Dental Pain

[Eve]

I have a cavity in one of my upper teeth towards the back and an infection, I finished some antibiotics the emergency dentist gave me, 5 days of Amoxicillin, earlier in the week. I saw the dentist on Monday and am due back for him to clean it out and have a good look and give the verdict on what can be done, sounds like it's a complex one and might be a hospital job. Having Sjogrens has apparently contributed.

I've had a lot of pain and discomfort down the side of my face and a horrible nagging headache with it, on the same side as the affected tooth. I'm on regular pain relief for other conditions, Paracetamol and Dihydrocodeine, which dulls it a bit but doesn't get rid of it. I've had the odd ibuprofen, which helps a bit more but I can't take more than the odd one as it affects my kidneys.

Can anyone suggest anything else which might help in the meantime, especially at work as it makes it harder to concentrate? I'm not back to the dentist until a week tomorrow. Apart from having my wisdom teeth out many years ago it's the only other issue I've ever had with my teeth, never even had a filling so a bit lost when it comes to what else might help.

[carrot99]

Clove oil is an old fashioned treatment but if you're desperate it's cheap and easily available.

https://www.healthline.com/health/clove-oil-toothache#Overview1

[Eve]

Hi carrot, thanks for that, I'll see if I can get some later. Do they sell it in Boots/Superdrug do you know?

[murraymints]

http://www.boots.com/boots-clove-oil-10ml-10114147

look in the store finder for your local branch and search

[murraymints]

phone dentist tomorrow you may need more antibiotics...sounds like a root canal job

[carrot99]

Hi Gem, yes any chemist.

http://www.boots.com/boots-clove-oil-10ml-10114147

[ummmm]

Is it your b'day today, Carrot?

[Eve]

Thanks, they have it in my usual Boots :) It's a weird one as it's to the side of the tooth(so in-between and not that accessible) rather than from the top of it, will ask Pharmacist if the Clove Oil will get to it if that is important.

It's quite a big cavity, got to see it on the X-ray. Root canal was mentioned but with where it is; me being on immunosuppressants; and due to medical conditions there are a lot of factors to take in to account, might be a hospital job or need a specialist (private and very expensive apparently).

I'm getting special prescription toothpaste to help prevent further issues from the Sjogrens. All my other teeth are fine at least.

[Eve]

I will Murray if it's still bad. Infection wise it's concerning with the medication I'm on. I didn't have my injection this week but it stays in my system so still got to be very careful. A pain then (literally) as not taking the injections makes my RA and another autoimmune condition I have flare up and the latter can cause secondary infections (abscesses), it's a difficult situation. I think I need to have a chat with Rheumatology as well.

Happy Birthday carrot if it's your birthday :) I hope you have a lovely day!

[jennyjoan]

Also very good is Tea Tree Oil. When you clean your teeth put the tea tree oil in a luke warm water and rinse your mouth loads a time a day- it is great for infection and a nice smell. Hope you feel better soon Eve. You should get it in Home Bargains or B&M for a pound. Hollands & Barretts sell it for something like £7. Daylight robbery.

[Eve]

Thanks jennyjoan. I have some tea tree oil so that's great! Will give it a go. Holland and Barrett are so expensive. I got mine really cheap from Quality Save, massive difference in price! I get my vitamins from there too at a really good price, along with lots of other stuff, saves me a lot.

[sunny-dave]

Eve - you have my sympathy - I had a ghastly flare-up of a (theoretically dead) root/tooth last week - but at least I wasn't constrained by any other medications.

Amoxicillin 500x3 cleared mine - but only right at the end of a 7 day course - I thought I'd need a second batch.

For relief I found that soluble co-codamol 8/500 made up in half a cup of warm water taken in small sips and slooshed around the mouth for as long as possible worked quite well - but that may not be possible given your other meds.

Dave x

[hc4361]

If the pain is bad enough to stop you eating and sleeping or even brushing your teeth you could possibly have neuralgia. I really hope you don't as getting your problem tooth sorted won't stop the pain. It's something to bear in mind, though, as painkillers don't help.

https://www.nhs.uk/conditions/trigeminal-neuralgia/

[Sqad]

Clove oil is a good OTC treatment...BUT...if Ibuprofen gives relief, then use it as i can't imagine one week of that drug will affect your kidneys.
Needs must........you need pain relief from whatever form.

[jennyjoan]

Dave that's is good too. Oh another thing is fabulous (the proprieties are great) just plain old salt and luke warm water - rinse for as long as you can be bothered. Really good Eve.

[sunny-dave]

I forgot to add - a very large scotch and ginger wine (about 50/50) certainly helped me sleep ...

[Sqad]

h.c...the pain that she is getting IS neuralgia and the nerve involved does come from the branch of the trigeminal nerve........but Trigeminal Neuralgia is quite a different condition.

[hc4361]

I know, Sqad, I have TN but for months I was hectoring my dentist to treat a 'toothache'. It was in the same area as Eve's pain and I only got relief when it was finally diagnosed as TN and properly treated.

[jennyjoan]

Eve - when you get to the dentist - if it is a tooth at the back - get it out - dont go through the pain of root canal no way Hosay.

[Eve]

Thanks everyone. I hope yours is all better now Dave. I had a five day course. I don't think I could do that with my normal pain relief, I can definitely ask though, see if I could swap something around, thanks :) I do like a whisky and ginger! x

That's good to know about the ibuprofen Sqad, thanks :) Will get some clove oil too.

The pain doesn't seem as severe as suggested in the link, thankfully. I have had it come on quite a few times, always the same side and area. It came on quite a few times, sometimes when I had a cold so put it down to that, maybe the Sjogrens with a stone in a duct or sinus inflammation, my teeth would go very sensitive at the time as well.

It took me a while to go to the dentist this time as I thought it was just another face pain episode, maybe a cold on the way. Then my tooth went really painful, couldn't chew, very sensitive so got seen.

The tooth itself isn't that painful now, it's the face pain and headache which are more of an issue. I'll definitely keep it in mind if the pain gets severe and doesn't go away when the tooth is sorted, thanks hc, I'm so sorry you are suffering with it, it sounds awful. I really hope that the treatment controls it for you.

I'll try the salt mouth rinse too, thanks jennyjoan. I must admit I don't really know what is involved in a root canal, never even had a filling before, just one wisdom tooth out in the chair and the other three out under a general as they kept getting infected.

I am leaning towards whether it's just easier to have the tooth just taken out as it is one towards the back. Apparently it's more tricky as it's a back tooth as more rooted in and healing might be a issue for me after what the dentist thought might need to be done. I will get a better idea when he goes in for a look, he is going to put some medicine inside as well he said.

Dare I ask for root canal experiences? Is it really that bad?

[sunny-dave]

It's not as bad as it's cracked up to be - just make sure you get enough local anaesthetic.

It's a bit invasive and takes a while - but I don't mind dentists, so that wasn't a problem for me - apart from the price :(