Tooth infection - agonizing pain any advice please

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Like so many here my infection started as a niggling pain in my bottom lefentist t molar. I am due to have a root canal on this tooth in 2 weeks time but the next day the little niggle had exploded into unctrollable head cutting off agonizing pain, i tried relieving the pain just using paracetomol but that didnt touch it i then consumed half a bottle of whiskey which got me pissed but didnt take the pain away. I managed to get into the dentist the next day, the bus journey there was the most miserable thing I have ever endured. I saw the dentist who said I had an infection and she would prescibe antibiotics which i was thankful for but what i really wanted was for the excruciating pain to go away. The dentist was irish and I could barely understand her, she then said she could give me an injection to ease the pain so i agreed, she then injected me right at the end of my gum in the hard bit which hurt like hell but it took the pain away THANK GOD! she then told me to wait in the waiting room and she would call me in 5 mins to take another look. I went back in and she sat me in the chair then all I saw was a blur of activity and she was actually drilling into my tooth which I had no idea she was about to do. The dentist put a temporary filling in after cleaning out some of the infection, she then prescribed me erythromycin and metronidazole and tole me to take ibuprofen for the pain. To cut a long and painful story short it is now 3 days since i started on the antibiotics and I am still in ridiculous agony, should it be this long before they kick in, I am sure I am overdosing on ibuprofen and why is my mouth and ear and jaw still hurting like hell, any advice would be greatly appreciated.

5 likes, 104 replies

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  • Posted

    Yes its quite normal, itll improve over the next 12 hours or so, a couple of soluble paracetamol will definately help smile
  • Posted

    Hi there

    Yes, it will be pretty uncomfortable for a while, particularly as it was such a traumatic extraction - sad Keep taking the soluble paracetamol every four hours as directed - but no more than eight in a day. Tomorrow you can start having warm salty mouthwashes again which will help with healing.

    Do let us know how you get on.

    Good luck

    Katiesmile

    • Posted

      Hi Katie,

      Ive got a infection in my gum and i cant have the tooth out till the infection has gone,

      but ive only got 5 days of amoxicillon 500mg im also takeing nurofen and oragel for the agnozzing pain which i feel like banging my head against a brick wall sometimes,

      the pain is so intense it brings me to tears which is embarrising lol,

      so my question is how long did it to take the pain away, thank you

      shaun reynolds

    • Posted

      hey shaun im in the exact same boat right now, did you find anything that helped and how long did it take? im going crazy
    • Posted

      Omg this is how i am at the moment.

      My gum burst n has seepted a bit 2 days a go but now I am refilling and I've got half a day's worth of antibiotics left ibuprofen and paracetamol are going to be the death of me I feel like my mouth is trying to instigate a hit job on me I am debating whether I should go back to the dentist or whether I should let the infection build up again and burst and then be a little bit more proactive about pushing all the sludge out of my face I now desperately just want them to yank the bloody tooth out

  • Posted

    A lot of people feel pain even after getting a filling due to several reasons. Some include being extra sensitive after a filling, and also sensitivity to hot or cold temperatures, the air, sugar, or pressure. If the pain doesn't go away in a few days or weeks, consult with your dentist; maybe the filling wasn't done right. Also, it could be that the rot has reached your tooth's pulp, in which case you will require a root canal.
    • Posted

      Reply to everyone:  Now that my pain has gone after an emergency visit to the endodontist and his cleaning out the infection and taking antibiotics; one begins to forget what the pain was like and so it becomes very hard to pull it when the tooth is feeling OK as mine has been now for a month.  I have a consult with the periodontist next Friday, and each day I hope that it doesn't act up again.  My dentist tells me it's a ticking time bomb; that it will or could flare up at any time and I should have it pulled; but it is SO hard to do that when it's OK - yet it's going to flare up again; I just don't know when and it can't be saved (too much bone loss).  I should have it pulled when I see my periodontist, but I can't bring myself to do it.

      Also, I wanted to tell some people what helped me get through the agonizing pain that brought me to tears as well (over the weekend of course); ibuprofen did not work...pain killers did not work ... nothing seemed to work and I could not stand it.  The only thing that worked was my taking an anti-nausea pill called phenergan which only worked because at least for me it knocks you out and you go to sleep so I tried to sleep through most of the pain.  At the time it is happening I know you will do anything.

