Forums Health Tooth abscess advice PLEASE
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    • #346
      jaz
      22 Posts

      Was diagnosed with tooth abscess on Tuesday, given Amoxycillen and taking Ibuprofen. Could cope with the pain just about, anti bios and painkillers making my brain a jelly bag, but this morning the pain has gone from general round the gum to localised in one back tooth, so tender I can’t touch it, it’s awful and eating is a no-no. Seeing dentist tomorrow but I’m worried because next Wednesday I’m supposed to be flying to Greece for 18 days and apparently you can’t fly with an abscess… Can anyone tell me how long it takes for it to burst? Or will the antibios calm it down? I’d gladly have the tooth removed before I go if I could. Would be grateful for any advice, thank you.

    • #347
      burton
      25 Posts

      Oh poor you – there is virtually nothing worse!

      I think it depends on the abscess as to whether the antibiotics work but they should be having some effect after a couple of days. I had to have a tooth out when I had a particular nasty one and I can’t tell you the relief when it was done, although I still have the gap in my teeth but luckily quite near the back.

      The only thing you can do is talk to the dentist tomorrow about the options and get an opinion on if it’s a tooth worth saving or not. I would hope that by next Wednesday, antibiotics would have worked and you could fly.

      Just to cheer you up, when I had my tooth out some years ago, my regular dentist was away and I had to have his partner. He looked more like a vet than a dentist and he kept patting my shoulder and saying “good girl, good girl” which made me laugh even through the grimness of the whole experience!

      • #348
        jaz
        22 Posts

        it helps just knowing someone else has had the pain! Your patting dentist made me smile
        I’ve had 2 abscesses before but so long ago I can’t remember much except both root canal filled, both failed and the teeth were pulled out so I’ll skip the rcf this time and go straight to extraction. The pain is one thing but thinking I might not be able to fly on Weds is just awful

    • #349
      amyway
      9 Posts

      Hopefully the dentist will be able to put your mind at rest – I think you might have just enough time for the antibiotics to knock the abscess on the head. None of mine ever burst. I found Solpadeine was the only thing that could touch the pain. I don’t think they will take the tooth out where there is an abscess.

    • #350
      nab
      23 Posts

      Sending sympathy,it’s horrible. A product called Orajel from pharmacy which is topical 10% benzocaine may help a lot with the pain. Worth a try.

    • #351
      Suee
      10 Posts

      I really feel for you! Iv’e had 2 and just wanted to pull my head off.
      Orajel is amazing stuff but you have to be careful using it, it has an almost immediate numbing affect and really does work but i found when i used it that when some went on the gum at the back it felt like my throat was closing up and i got a bit panicky. It wasn’t but the affect is like it’s been anesthetized .

    • #352
      martha
      5 Posts

      When my daughter had an abscess amoxicillin didn’t touch it and she needed metronidazole as well to deal with it, she also took paracetamol and codeine – I’m not certain but I think you can take this in addition to ibuprofen. Maybe your dentist could prescribe metronidazole for you tomorrow. Hope you feel better soon.

    • #353
      becky
      9 Posts

      I feel your pain, I so remember having tooth abscesses in the past, total agony.

      If you can bear it as a temporary measure to help to burst the little beast, swill your mouth out with hot salt water once an hour or sooner if you can cope with it. It’s quite unpleasant but it does really help to quell the pain and bring the horrible thing out. Good luck at the dentist tomorrow, and I’m sure it’ll all be a distant memory by the time you get your flight.

    • #354
      jaz
      22 Posts

      Thank you all so much for your advice and your empathy! I forgot I’ve got Cocodamol as well, I will definitely buy Orajel too, and ask dentist about metronidazole. Gala I tried warm salt water wash and nearly went through the roof, will try again later… Can’t believe I did an Intro A test yesterday morning (3rd of 3 ) Think the bouncing around must have speeded up the abscess, no way could I do it today aaarghhh.

