Wisdom Tooth Nightmare!

powerful_Rogue

First of all, never had any issues with my teeth, especially wisdom teeth - However I now know the pain people go through when they have teeth ache!

10th June - Throat was red raw and slightly swollen, headache, ear ache and jaw pain on the left side. Went to Dr's and said he thinks it was viral tonsillitis.

That evening went to the OOH dentist as the pain in my jaw and round by the wisdom area was horrendous. Looked in my mouth, said he can see nothing wrong and to go back to my GP to be referred to the ENT department.

Over the week it gradually calmed down. Was then on holiday and had to pop to the pharmacy a few times to get mouthwashes as my gums were very swollen.

Week after I get back, glands in my neck are very sore so see the GP again. He has a look, can't see anything and prescribes me painkillers.

Last week my right hand side flares up, jaw aching, ear ache, horrendous pain etc. See the dentist who says "Its probably because you grind your teeth when asleep" She then reluctantly did an xray of one wisdom tooth and said it was impacted, and gave me antibiotics.

5 days later pain is worse and antibiotics doing nothing. Sods law its a weekend so have to goto the OOH again. Looks in my mouth, says he can't see anything, heres a different course of antibiotics.

Yesterday went back to the dentist, same story, can't see anything wrong. Sends me to local hospital to have an OPG done. Now im not a dentist, but looking at the scan, I can see why im in so much pain! However went back to the dentist who said wisdom teeth shouldn't be causing that much pain, and to go back and see my GP to be referred to the ENT.

So here I am, in agony, painkillers/antibiotics not working and having to wait till Monday to see my GP to then be referred.

Thank you for reading! No specific questions, just more of a vent as so frustrated by the system!

Toothsmith

Was it a typo, or did you mean it when you said you CAN see why you're in so much pain?

If all you can see is a tooth that's at a peculiar angle - then that's not a reason for a pain. Very many people have wisdom teeth at funny angles (and in funny places) in their mouth and they're perfectly symptom free for their entire life. If it's just because you can see a tooth at a funny angle - that's not why you're in pain.

If there is one thing worse than having a patient in pain - then it's doing the wrong thing to solve that pain, and the patient still having the problem when it's done - or maybe even worse, is the wrong treatment making matters worse!

You will not be in pain forever. The problem will be found and sorted out. Magic wands cannot always be waved and pain disappear.

Toothsmith

Incidentally - you're not trying to 'help' things by holding something warm against the pain are you? Or holding an aspirin at the site? Both are 'old wives tales' for helping tooth pain - but both make matters 10x worse and block conventional medicines from working properly.