      Imagine the pain that Tom Hanks was going through in the movie "The Castaway" when he developed an abcess on a tooth when he got stranded on an Island.  To do what he did (knock his own tooth out with a rock & hammer - ouch - but I imagine he was in unbearable pain.  I think we all can identify.

      If mine acts up again, I have an additional amount of Amoxicillin that I would start taking immediately.  Any infection should be irradicated before the tooth is pulled out (like now for me).  But, it could act up next year, and I'd rather keep it as is than pull it out prematurely.

  • Posted

    Hi

    I have terrible toothache. I've got antibiotics and pain killers

    Used clove oil but the thing that has given the best relief is a hot water bottle

    Try it it's magic

  • Posted

    this may sound stupid but get a painkiller (tablets) like paracetamol put it in your mouth with a small amount of water and bite on it a few times with the infected or painful tooth then swallow it would work instantly or much quicker 
  • Posted

    I too have had same problem. 3 days before pain subsided, I too overdosed on pain relief, then the horrible side effects of the erythromycin set in, had to endure the torture until around the third day, and the pain, swelling, and nausea just started to subside. Eventually tooth was removed after all swelling went away, but it was the worst week of my life. Just plain torture. 
    • Posted

      Why did you have to have the tooth removed?  I went to the enodontists to try and save the tooth; but I'd hate to loose it if I don't have to..

  • Posted

    I got 2 abses on front tooth and deep jaw line infection omg the pain been 4 days of pain killers antibiotic nothing helping all I wanna do is get in a fight and get someone to punch my tooth out lol. .. nothing is worse labour is a doddle to this only got releif when done warm salty water mouth wash that helped and also what helped what amazed me ice cube on gum it gave me relief.. hour on back in pain anyone no what will help going crazy here arrrrrrrrr.
  • Posted

    CLOVE OIL!!  It's an old post, if you can't get to the dentist/endodontist right away, I thought it still might be helpful to mention that clove oil works.  I used it so I know first hand.  Put the clove oil on a tissue ball layed on the tooth area a little over a minute for temporary relief right away, and repeat every fifteen minutes to thirty minutes for a few hours and the pain will subside for longer and longer periods.  In the U.S. they sell it in a "toothache relief" package at the drug stores.
    • Posted

      Thanks I had 3 abses 2 burst the other day made my swelling go till yesterday toothache again dentist said it coming bk till tooth is out
  • Posted

    Saw this way too late. Sounds like u had necrosis of the pulp. The pain is gases building up in the tooth. Root canal would have been best option as pulling is very painful after. Pleased u sorted it
    • Posted

      So i started experiencing spain in my gum Thursday night..

      Friday Morning when I woke up.. I realized that my gum had this swollen feeling and the tooth right above it was very painfull

      Half the tooth is busted away and exposed for more than a year....

      I did some research and suspected a abcess..

      I went to the drug store and they gave me metronidazole. and also painkillers...

      My question is what is the purpose of metronidazole?

      Do i have to get the tooth removed or will the antibiotice remove the abcess and the pain?

      Please bear with me....in a lot of pain!!

    • Posted

      I also took that antibiotic...dont drink with it..you will puke big time. Absess needs to go down. Basically if you can save the tooth...do it. Just have the nerves removed when the absess has receeded. My opinion only. Take ibuprofen its the only thing that stopped my pain..cold water resting on the tooth seemed to stop it instantly..but you will be swalloing it and doing it over and over. The nerve is likely necrotising. Decomposing and dying. Keep taking meds...and let the absess go down..if you can stand it..get the nerve removed...and eventually have a root canal done..losing a tooth is just not necessary
    • Posted

       metronidazole is an antibiotic...keep taking it..i took it in conjuction with amoxicillin...its pretty strong. Take them until you run out..
    • Posted

      will metronidazole get rid of the abcess altogether or do i still need to visit the dentist....?
    • Posted

      It should do...its bacteria and its an antibiotic...if it diesnt reduce you may need futher anti biotics..perhaps different ones. Its important you tke the whole course though. And yes...you still need the dentist. Ask him to x-ray it and remove the nerve if possible..there are a few nerves in the tooth..one or more will be affected by the infection..but in the long run all will need removing and a root canal to prevent further infection.
    • Posted

      i was looking for a quick solution for the next 2 months due to exams and stuff....damn...these things always happen...

      can i try to get rid of the abcess myself by injecting the swelling with a syringe....or is that bad?

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