Help! Absessed tooth!

[kimmikayb]

Long story, short....I have a cracked tooth that needs to be pulled (note to everyone, it IS really bad for your teeth to chew ice). I've known for awhile but have been putting it off because I'm in a play and wanted to wait till it's over. Needless to say, like all bad decisions this one has gotten worse. I'm in some pretty bad pain right now. I've scheduled the tooth to come out but they can't do it until Monday. I've started antibotic for the absess and I have 800 mg ibuprofen. However, it's not helping with the pain....anyone have any good hints to help with the pain until the antibotic starts working???? *****warning gross coming up***** it's even forming a puss pocket on the side of the gum and it's draining into my mouth and it's absolutely gross, sick. Maybe there is a dentist/tooth expert in the DIS world. I'm grasping here but I'm in some serious pain here.

 

[Michie]

I had the same thing almost, my filling fell out though. HAve you tried an ice pack? I guarentee you that you will be feeling better when you get it removed

 

[miss missy]

OUCHY!!!!! I have some extra perks from my route canal that you could use right now. Girl in work had same dela last week, called her dentisit at 11pm and got a 24 hr CVS # and got meds right away. Jeesh, is its still hurts in that am, have the dentist call you in a couple perks to tie you over! No one should be in pain these days! Tell him it HURTS and you can't take it! Have pharmacy # with you!

Hope you feel better soon. No pain ike a tooth!

 

[kimmikayb]

ok, it's much worse this morning. My whole lower jaw side is swelled and I can't concentrat at all it hurts so bad. I'm going to call to see if I can get in on a cancellation today. I can't believe how bad this hurts!

 

[sugarpie]

You definitely need something stronger than Ibuprofen!!! Call the dentist, tell them about your pain, they can call in a prescription for you, then you just need to go pick it up at your pharmacy. I've had an absessed tooth before too! I personally thought the pain was worse than childbirth. It throbbed everywhere. My whole head was in excruciating pain. It started on a Friday so I didn't get to the dentist until Monday. By then I had taken so much Ibuprofen and Tylenol that I was completely nauseated. I actually threw up in the dentists chair as he was poking in my mouth. They gave me a prescription for Vicodin, much better for the pain, I only took half a pill, though, it really knocked me out. I had to wait nearly 3 weeks until I could get in for a root canal, but by then the antibiotics had kicked in.

Take care of yourself! Hope you feel better sooon.

 

[C.Ann]

I think the reason they won't pull it sooner is because they have to wait for the antibiotics to take care of the abcess.. (My SIL went through this a few months back..) However, they WILL give you stronger meds (some kind of narcotic) if you call them, so get on the phone!!!!!

Tooth pain is horrible.. Hope you get some better meds real soon..

 

[minkydog]

I think the reason they won't pull it sooner is because they have to wait for the antibiotics to take care of the abcess.. (My SIL went through this a few months back..) However, they WILL give you stronger meds (some kind of narcotic) if you call them, so get on the phone!!!!!

Tooth pain is horrible.. Hope you get some better meds real soon..

I believe you are correct. They usually won't pull an abcessed tooth right away because it would release infection everywhere, including your bloodstream and your heart. Serious business.

Call your dentist and ask for stronger pain meds. If he can't or won't, call your primary doctor or go to ED--one look at your mouth will convince them you aren't just "drug seeking." Hang in there, the Cavalry's coming.

 

[C.Ann]

I believe you are correct. They usually won't pull an abcessed tooth right away because it would release infection everywhere, including your bloodstream and your heart. Serious business.

-------------------------------

Exactly.. A number of years ago one of my girlfriend's brother's died from an abcessed tooth because he refused to take the antibiotic - just took the pain meds - and the abcess got into his bloodstream..

Make sure you take BOTH - and DON'T take "no" for an answer to stronger pain meds..

 

[kimmikayb]

Ok, calling right now.

 

[picantel]

I have gone through about 4 of those made even worse because I am a bokking chicken so years of pain I foolishly endured. A few things that help a little bit.
1)hot showers. Sometimes I took up to a dozen a day.
2)if you do not wanna shower then put a washcloth under hot water in the sink and hold it to the sore area. It helps a little bit.
3)ahh the puss bubble. been there done that. of course you want to break it and wash your mouth out. i found it was more painful with the bubble than without it
4)sometimes an icepack or even better and stranger a pack of frozen veggies from your freezer pressed against the side of your mouth helps
5)not always but sometimes I would suck really hard in the inside of my mouth where the tooth is and it calmed it down a little
6)lying down flat makes it worse. if you can sleep(have a cracked tooth now again so I know sleep is about impossible) prop your pillows way up. the more verticle you are the less pain you will have.
7)and finally and oddly enough do not think about it. The more I concentrate on the tooth the worse it gets. I find if I game on the computer or am busy then it does not hurt as much because your brain is concentrating on something else.

