Toothache, ow

[ConDemNation]

I've had a dodgy week toothwise. First one of my back crowns got loose, and hurt for about a week then it finally came out...stopped hurting after a day or two.

Then my front one which has wobbled for weeks, also came out. It started to hurt more, then. The dentist put them both back in yesterday - front one has settled quite well, not completely - he says there may be a crack in the root, and it'll have to come out if it doesn't sort itself out. So I'll need a plate.

The back one really hurts since he put it back in, and kept me awake last night. This morning I went in and asked him to take a bit off it, in case the bite was wrong, but that hasn't helped - not yet anyway. It was hurting to bite on, but now it hurts all the time.

I have taken some more painkillers just now but how long should I leave it - is there anything else he can do, or that might be going on? It already is root filled.

Thanks for reading, and any answers. Times like these I just want them all out!

ConDemNation

Get a metal pen or the handle of a metal razor or something of that weight and shape.

Now do do not panic I am not asking you to do something weird and self harming!

Tap the offending tooth with it. Does that hurt? If so it is TTP or the medical term Tender to Percussion, this could mean an abcess and you will need to go back to the dentist for antibiotics.

Or your tooth has just objected to being fannied around with and needs a few days to settle down.

Thankyou very much Pedro...I remember the dentist doing something like this before, on various teeth!

I'm not sure whether it might just be inflamed, rather than infected - both are pretty sore tbh, but neither seems to be especially painful when tapped, which is a surprise. Paracetamol and nurofen aren't really working that well but I can always double up on those.

Hoping they settle down a bit by tomorrow, but if not, I'll go back in I suppose - poor bloke has seen me 3 times in the last week, and I have an appt next tues as well!

Ok, well said tooth went mental by 5pm. Took some more ibuprofen, but called OOH dentist and went there at 7 hoping they would pull it out, it was that bad.

They didn't want to and gave me some antibiotics, but I have read the NHS website which says that a/bs for dental abscess are pretty pointless, because the tooth will need sorting anyway...and I dislike taking a/bs anyway as I had a bad rection to some 2 years ago.

So, I wondered if you know how pointful it is to take them? I am holding the agony at bay with alternating ibu and paracet, the dentist said it is prob an infection under the root (which is long dead) from being prodded and disturbed...but will antibiotics actually cure that?

really appreciate any info. Thankyou again for your help earlier.

An infection under a tooth is always extra painful because there is no where for the inflammation to go.

I have seen horrible examples of patients putting an aspirin next to the tooth and inflicting awful 'aspirin' burns on the gums or relying on cloves (they are still used by dentists but in a very controlled form, I won't bore you with the details).

The other examples I have seen is a hot water bottle pressed against the offending area with the result of the infection 'leaking' into other areas.

Antibiotics are not 'pointless' but very, very necessary in the case of a dental abscess. You need to see your dentist asap. Antibiotics will not 'cure' a long standing abscess but it will control the infection and you may need a small procedure to cut out infection at the base of the root.

This will take a few minutes and ease your pain.

Go and see your dentist!!!!!

Also NEVER be sorry for 'bothering' your dentist. It their job and they get paid to to do it! You are paying for a service just as you do with your car.

It is your health and your money, don't let him or her let you think otherwise

Thankyou so much Pedro, I'm sorry I didn't see this before starting another thread just now - I was certain I had already checked for replies Think my brain is fuddled.

I didn't sleep much, took one dose of the eryth and alternate ibuand para all night, but it was still really painful when it started to break through, and this morning they appear to have stopped working.

I wondered if the erythro is actually any use, does it only work on gram neg bacteria? I suppose I am thinking if the infection is under the root it's more in the bone,
but i see what you mean about controlling it. I have had awful problems from antibiotics a couple of years ago so tbh they freak me out these days and I feel as though I'd rather lose the troublesome tooth. It's had its crown reset about 10 times now.

I don't think my dentist can do an apicectomy, he's threatened to refer me before for a different tooth, but maybe he can just take this one out...I'd do anything right now, short of a bit of string tied to the door.

I'm not sure though how he can do it, because it's a post crown and therefore not much to grab hold of? I guess he might need to cut the gum. But I am so looking forward to the anaesthetic.

Thanks again for your help and advice, you are really kind. Sorry to sound such a loon, I am always a bit panicked by tooth pain.

Hope you are feeling better soon and please complete the course of eryth - so many people don't bother!

Thankyou...I always complete a course if I have started it properly, I mean more than one or two doses...I understand the problems of resistance and so on, having had c diff and read up about it a lot at the time.

Please don't think I'd stop it lightly.

I saw the dentist this morning and he said he'll take the tooth out tomorrow, and that if I feel worried about taking the eryth, not to - so hopefully that will be OK. Obviously it might get infected afterwards in which case I'll need to take something, but if he doesn't think it's necessary in advance, I think I'd rather go with that...but I totally understand where you are coming from.
Antibiotics are very much misunderstood and misused, I think.