I do have one wisdom tooth has got infected once a year for the last 23 years.

Why have you not had it extracted

Can you get a single tufted toothbrush and have a dog around under the gum flap? If it bleeds, it means you're going the right thing. I used to be a dentist OP, there are better and more current dentists on here but feel free to pm.

there must be an emergency dental service somewhere.
the condition you have could very well cause that much pain, which isn't much help Op, but i mean at least it is not disproportionate, so not indicative of something more sinister.
but it does need intervention, won't go away without.
can only take edge off pain. that in itself is risky, with lack of sleep for so long, people get confused, muddle up medicaztion, take too much.
please ring 111 again. beg for help. tell them you feel like harming yourself. tell them you can't bear it anymore.
this situation is shocking, and unnecessary.
so much for protecting the nhs. then when we need it, for something really quite straightforward, it's not there.
big sympathy to you Op. good luck. keep banging on doors.

I’ve been using corsodyl mouthwash too as the dentist told me to use that.
It’s partially erupted my wisdom tooth but never had any problems before luckily.
Even when I did call my dentist the second time I was told to persevere and if still the same call 111 bloody useless but I will defiantly be demanding to see someone on Monday if I’m still the same.
Finding it difficult to eat and drink as it’s really really sore
No I don’t have a water flosser unfortunately

I had mine out a few months ago for this very reason. My lifesaver above all else was clove oil. Dab some on an ear bud and tap all around the gum it numbed my whole mouth it was the only thing that gave me some relief

I had the absolute worst time with my wisdom teeth, on/off infections for 4 years before I got on the waiting list for extraction. It got to the point that the pain was so bad I was ready to pull them out myself, to hell with nerve damage. The things that helped me survive were clove oil, hot salt water, lidocaine spray (godsend) and weirdest of all - a tea bag! When you're done with it in your brew, pop it in your mouth and hold between your back teeth. I hate tea so this was rank for me but the tannins in tea have healing properties. I hope it gets better soon!

Jesus you need treatment not hot salty water. Sounds like the tooth needs out.

@Blueshmoo sadly it's quite impacted (I believe that's the word) and I have particularly long roots on my wisdom teeth, and I have nerves wrapped around the prongs of the roots.

My dentist is of the opinion that to remove them is riskier than to leave them.

[quote MyNameForToday1980]@Blueshmoo sadly it's quite impacted (I believe that's the word) and I have particularly long roots on my wisdom teeth, and I have nerves wrapped around the prongs of the roots.

My dentist is of the opinion that to remove them is riskier than to leave them.[/quote]
That's an awful shame.has he referred you to a dental hospital? We Do a procedure called a coronectomy where we take off the crown and leave the roots in this type of situation, could be worth an ask.

If you dont have a water OP a single tufted brush is good for cleaning under the flap as MrsMorton said.

Anything you can get under the flap, dip the brhsh in corsodyl and really clean out under it

111 are going to tell you to see your bloody dentist!

At this point dentists should have appropriate PPE to deal with emergency care, they shouldnt be sending their patients to 111.

I feel very sorry for you, it sounds like a gum abscess which I recently suffered for months.

My dentist said no to antibiotics as mine was leaking puss and apparently that was a good thing.
It needs to come out, that was the only solution offered to me since no drilling allowed currently at least at most NHS dentists.