 

[monarchsfan16]

Moist heat helps a ton. Either a wet washcloth or one of those heat/ice packs (we have these fabric things that have corn in them that we can either freeze or heat). I had a root canal for my abcessed tooth, which instantly relieved the pain. It's pretty dangerous even for that pus pocket to be draining into your mouth. Your mouth has a ton of blood vessels in it, and it's very easy for that bacteria to get into your blood stream
Urgent care places will give real pain medications for abcessed teeth. I landed in urgent care on a Sunday with mine because we didn't know what was going on. They started me on an antibiotic and put me on vicodin. So if the dentist won't call something in, try an urgent care place

 

[kimmikayb]

Well, I can't believe it....the dentist won't call any other pain meds in They did give me other places to call to have the tooth removed but no luck getting in. Monday is the earliest. They told me once the antibotics start working I'll feel better.

Everyone has me worried about getting the infection in my blood stream! I wish I could make the antibotics work faster.

I am guilty....I put off getting it taken care of. Because I was in this play but because I'm a big chicken too and I'm afraid of the recovery period. I don't think the pain could be much worse then this. But mostly because I'm in this play this weekend and next weekend and there are no 2nds in this community theater.

Thank you for all the advice. I'm going to try heat. I've been trying ice packs and honestly not working.

I hate to loose a tooth. I don't even have any cavities. Plus nobody has said what they will do with the hole (if anything? it's way in the back) but mostly I want the pain to go away and I want no recovery time, lol.

 

[kimmikayb]

Moist heat helps a ton. Either a wet washcloth or one of those heat/ice packs (we have these fabric things that have corn in them that we can either freeze or heat). I had a root canal for my abcessed tooth, which instantly relieved the pain. It's pretty dangerous even for that pus pocket to be draining into your mouth. Your mouth has a ton of blood vessels in it, and it's very easy for that bacteria to get into your blood stream
Urgent care places will give real pain medications for abcessed teeth. I landed in urgent care on a Sunday with mine because we didn't know what was going on. They started me on an antibiotic and put me on vicodin. So if the dentist won't call something in, try an urgent care place

what is vicodin? pain killer? does it knock you out or can you function taking it?

 

[CathrynRose]

it's even forming a puss pocket on the side of the gum and it's draining into my mouth and it's absolutely gross, sick. Maybe there is a dentist/tooth expert in the DIS world. I'm grasping here but I'm in some serious pain here.

Rinse with peroxide, rinse with peroxide, rinse with peroxide.

My mom was in the *same* situation as you, years ago. Infact I think she couldnt get in for 2 weeks... She started rinsing with full strength peroxide allllll day long, everyday. She said it was instantly better - and when the 2 weeks rolled around she questioned whether or not she needed to go.

She did go - but, it was a HUGE help.

Pixie Dust for you!

 

[CathrynRose]

what is vicodin? pain killer? does it knock you out or can you function taking it?

It's a pain killer - my most favorite pain killer in the whole wide world, at that!

It doesnt knock me out - but it does to many people.

 

[Pea-n-Me]

I can't believe they're making you wait until Monday! If the infection is getting larger and more painful, I'd think they'd want to see you today. Is there another dentist you can call? What about an emergency center? I know that teaching hospitals have dentists on call, I wouldn't hesitate to go to the ER if you need to.

Another thought: does the tooth absolutely need to be pulled? My DH was sent to an endodontist to save an abcessed tooth. They told him that whenever possible they try to save it, as your bite can be thrown off if it's removed.

Good luck. I hope you can find someone to see you today.

 

[Shugardrawers]

Have you ever been to this dentist before? If not that could be why he/she is hesitant to call in anything stronger. Most won't prescribe narcotics to a patient until they can see them and verify that's what they need. If you have seen him before there's no excuse. And for them to not have an emergency appointment available in the next day or 2 is inexcusable. Keep calling. Call every dentist in the phone book. You need to be seen immediately and there is someone out there who will understand that. In the meantime, call your regular family dr and explain the problem. You can probably get them to call you in a few days of painkillers until you can see the dentist.

 

[BibbidiBobbidiBOO]

Another thought: does the tooth absolutely need to be pulled?

I was wondering the same thing. Why pull the tooth? Antibiotics, a root canal, and a crown is the normal protocol.

 

[monarchsfan16]

I was wondering if the tooth actually had to be pulled too. There is no reason why your dentist shouldn't have had you in there as an emergency. When my tooth abcessed they had two different times THAT DAY that they could fit me in. Endodontists in the area had said they could fit me in that day too, but my dentist was comfortable doing the root canal himself

 

[Pea-n-Me]

In thinking about it, maybe it's the issue of the crack that makes it unsalvageable? I don't know. Anyway, here's an article on tooth abcess which hopefully might be helpful: http://www.drugs.com/enc/tooth_abscess.html

If the root has to come out (i.e. tooth pulled), I know it's expensive, but maybe an implant might be something to consider. http://www.webmd.com/content/article/95/103297.htm (Probably the least of your worries right now, I'm sure. )

Good luck, I hope you get some relief soon.