Tooth abscess

Nanagem I don't know if this system operates where you live but here in my town in the north west there's a specialist dental department for disabled/wheelchair friendly access. My very elderly mum is being treated there at the moment having been referred by a lovely nhs dentist as she has to have new dentures due to them being lost in hospital and was terrified of the moulding procedure and also simply could not access the regular dental chair. At the specialist clinic they are very gentle and caring and have a dental chair which slots in a wheelchair to tip to an angle. Hope they have such a unit near you

Nanagem.Do you have a 'minor' injuries unit in your area.?Not just for injuries but there will be a doctor who should be able to issue a prescription for antibiotics and pain control. Then get H to take you to a chemist. I agree with Kathsue the NHS do a wonderful job but in some instances, and having experienced private treatment, I know what I would prefer.Not that the physical treatment could have been done any different but a bit of civility when in dire pain goes a long way.

So glad you have antibiotics now. I hope you feel a bit better today but ring your dentist first thing Tuesday and stress how bad it's been. But tell them about your mobility difficulty so you can be seen somewhere you can manage.

i think a lot of our age group have a fear of the dentist probably due to the school dentist.I was never very happy but over the last few years i have had root canal treatment all in the nhs .I can honestly say how times and treatments have changed for the better,I have hardly felt any pain so I would advise you to explain to the dentist your fears and i am sure all will be well .

Thank you for the info Gabriella.

When I contacted 111 sometime back for an illness I had they guaranteed that I would get an appointment with the Doctor the next morning as they had sent an email to my surgery. This was helpful to me. However I am not sure if they would do the same for antibiotics.

You really can't put it off. An infected tooth is no different than any other infection in that it can spread and become far more serious.
Extractions are far easier than they used to be. I had a wisdom tooth out on Tuesday and it was nowhere near as bad as I expected it to be. I wish I had had it done sooner. It was infected so it had to go.
I have finally found a good dentist so I make a point of going regularly now and they are trying to help me preserve my teeth.

Go to A&E department of your local hospital. Paying regular visits to your dentist would be a good idea. They are marvellous these days. I recently had a molar removed, very little pain and that was a quick injection, otherwise I didn't realise the extraction had happened.

If you have any infection or a abscess the dentist wont do anything just give you antibiotics to take. There is out of hours dentists, you just need to phone 111 and they will give you an appointment with the nearest dentist, even if you are away from home. Good luck x

I used to be the same but I have now found a private dentist who I go to on a regular basis. He has done a lot of work but has really made such a difference to my teeth. This is not going to go away so you don't really have a choice but to get it seen to. Most dentist will have an emergency number I would do a search and get the ball rolling. When you have sorted this out it would be a good idea to find a dentist locally who you can trust, that way you will, with a bit of luck, manage your dental problems. Our dentist specialises in nervous patients and is just brilliant. Teeth what a nuisance they are! Good luck.

Tell the dentist when you make the appointment that you are one of the unfortunate people who are scared sick at the very thought of going to the dentist.

These days dentists are taught how to cope with this very common situation and should be able to make the appointment and treatment less harrowing for you.

Even better, ask your DH to make the appointment and explain your fears.

after you soft out your immediate problem you need as a priority to deal with your fear of the dentist if you don’t do this as you become older you will be susceptible to gum disease and teeth falling out and then you really will be afraid of life - my second hubby was terrified of the dentist when I met him and had passed that terror on to both his daughters who frankly have had to be cajoled and mollycoddled throughout their lives to go the dentist. I made him. One to the dentist with me and for him to sit in with me and watch my treatment taking away much of the feared mystery. I told my dentist that he was scared and the dentist treated him with care and now 20 years on he’s glad that he showed some courage because he still has his own teeth and can chew food! Ask your dentist for help in this respect - soms CBT should be useful - good luck with your current problem

