off work with toothache

MrsE_2

Toothsmith wrote: »

NEVER EVER EVER hold anything warm against an aching tooth!

Warmth will incubate the bugs involved in infection, and make the whole experience 20 times worse than if you'd not used warm to try and sooth it.

It will counter the effects of any antibiotics, make swelling worse and would make it more likely that the swelling could get to such an extent that it would put pressure on your airway and kill you.

Using a COOLED wheatbag could be helpful to any swelling, but the old cartoon image of a hot water bottle strapped to the side of a swollen face really will do an awful lot of harm!

The emergency dental line (on Saturday) advised ne to try a hot water bottle.

pulliptears

Toothsmith wrote: »

NEVER EVER EVER hold anything warm against an aching tooth!

Warmth will incubate the bugs involved in infection, and make the whole experience 20 times worse than if you'd not used warm to try and sooth it.

It will counter the effects of any antibiotics, make swelling worse and would make it more likely that the swelling could get to such an extent that it would put pressure on your airway and kill you.

Using a COOLED wheatbag could be helpful to any swelling, but the old cartoon image of a hot water bottle strapped to the side of a swollen face really will do an awful lot of harm!

pulliptears wrote: »

I seem to recall being told though that applying heat was a bad idea as it encouraged infection? No doubt toothsmith will appear and confirm or deny this

I knew I'd heard that before thanks for confirming toothsmith.

indebtinsussex

I've rubbed sensodyne toothpaste on my tooth when I had tooth ache, for some bizarre reason it actually did help to numb the pain, but I don't know if you're supposed to do that or not, you have my sympathies though, I'd never had toothache until recently and cannot believe the amount of pain that is caused from one tooth! x

pulliptears

indebtinsussex wrote: »

I've rubbed sensodyne toothpaste on my tooth when I had tooth ache, for some bizarre reason it actually did help to numb the pain, but I don't know if you're supposed to do that or not, you have my sympathies though, I'd never had toothache until recently and cannot believe the amount of pain that is caused from one tooth! x

I think until you have really had severe toothache it is hard to appreciate just how much pain and disruption it can cause isn't it? Wouldn't wish it on my worst enemy.

Fang_3

Toothsmith wrote: »

NEVER EVER EVER hold anything warm against an aching tooth!

Warmth will incubate the bugs involved in infection, and make the whole experience 20 times worse than if you'd not used warm to try and sooth it.

It will counter the effects of any antibiotics, make swelling worse and would make it more likely that the swelling could get to such an extent that it would put pressure on your airway and kill you.

Using a COOLED wheatbag could be helpful to any swelling, but the old cartoon image of a hot water bottle strapped to the side of a swollen face really will do an awful lot of harm!

I did put in on the back of my neck to help me sleep.

ERICS_MUM

The last time I had an abcess and toothache I got some of those chewable painkillers and held one against the offending tooth while it dissolved. The pain relief was bliss and lasted long enough for me to have some sleep.

I do sympathise, really bad toothache makes you feel like your head is about to explode, and talking or loud sounds really "jar" the tooth.


Linda xx

ab7

I suffered from the worst abcess 2 years ago. It made my face swell and distort and the pain was so bad.
Get yourself to the GP or arrange an emergency phone call from them. Dentists can only prescribe a limited range of antibiotics, which, if the pain and swelling does not subside in 48 hours are clearly not working. Doc can prescribe something for you, and will tell you to ensure its working within 48 hours and lecture you about going back to dentist. The doc will also as another poster mentioned prescribe codeine which although will not kill the pain, will make it bearable. On this occasion, my gruff doc was the kindest man in the world :rotfl:
The dentist will not remove the tooth until the abcess is cleared.

Toothsmith

ERICS_MUM wrote: »

The last time I had an abcess and toothache I got some of those chewable painkillers and held one against the offending tooth while it dissolved.

Another 'old wive's tale' that will do more harm than good I'm afraid. (Any relief you felt would be purely coincidental or psycological).

Painkillers work by calming down pain receptors in your brain, not by doing anything at the site of the pain.

If the tablet you happen to choose is aspirin, then that in itself is quite acidic, and can cause a bad burn on the site that you hold it.

I've seen some ulcers caused by this that have taken weeks to heal - causing pain for much longer than the toothache they were supposed to be helping.


As to being advised by a helpline to hold something warm against it - this sot of thing happens far too often in all walks of healthcare.

'Helpline' staff with a medical background but no specific dental training giving 'advice' based on their own flawed ideas.

The idea is that they sit in the call centre and feed symptoms into a computer, and read out what it tells them to say. Unfortunately for toothache, the only thing it really can say with any accuracy if ordinary painkillers aren't working is "Contact a dentist ASAP". So - the then deviate from their training and try to be a bit more 'helpful' by churning out the old wive's tales they've been brought up with, even when they can be dagerously inaccurate!

If you really have been advised by such a helpline to hold something warm against an aching tooth - then you really should report it. Such a person really needs a little more 'training'.

Another example of medically trained people doling out bad dental advice often comes with health visitors advising mums on teething problems! But I won't rant on about that here!

LillythePink

I know what Toothsmith has said but I did have a hot water bottle and it worked for me as well as the painkillers (I am not suggesting that you do it as they obviously knows more than me) but for me it worked.

I can appreciate the pain when lying down - a few nights I slept on our sofa (reclinable part) and that helped too.

For me, the oral gels didn't work neither the whiskey/painkiller direct on the tooth.

Good luck for tomorrow at the dentist - maybe ask about a clove pack on it until they can whip it out for you

The relief when having the tooth out is just pure orgasmic!

Greener_Grass

i had a tooth out a month or so ago and was in immense pain for almost 2 weeks, Cocodamol helped a bit but my saviour was clove oil. Buy some gauze from the chemist and dip it in the clove oil then hold against the tooth for as long as you can stand it! It stinks and tastes disgusting but by God does it help!!!