Stupid Teeth

[SilverSabre25]

Mine, not the dcks.

Had a root canal almost exactly 5 years ago (it was in the last few days of December 5 years ago). The tooth has hurt off and on, usually when I'm stressed and pushing on it with my tongue or clenching my teeth or something.

Well last night it abruptly started hurting again, worse than ever. I can't chew at all anywhere near that side of my mouth. I have a hard time thinking it's anything worse than before, since it started so suddenly. Zero to agony just sitting here doing nothing...makes no sense at all.

And furthermore, our insurance is atrocious (doesn't even pay for well-child check ups) and we don't have credit cards or money for me to go to the dentist unless it's really an emergency, so I hesitate to go and be told "well it's nothing because the tooth shouldn't even be capable of hurting."

So I'm stuck, it's Friday (these thinsg always happen on Friday, so I either have to act quickly or risk suffering), and I don't know what to do. But I'm kinda miserable right now...

[Meeko]

Been there, done that Silver...and it's miserable

A few tricks my dentist taught me:

Wet a washcloth, wring out and then place in the microwave until hot. Place it (as hot as you can stand it without scalding yourself ) on your face over the hurting area. Keep it there until the washcloth cools down. Repeat if you wish. Always worked wonders for the pain for me. Doc says it thins any infection around the tooth and therefore instantly relieves pressure. It feels very soothing.

Also...Tylenol and ibuprofen do not interact with each other. Taking two Tylenol and two ibuprofen at the same time, every four hours until you can see a dentist, helps with pain and inflammation and is safe. I found it more effective than Lortab, (which makes me feel weird).

Hope you get relief soon!

[SilverSabre25]

Been there, done that Silver...and it's miserable

A few tricks my dentist taught me:

Wet a washcloth, wring out and then place in the microwave until hot. Place it (as hot as you can stand it without scalding yourself ) on your face over the hurting area. Keep it there until the washcloth cools down. Repeat if you wish. Always worked wonders for the pain for me. Doc says it thins any infection around the tooth and therefore instantly relieves pressure. It feels very soothing.

Also...Tylenol and ibuprofen do not interact with each other. Taking two Tylenol and two ibuprofen at the same time, every four hours until you can see a dentist, helps with pain and inflammation and is safe. I found it more effective than Lortab, (which makes me feel weird).

Hope you get relief soon!

Thanks Meeko, I'll have to try that. I took Tylenol before bed last night, but now that I'm awake i'm hesitant to do anything because I really want to know if it will just stop hurting like it usually does...an infection would start hurting so suddenly would it? I haven't noticed any problems over the past few days/weeks. I have to think I was pressing on it yesterday evening and then again while sleeping...

[Meeko]

Thanks Meeko, I'll have to try that. I took Tylenol before bed last night, but now that I'm awake i'm hesitant to do anything because I really want to know if it will just stop hurting like it usually does...an infection would start hurting so suddenly would it? I haven't noticed any problems over the past few days/weeks. I have to think I was pressing on it yesterday evening and then again while sleeping...

It's may be possible you have an infection around the tooth. It would have to get bad enough for pressure to bother you...so it would appear to come on suddenly, even though it had been building for a while.

You are right that a tooth without a nerve shouldn't be hurting! But teeth are weird things! Both my husband and I have had work done in the past few months. I told my dentist I was having a problem with one particular tooth. After checking the X-ray's he told me the tooth NEXT to the one hurting needed a filling, but the hurting one looked great. I was very dubious, but he filled the other tooth and....no more pain! Teeth press on each other and so it's not ALWAYS the hurting one that is the actual culprit!

[SilverSabre25]

It's may be possible you have an infection around the tooth. It would have to get bad enough for pressure to bother you...so it would appear to come on suddenly, even though it had been building for a while.

You are right that a tooth without a nerve shouldn't be hurting! But teeth are weird things! Both my husband and I have had work done in the past few months. I told my dentist I was having a problem with one particular tooth. After checking the X-ray's he told me the tooth NEXT to the one hurting needed a filling, but the hurting one looked great. I was very dubious, but he filled the other tooth and....no more pain! Teeth press on each other and so it's not ALWAYS the hurting one that is the actual culprit!

Yeah....you have good points....I hate teeth. Mine **** and it's not my fault. And DD needs some teeth filled (I can see cavities) so I think she inherited my crappy teeth. I need to go find that card someone gave me for a dentist that will work with us on cost and payments...

[MyAngels]

You might check around your area to see if there are any dental schools that treat patients. Back when my sister was a struggling single mom that's how she got all her family's dental work done and if I remember correctly it was really inexpensive even for the big stuff. All the work is done under the supervision of a dentist, so it's done right .

[SilverSabre25]

DH looked in my mouth and the gum is swollen and funky looking around the crown. I have an appointment at 1:30 with the office that put the crown on in the first place. I just have to hope that either the ****ass insurance pays a good amount or they will work out a payment schedule that does not involved Care Credit. We have no credit cards and CAN have no credit cards, so yeah. We have no savings either. It'll work out. One way or another, it will work out.

[SilverSabre25]

tooth pulled, no infection. sigh