Wisdom tooth removal on NHS? 3 week wait in pain!!

makaveli1

Hello all,

My gum is growing over my wisdom tooth it started about 3 days ago and my face swelled up. The swellings gone down but my the swelling on the inside remains. The gum is covering the tooth, I went to an nhs walk in centre who prescribed metronidazole. I found a nhs dentist the next day who said I would have to have the wisdom tooth removed an would refer me on to a hospital/ surgery but its a 3-4 week wait and that they would contact me

The pain is intolerable I still can close my mouth fully, cant eat properly cant sleep because of the pain in my tooth and head. Currently popping pain killers all the time.

Not sure where to turn, If I go private would they take it out straight away? Anyone had similiar?

Thanks

JenC

Hiya

I've been through the same so you have my sympathy. I was told that it was an 18 month wait for the surgery on the NHS :eek: I then went private and had them out under general anaesthetic within about 10 days. (Please dont' shout at me for private health insurance not being money saving!)
Make sure when you do get seen, you ask if there is any chance of the other set needing removing. I begged the surgeon to take the lot out as I was in so much pain and he said the bottom ones wouldn't be any trouble. Predictably, I ended up having another op last year. Lucky surgeon then gets paid twice!

I found a warmed wheat bag to be really hepful with the pain. Hope you get sorted soon.

BitterAndTwisted

What has been prescribed for you is an antibiotic (if you didn't know but I suspect that you already do) and in my own experience, with an abscess in my case, was that the dentist would not treat the tooth while there was an infection present as it was much too risky. This could be the explanation for the long wait, rather than just resources. In your position I'd get straight down to your GP and see if you can get stronger painkillers prescribed to tide you over until the infection subsides a bit. When I was having antibiotic treatment for my abscess it took at least 48 hours for the pain to be tolerable.

Nordictat2

I had an abscess almost 2 yrs ago and it was quite PAINFULLLLL!!! I had to take antibiotics for 7 days before he would touch the tooth. He did give me painkillers and told me to keep a cool compress on my cheek (which did help).
I hope you get it sorted but if you are getting NO pain relief..you really need to call your GP.

Lil_Me_2

What painkillers are you taking? There may be others that are more suitable to help with the pain. Once the infection is gone the pain should calm down.

I've had 2 infections in the same wisdom tooth and they won't take it out for me

makaveli1

Im on ibuprofen at the moment, only taking when then pain is bad.

makaveli1

thanks for the responses guys

coldstreamalways

Ibuprofen alternated with paracetamol is quite effective. It's difficult to treat teeth under Local Anaesthetic when they are infected as they quite often refuse to go numb.
Use some Corsodyl or warm salty water mouthwashes to try to get rid of the local infection. To be honest, three weeks is pretty good for the NHS. Also persevere with the antibiotics, they can take a while to kick in.

I'm a dentist and imagine my embarrassment attending an NHS walk in centre with the same probem on boxing day about five years ago! The pain is awful I totally understand. If you can get a single tufted toothbrush to clean under that bit of gum (called the operculum) that may help. It will probably bleed but that's ok.

londoner1998

Hello
first of all, my sympathies. Three weeks is nothing! *althouth when you are in that kidn of pain, well, is not quick enough). I had an absessed wisdom tooth (upper)two years ago, but had to go to the dentist after two weeks in agony, night and day with my bottom one , that was growing and got a bit infected under the gum. It then got the other side with the same problem. Dentist looked at it and realsied I had the two upper ones in a total state (hardly anything left on the left side!!!). He told me he could refer me to the hospital to get both out for free, but at this stage I had a total phobia of dentists and I would only let him do it (he did my OH implants when he lost his front teeth and they look amazingly natural). As it was pretty bad he agreed to do the top one- so glad I did. It took him 15 min for find the right angle, as they was hardly any tooth left, but once he did it, it was all out- not even sticthes or cutting the gum open- no bone removal needed!) He still referred me for a x-ray to the hospital- 6 months waiting list. I was so aware that was deteriorating fast... but I stuck to a very thorough hygiene routine and salty warm water to keep infections at bay- it really works! After going to the hospital and having the x-ray taken, it was clear I needed to the remaining top one out, but bottoms, ... the consultant said that they looked pretty straight, not much room, but not crooked and that it was up to me. If I had pain within 5 months, return. Well, my dentist don't do bottoms, you need a proper dental surgeon or a hospital. So I decided that he would do the top one (quickly, clean, fantastic job), none of that 6 moths waiting list (there would be nothing left to take out!!!) and I would leave the bottom ones are they are. If in pain, I will act upon it (even though he was quite adamant it is better they come out...). I got my top ones removed for 120 quid each, private (which I claimed off my insurance, so I paid 30 per tooth). But before they touch you , you need to clear the infection...
Good luck!

jugglebug

londoner1998 wrote: »

. Well, my dentist don't do bottoms, you need a proper dental surgeon or a hospital.
Good luck!

Erm nope,
You need a dentist who is willing to do it.
1st tooth I ever took out as student was an impacted wisdom tooth. If they were that hard they wouldnt let some cack handed student have a go would they?

Truth is we are all trained to do em, but like all things if you don't do them often you tend to get out of practice, and end up being a bit slow. You often then get to the situation where it is kinder to refer out as what would take a house officer 30 minutes as they are doing em every day would take me 45 minutes to an hour.
Also the post op swelling and pain then gets blamed on the hospital, not the guy who you will be seeing for the rest of your dental life.
My friend hasnt taken one out since we left university.
Might be something to do with the fact he is a specialist kids dentist though.

hieveryone

I feel for you, toothache is the worst! I have an impacted wisdom tooth and it is taking forever to get sorted ie appointment to get taken out. I have been referred to the hospital as it is so complicated apparantly to get out, and flares up quite regularly with the same sort of symptoms you are describing.

I found the mouthwash recommended above and warm salty water to be good at relieving some of the pain and taking the infection away, but to be honest I just dope myself up with painkillers and hope it goes away soon.

Good luck getting them out, your life will be so much better without them!