Toothache making me climb the walls

[PennyForTheme]

I have a severe toothache that started on Friday. I can't see a dentist until Wednesday and already I am in bloody agony. It is my lower wisdom tooth that is causing me trouble. It needs to be extracted at the Dental Hospital. I have already been waiting an absolute age for the appointment.

I am now concerned that it an abscess rather than a "normal" infection. (Actually I don't know if there is any difference). But I have been Googling and managed to scare the bejesus out of me about Sepsis and blocked airways.

How worried do I need to be? And what can I do about the pain? Omg the pain. Honestly would rather give birth without pain relief again.

I've had that and it was horrific. I didn't understand the severity until late and it escalated quickly. Please seek help now. There must be an emergency dentist near you that can give you antibiotics even if you can't get an extraction. In the meantime, saltwater washes as hot and often as you can manage, corsodyl mouthwash and ibuprofen. I also ended up with secondary infections elsewhere because of my tooth, it's really not worth the delay.

Buy some clove oil from the chemist. Its magical, numbs pain.

Please don’t use hot on an abscess it can make them rupture! Use cold if needed. I completely sympathise with you toothache is the worst! Ps I have been to out of hours GP before for painkillers when my tooth ache was at its worst!

Try and get an emergency appointment. Tooth ache is the worst!

Commiserations. I have had exactly the same this week and it's absolute misery.

I don't live in the UK so treatment may be different but I would say that you need to get to an emergency dentist for an immediate extraction or at least to get to a dentist/doctor for antibiotics. I saw my dentist and was put on the maximim penicillin dose immediately. I won't lie - my dentist was extremely concerned about secondary infection and said to go to the hospital without delay if I had any problems breathing (including developing a sore throat or a 'thick' sounding voice) or if I developed a headache or started to feel pain elsewhere, e.g. behind my ear or in my eye socket. Bit scary really.

As for the pain, I unfortunately have no suggestions. Nothing touched it for me until the penicillin began to kick in.

All the very best and take care xxx

I am not sure if it is an abscess. There is no swelling or lump on my gum or anything. It just really hurts. I have Corsodyl and Clove Oil and have been taking Ibuprofen and Paracetamol. Getting an appointment for Wednesday has been hard bloody work. I am seriously tempted to bash my head into the nearest brick wall.

Many years ago I was in agony with an abcess caused by a wisdom tooth. Antibiotics sorted it out till I had the wisdom tooth out. But the dentist did tell me that swilling salty water round my mouth would work just as well, as recommended by a pp. You must do it every half hour though. HTH.

I was also told by my dentist to sleep propped up to stop the infection tracking down my throat. It escalated quickly. If your face swells up or you struggle to open your mouth seek immediate emergency care before your appointment.

Also, the ibuprofen might not help the pain but the anti inflammatory might help the corsodyl and salt water get to the infection.

Phone and ask for the appointment to be brought forward explain how much pain you are in tell them you cannot possibly wait.

Won’t help you for today unless you have some in or have anyone with some but paramol in the black box behind the counter at the pharmacy is what you want. Asda / Tesco / boots etc.

Whats your painkiller regime at the minute?

Sorry just see you are waiting on dental hospital. Are you seeing normal high street dentist Wednesday? They may possibly give you antibiotics if you phone tomorrow.

Can you get hold of some Orajel in the meantime? It's very good for bad tooth ache

I have found a pack of Amoxicillin DH was prescribed a while ago and never took because he's an idiot. Right now really tempted to start on them. They are 500mg 3x per day ones that seems about right for teeth.

@PennyForTheme

I have found a pack of Amoxicillin DH was prescribed a while ago and never took because he's an idiot. Right now really tempted to start on them. They are 500mg 3x per day ones that seems about right for teeth.

Don't do that before speaking to someone please. Do you have any doctor friends?

Instead of the paracetamol try over the counter co-codamol, (don't take both as they both contain paracetamol) and keep taking the ibuprofen too.

Phone NHS24 this evening as there should be a dental triage service at weekends/evenings. Ask them about whether they advised starting the amoxicillin you already have

I had an impacted wisdom tooth years ago over festive season.

This will sound weird but trust me it works

Get some of that local anaesthetic throat spray, most supermarkets will have it, spray in on the gum under the tooth affected and the gum of the teeth either side

Should keep you going until you can get treatment but I agree with pps I wouldn't wait until wed I'd be getting an emergency appointment ASAP with nearest dental hospital

I have spoken to 111 who just told me the best thing to do is speak to my own dentist (again) 1st thing tomorrow morning. It feels like someone is constantly drilling into my tooth. I am alternating paracetamol and Ibuprofen and praying it magically passes.

You have to try to stop infection getting worse. Please do salt water, it won't do any harm.

Is there no emergency dentist local to you or are they not open atm?

I've had a lot of history with tooth infection .

Yes to alternating the paracetamol and ibuprofen
Try to sleep sitting up as it reduces pressure in your head (or something similar) and reduces pain
And swill frequently with salt water

But it's really important to speak with your dentist as soon as they open to request some antibiotics

Toothache isnt always an infection, a lot of the time it is inflammation of the nerves of the tooth and therefore requires treatment of the tooth not antibiotics.

If theres no swelling or gum inflammation it is not an abscess, and you are very very unlikely to be at risk of sepsis. If theres no swelling theres no airway risk. So I really wouldnt go panicking at this stage. Dont take the amoxicillin not prescribed for you, call the dentist tomorrow morning and see if they can see you sooner.

But yes alternate ibuprofen and paracetemol, or co-codamol if you have any is the best option for pain relief. Paracetemol is the best painkiller for toothache so always start with that and add in other pain relief if needed

If you have some teething gel/ bonjela, rub that on to numb the pain.

Paramol the one in the black packet available over the counter alternated with ibuprofen plus regular orajel will see you through until Weds.
This was me a couple of months ago so I fully appreciate how awful you are feeling (I also took amoxicillin before seeing the dentist and they were fine with that - not that I want to encourage you to take any medication but just sharing my experience).
Good luck