I am sure we have all had tooth ache. I rarely have to see a dentist and rarely have tooth ache, but, well, I do now, and the delay in getting to actually get it fixed is painful.
Why my whole mouth
I have seen the dentist, and he has booked me in for a filling next week. It seems that it is just one tooth, with a broken filling, and that is it. So why does it feel like my whole jaw is trying to kill me, not just one tooth. I think "referred pain" is the answer, but it is hell. At least now I know it is one tooth I know that is the problem that needs attention.
Why some times and not others
OK I understand if I eat something and get something in the broken tooth on to the nerve, it will hurt, but it is far from that simple. Eating can make it worse, and cleaning my teeth can make it better, yes. But it seems it will be hours, maybe even all day, without a twinge - I can forget I have tooth ache. But then can be hours in agony - meaning I can't think, can't sleep, can't work. There is no clue to it at all.
Right now eating a meal is challenging though.
Temporary fillings
You can buy them (amazon!) and initially they appeared to work, but then not. They don't last long and come out easily. It is now the point where if I put in a temporary filling I will be in agony, so that is no good. Shame.
Pain killers
You would think pain killers would be the answer, so here is the list of what makes fuck all difference!
- Paracetamol
- Prescription strength co-codamol
- Ibuprofen (seems to help a bit, maybe)
- Bonjela
- Infant teething granules (aka "baby crack")
- Sensitive toothpaste
What works?
The only thing that helps, and not for very long, is literally cleaning my teeth with isopropyl alcohol. Obviously used with care although not particularly toxic.
I am, however, trying more normal ethanol ingestion as well as a method to reduce the impact of the pain.
Only a few more days...
P.S. With only 2 days to go, I think I have it - the temporary filling was a problem, but because the actual problem was not where it looked, and putting the filling in the obvious hole in my tooth just forced the broken filling in to a position which caused more pain. Now I see where the issue is, I can put a tiny bit of temporary filling around the broken filling and plug the pain mostly. The clue is that the nerve does not tell you where the pain is located, that is a serious problem!
Absolutley fantastic dentist in Cardiff just in case. https://www.rhiwbinadental.com/
ReplyDeleteThere is only one nerve to the teeth on each side of the lower jaw, so if you have toothache in your lower teeth (you don't say where the tooth is) it is always at least the entire of one side of the lower jaw that hurts. Any less is anatomically impossible.
ReplyDeleteYes, lower jaw, so that explains a lot!
DeleteAny sign of infection? (inflamation, etc?) Last time I had something like this it was agony until the dentist gave me an antibiotic. As far as I could tell the little blighters were making lactic acid and dropping it the nerve.
ReplyDeleteP.S. I'd recommend Spirytus over isopropyl. That way if you accidentally swallow it you'll just be very drunk rather than feeling sick.
Thanks, no sign of infection.
DeleteClove oil applied with a cotton bud works well.
ReplyDeleteIt contains an anaesthetic and also anti-inflammatories
many years since I had a toothache but I remember an asprin disolved on the bad tooth worked wonders, and something from Speyside to aid sleep :)
ReplyDelete