Thank God the Week's Over!
Sun, 13 May, 2007 – 10:56 am
It's been a long hard week this week. I didn't realise until this week that some of the pains in my head had been caused by an infected nerve in my tooth. On Monday night the pain escalated and just refused to go, and this pain was starting from my back tooth all the way up to just above my ear. Have to say, it's the first major toothache I've even had, well the first toothache, besides a little sensitivity, and it is definitely not fun.
I finally got to the dentist on Wednesday who x-rayed my tooth and gave me some antibiotics, however 48 hours later the pain still hadn't eased and over the counter painkillers were not even touching the pain. I got some extra strong painkillers from the doctor and even those did nothing for me. I've been relying on using Oil of Cloves (the most disgusting thing you could ever taste!), plus rinsing with Vodka/Barcardi to help numb my mouth and ease the pain, but by early Saturday morning even that wasn't working. So I went to see another dentist yesterday who cleaned out the tooth, put antibiotics directly in the base of it and put a new temporary filling over it. Finally last night I got an almost full nights sleep of 10 hours and despite a bit of a headache, I'm feeling 100% better.
I have to say I've never felt so helpless with pain. In the past the biggest pains I've had were Appendicitus and a Kidney Infection, however both were eased very quickly. This time around I've spent 3 weeks in semi major pain, but painkillers could take it off, however this week I've been in such agonising pain, especially in the middle of the night, and have felt so helpless (as has the people around me watching me in pain). I am so relieved.
Not much else happened this week as I've managed very little work, only when I could manage, and have spent most of the week on the couch watching the DVD boxsets I got for my birthday. I feel pretty bad too as I had to miss one of my closest friend's birthday yesterday. However I do have to give so much thanks to Dave who's looked after me, run around for me, taken me to the dentists and sat with me whilst I quivered and had panic attacks in the chair and surgeries (yes I adore Dentists 
), and more than anything, put up with me waking him up every night with me getting up and down in the middle of the night trying everything I could to ease the pain.
Gotta say, toothache – not fun!
Ouch, ouch, ouch! Unfortunately I know exactly what you've been going through and fun it aint! My worst ever dental infection was 6 years ago. Over 2 months, 3 courses of antibiotics wouldn't shift it so in the end I had a Root Canal which put the whole thing to an end. J, who's never had a toothache or dental problem since we met 15 years ago, had toothache a couple of weeks back: http://www.thegoldengirls.co.uk/blog/?p=397 – so as someone who's seen a loved one crippled with agony then my bet is Dave has been going through every twinge with you
Feel better soon
By Sam on Sun, 13 May, 2007
Hi Sam, 2 months? Sounds absolutely agonising. The main pain for me has just been the past week and I couldn't take it. Felt like a million nails rammed into the side of my head and loads of pins around my gums making me doubt all of my teeth!
I can't afford the Root Canal at £500 so am just going to have it removed. It's right at the back and hey, my wisdom teeth may come through and take the space anyhow!
Gotta say it's my first and I pray my last ever toothache.
By Sarah on Sun, 13 May, 2007
Mine started in May 2001. I went to the dentist (not the one I see now, just another guy in the practice) when the pain started but he said he couldn't see anything wrong. The next day the pain was worse than ever so they gave me antibiotics. That helped but about 4 weeks later it started again…this time it was 10x worse and I couldn't even open my mouth to speak. Agony doesn't even begin to cover it, lol! Emergency dentist gave me more antibiotics then a few days later I was given some other tablets from the dentist which were to treat gum infections. I was rattling by this point
Then about a month later I went to another dentist (my current one) and he did the Root Canal. I had to have another course of antibiotics after that just incase so I was really fed up but glad to be rid of that infected nerve.
I agree about getting a tooth pulled if it's at the back. Unfortunately mine was my front tooth, so I had no option but to have the Root Canal. After that I had several months more worth of dental treatment to get my mouth in tip-top shape (I was petrified of dentist before that, hence not going for regular check-ups) and the dental bill I'd clocked up was into many hundreds by this point! Now I attend my 6-monthly check-ups as soon as the card arrives – I just have to think back to that horrendous pain which is encouragement enough to do so!
By Sam on Sun, 13 May, 2007
God that sounds awful. Have to agree with you on getting all the checkups done. Until I left home at 18 I had been cared for mainly by RAF dentists, orthodontists and hygenists. Have to say they are the best going, especially when you know most of the personally! However my next dentist after that spied I got my NHS payments for free as a student so started to do 'repair' work from what a fixed brace had left behind and as far as I'm concerned has made matters worse when he put a crown on two of my teeth. The last time I saw him he was fixing a filling and missed with the needle and put anaesthetic into half my face, pretty much leaving half my face feeling paralysed. It is a horrible feeling that's for sure. I had to drive home for 45 minutes after that! I never returned.