    • #355
      jyn
      5 Posts

      Make a pot of tea, strong, then drink it black. Take the tea bag ( as hot as you can bear!) put it on the infected area. You will look like Brando in the godfather, but ignore that! Keep it there till its cooled down. Repeat as often as you like, and keep drinking black tea (swill it around your mouth and spit if you don’t like it!)
      I didn’t believe this would work until I had a huge abcess. Cured it, didn’t even need antibiotics.

    • #356
      pakpak
      14 Posts

      Once you take antibiotics the abscess should reduce or disappear altogether – the idea of the thing “bursting” is making me wince! I’ve dug a couple of people up – long dead Time Team stuff – who had abscesses in life that blew holes down through their jaw bones!!! Ah, the Good Old Days full of dripping pustulent peasants eh?

      Keep taking the proper prescription drugs and do go back to your medic if the pain and soreness persists – be careful what drugs you take with you anywhere near an airport!!!

      One of my mates had a bullet pass through one cheek and out the other taking six teeth and half his tongue wherever it went – another fine instance of “if you can’t take a joke, you shouldn’t have joined”.

    • #357
      lea
      8 Posts

      I really do know how you feel..One of my teeth has a recurrent abcess my dentist cannot seem to shift. Have just finished a second course of amoxyxillin & metronidazole combined. Root canal next week and I am dreading it.

      Oil of cloves can work well – it’s a very old remedy but it numbs the gum. If you now have localised pain rather than general you might be all clear by Weds, but I guess you need to hear what your dentist says. There is no way I would get on a plane with an abcess, but I can be a right wuss.

      If you can bear it (I still can’t) hot salt water held in your mouth over the infected bit will deal with surface infection. The heat will draw more blood to the infection site, which is currently carrying antibiotics. That’s what my dentist advised as an addition to the tablets at any rate.

      Hope you are better soon, it’s miserable.

    • #358
      guy
      10 Posts

      Get the thing taken out asap job done! Hope you feel better soon and are able to fly.

    • #359
      amber
      5 Posts

      I had a very large abscess a couple of months ago, whole face swelled and the pain and pressure was immense so I really empathise with you! I alternated between ibruprofen and co-codamol which helped and was on 2 antibiotics – it burst on the 4th or 5th day. I woke up with this strange taste in my mouth, pulled on my cheek when I opened my mouth to look and pus shot out of it – after a lot of heaving, I kept doing it and rinsing and the relief was incredible. By the end of the course of antibiotics it had completely disappeared hope you feel better soon, it’s the worst type of pain!

    • #360
      Meredith
      7 Posts

      I have just finished my course of antibiotics having been diagnosed with a tooth abcess last week.

      The pain started on the Monday afternoon – on and off but I could cope.
      The Tuesday i was taking regular pain killers and they were taking the pain away.
      Tuesday night i was woken with the most immense pain!
      I went to the dentist the next day (Wed) and was given the antibiotics.
      I had 2 more sleepless nights – the Thursday night being the worst! I even called NHS direct at 01.30am for advise on what I could take as paracetamol/ ibuprofen weren’t working. I couldn’t stay still – I tried a hot water bottle, frozen peas, and luke warm salt water mouth washes – it was truly awful!
      Anyway, I swapped the paracetamol for co-codamol which you can take alongside ibuprofen. At first, even they weren’t touching it but gradually they did. You can only take them every 4 hours but i supplemented with the ibuprofen (which you need to make sure you have food with).
      I was having to get up to make a piece of toast in the middle of the night so i could take pain killers.

      I ended up with a bad tummy too, presumably due to all the tablets!

      I spent 4 nights propped up in bed as couldn’t lie down – as soon as I did , it intensified. I also couldn’t touch the tooth, never mind eat on it (and mine is already root canal’d so has no nerve!).

      Thankfully it has now abated and I can now eat on it and brush it with the tooth brush.

      Hopefully you are not far away from the pain receding – but call your dentist if you are still worried. It is not a pleasant experience!

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