Tooth Extraction - Pain!

yorkie18

Morning all,

On Friday, I went to the dentist and had a tooth extracted as it was cracked and was too decayed for repair. The jaw & area, where the tooth was removed, was sore after the anesthetic had worn off. However, now 2 days later, it's actually a pain and not just sore.

Does anyone have any ideas how I can ease this pain? I'm taking Solpadeine at the moment which eases it temporarily but it is soon back just as bad.

I am also on antibiotics that I have been given to fight any infection that may occur.

Any help anybody can offer, would be greatly appreciated.

I'm due back at work tomorrow, and don't really want to take any time off because of the pain

Toothsmith

Seems like all the bases have been covered.

When you think about what a tooth extraction is - removing something from living bone - then really it is quite a traumatic thing, and it can sometimes hurt a bit afterwards. You wouldn't be surprised, for example, if you'd broken a bone and it was hurting a day or two later.

Take pain killers as and when necessary, take it easy today (I your rushing around, blood pressure will be up which will make inflammation/pain worse) and I'm sure it will calm down presently.

Get back to your dentist if it persists too long or worsens though.

yorkie18

Thank you Toothsmith.

I guess I'm panicking more than I should be, as this is the first (and hopefully last) time I have had to have a tooth extracted.

The pain isn't too dissimilar to the pain I felt with an abscess in the same area.

Thank you.

Toothsmith

An infected socket is a possible complication of tooth extraction. That can happen to about 1 in 10-20 of extractions.

Being on antibiotics can cut the risk, but not eliminate it. It's not really enough of a help to make routine prescribing of antibiotics prior to extraction a worthwhile exercise, although some entists do do it.

Once one has set in, although painful, it is a self-limiting condition that will go away by itself, although it can take several days. Antibiotics don't really help, as part of the problem is a poor blood supply in the area - and antibiotics are carried in the blood.

There are dressings the dentist can put in the socket that will ease it until it heals up by itself - so if things don't calm down pretty soon, then a visit back is worth it.

hethmar

I had dry socket after an extraction once - it was agonising, worse than the abscess actually. The extraction hole was open for months. Dentist told me it was due to me smoking (I used to smoke) after the extraction.

yorkie18

I don't smoke or drink alcohol, I've followed all directions given to me by the dentist. Is it still possible for me to have dry socket? Thanks for all the help.

welshdent

yorkie18 wrote: »

I don't smoke or drink alcohol, I've followed all directions given to me by the dentist. Is it still possible for me to have dry socket? Thanks for all the help.

yup sorry

hethmar

When I had it, the whole side of my face was throbbing and I was actually in tears at times (most unusual for me). I finally went back and the injection to numb my jaw was ecstacy, no pain. They then cleaned out the socket and put some dressing into the hole and gave me antibiotics. But as I said, the hole was open and showing a bone :eek: for ages.

yorkie18

Oh my! I don't think I have dry socket (fingers crossed). Although it is very uncomfortable at times, the pain seems to be getting better with time and it is temporarily calmed with painkillers. The biggest problem for me at the moment is not being able to eat. It hurts to chew so it's only soft foods, but there are only so many soft foods I can take! I'm running out of ideas, so any ideas on that one would be great

hethmar

Get back to the dentist if its a pain thats getting worse or throbbing. If its just bruised/sore, then that will improve with time.

yorkie18

I think I will have to go back to the dentist if it continues tomorrow. Better to be safe than sorry.

It's hard to describe the sort of pain it is. Sometimes it's aching, other times it is a shooting pain through my jaw.