Poor you - it’s awful to have a phobia like this, and then to have agonising pain on top of it.
It sounds to me as tho’ you are just as afraid of your own reactions as you are of the actual dentistry, but remember you’re not alone. Dentist phobia is unbelievably common, and when I helped my dentist, who is a close friend, I would say that about a third of patients suffered crippling nerves!
Don’t worry, modern dentistry involves no pain and very little discomfort, and modern dental ‘beds’ are designed to cope with people having even severe disability.
Tell your dentist you are phobic, and ask them to go through your planned treatment - they are trained to put you at ease.
Step one, you will almost certainly have your mouth gently examined.
2. An X-ray will be taken.
3. With your permission, the dentist will administer a powerful local anaesthetic injection, after applying some numbing gel to your gum so that you won’t feel the needle.
This will get rid of your pain, which will help you to relax.
4. The dentist will gently open the tooth with a water cooled drill. Fast and noisy, but painless. A tiny suction device is used to remove moisture and saliva so that you remain comfortable.
The inflamed and infected tissues will be cleaned and a dressing applied under a temporary filling.
After this, you can go home pain-free, but will have to go back to complete the treatment..
This may mean extraction if the tooth is beyond saving, or further cleaning and a root filling, which despite urban legend is not painful. It is a bit tedious and time consuming, tho’ - so listen to some music!

That’s a basic run through of standard treatment for an infected tooth and abscess.
Just be aware that a good dentist knows what they’re doing, and all you need to do is lie back and relax. Pain won’t be a problem, I promise you, but dentists sometimes recommend a sedative if needed.
In my experience, few people needed sedation once they were fully aware of what was going on, and once they had been reassured that the dentist would stop immediately if they needed to spit, swallow or take a breather.
Best wishes for an easy and speedy treatment and a full recovery.

So glad you got antibiotics. They kick in for dental infections in 24 hours. It is really dangerous to ignore any tooth that’s abscessed. Infection can travel to the brain and you can also get a bone infection in the jaw. There are many dentists who specialise in phobia and they are all used to wheelchair users. Just Google for someone who will fulfil your criteria. I’m a dental professional.

I too have always been petrified of the dentist, I eventually found a private dentist who does sedation, he has been quite amazing and I find I can now go to him with no fear and stay awake, I even had a tooth extracted. It is an awful fear to have, I feel for you, but just go, it won't be even half as bad as think! Good luck

Janemar thank you, really useful information. I didn't know that, so will bear it in mind as the need for antib's always seems to happen over a public holiday!

NanKate

111 are pretty useless and they go through huge numbers of unrelated questions only to tell you what you already know. Antibiotics ASAP.

Your doctor's surgery will have an on call locum who will attend either at the surgery today OR at your local hospital. In Surrey area it's called ThamesDoc.
Ring your surgery and listen for the out of hours emergency number, write it down and ring them. Don't downplay the pain and swelling. You need urgent attention.

Ah just read your post....so glad you got some antibiotics x

Have you strong painkillers for any other medical issues? I have to sometimes take Naproxen for an arthritic knee, and my son took a few (yes I know he shouldn't but he was in agony with tooth ache and practically begged me for them), but they really helped with the pain until he could get to a dentist x

If you have an abscess you will need antibiotics before the dentist can do anything else to clear up the infection.
I was and am terrified of the dentist (childhood experiences of them I think!). I have a fantastic dentist who understands my far (and Im sure other people too). I will now have minor things done, but anything I can't cope with I am put out for. Injection in the hand, and away I go until its all over xx

I'm with you nanagem, I am completely dental phobic. i have not been to a dentist in about 20 years, I, like you, only go when I can't stand the pain any longer. Even in my home if I have to phone to get the appointment I pick up the phone, I am shaking, crying, feeling sick, start to dial the number and put the phone down again, it can take 3 days for me to be able to speak to them on the phone. I wish I could get over this but I can't. If you really can't wait until Tuesday go to the hospital.

It sounds like an abscess....if you don"t have an emergency number for your dentist go to A & E they can prescribe some antibiotics for you which will start kicking in very quickly.

You are not stupid Nanagem, you have the same fears that many have of the dentist and other difficulties to contend with. If you have an abscess they are agonising; take heart, the painkillers hopefully will help and dentists work miracles now. I had an abscess that had me pacing the floor, holding my face. Our lovely dentist sorted it out and I have never felt such relief, it was amazing. Good luck!

Nanagem thinking of you and hoping the antibiotics kick in soon.
As others have said, tooth abscesses need to be treated promptly.

.....ask your gp....