Then it took my parents a few years and offering to pay for me to step back in a dental surgey, saw the dentist and was told a few fillings needed replacing. However the hygenist did these (I know, don't ask me why!). So had my mouth wide open for an hour, had 4 injections in my mouth yet she managed one filling and got stuck on the tooth currently in question, as despite injecting twice more (that's 3 times total for one tooth) I could still feel her drilling (I'm wondering if it was infected then?!). So she put a little temp filling on and said time was up. Two days later I had tonsils the size of golf balls. Nothing worse than having tonsilitus without the illness that goes with it. I couldn't eat because I felt sick when they touched.
Strangely enough, it's taken an insane amount of pain to go back to a dentist. I know I've still got at least 2 fillings that need replacing and possible another filling to be done, plus the extraction. I just wonder if I can get some valium from the doctors first…
By Sarah on Sun, 13 May, 2007
[sharp intake of breath through teeth] I can fully sympathise with you, Sarah! Years ago, I had problems with my wisdom teeth that flared up every 6 months or so and whilst the pain was bad it tended to clear with some treatment.
Then one time, it got really bad and I could hardly function. The gum around my teeth had inflamed, gotten infected and the pain felt like it was in my entire head.
I've never been a big fan of dentists, but by that stage I was desperate for relief!
I can still remember the nurse leaning and holding down my head as the dentist gripped my teeth with pliers.
Since then, I like the dentists much more!
By Will on Sun, 13 May, 2007
Wow. I honestly thought when he told me this and that the tooth would have to be removed that it was all my fault for not going earlier etc etc. Feeling embarrassed that I had to have a tooth removed. To me that only happens to old people! Yet everyone I've spoken to is like 'yeah that happened to me a few months/years back'. Much more reassuring that it's just bad luck!
By Sarah on Sun, 13 May, 2007
Dear god, it makes you wonder how some dental surgeons even got through University
Your experiences are shocking!
When I was younger I had to be put to sleep to have several teeth extracted, due to overcrowding. I had to have gas. I tried to fight it when they put the mask over my face…then half way through I started to regain consciousness. After that I developed a terrible fear of dentists. My dentist back then wasn't very nice either so that made things worse. Being nervous of the dentist back then seemed to be an unaccepted kind of thing, whereas thesedays dentists are far more understanding as it's not unusual.
So, I never kept my appointments and kept putting things off until of course the day I no longer could. Now I have a fantastic dentist who understands my nervousness and puts me totally in control. I've had a Root Canal, several deep fillings and bridgework through him – I couldn't have done it with any other dentist other than an understanding one. I used to have panic attacks when I first started going to him, then with each visit the fear would subside. I still have that awful anticipation of going to the dentist (mostly due to the bill at the end, haha), but once I'm in the chair I'm usually fine. Just got to go back in a little over a week for crown replacement prep, then hopefully it's another 6 months before I'm due another visit
Toothache is the worst pain that I, personally, have ever experienced. Like Will said, it's impossible to function. My mum says that she can't remember the pain of childbirth, but a toothache she will NEVER forget.
By Sam on Sun, 13 May, 2007
Sam, gotta say you've scared me now! I had two teeth removed on my 12th birthday (nice present!) to allow for my eye teeth to move down. All I can remember is I was awake (but numb!) and they didn't want to come out. Thankfully it was RAF done who, as you can tell, I have a lot more faith in!
Everyone I've spoken to agrees that toothache is the worst pain to have. It's certainly changed my mind about seeing a dentist. Just got that first check up on Friday, first in a couple of years so I can already hear my bank account crying! Thank god it's capped (although why we should pay is anyone's guess).
By Sarah on Tue, 15 May, 2007
Haha, you'll be fine. Dental science has moved on a lot more since I had those teeth out
I have had a total of 3 teeth extracted since I was 25 years old and it was a breeze. My other half had 2 teeth out a few weeks back and didn't even know the second one had been pulled as it was over so quick.
Hope you're no longer in pain
By Sam on Sat, 19 May, 2007
Hey Sam, I actually saw the dentist yesterday and have booked in to have the tooth out a week Thursday. I also need one filling replacing and a visit to the hygenist and that's it. Gotta say I was impressed that I didn't need more as it's been a while! I had some sort of coating put on my teeth when I was 16 and I think that's been protecting my teeth ever since. Just got to see if I can have more because if it has been doing its job then it's flippin' good!
Yep pain all gone besides when I sleep on my right side. Haven't taken a tablet since last Sunday morning
By Sarah on Sat, 19 May, 2007
Just reading your story makes me quiver! Brrr dentists…
By Frank on Sat, 29 December, 2007