Toothache treatment

[easysurfer]

A bad tooth is like a plumbing issue. Can be a big nuisance to deal with. But something that really should be cared for before getting worse. That's my 2 cents .

I had a terrible toothache (some of the old root I guess wasn't gone as from an old root canal) several years back. The pain was so unbearable that I cried uncle and ended up having rather than living on pain killers, had what was left of the tooth pulled and a dental implant done. Quite happy with the end result.

 

[Boho]

I took a photo! Are medical photos allowed on the forum? Well, here it is. The gum partially covering my wisdom tooth looks like pericoronitis. The tooth next to it is the one that hurts just slightly when I wake up and bite. Looks like cavities. Absolutely zero pain now, even when I bite. I can even chew on it.

...not really sure which tooth is which

 

[MRG]

I took a photo! Are medical photos allowed on the forum? Well, here it is. The gum partially covering my wisdom tooth looks like pericoronitis. The tooth next to it is the one that hurts just slightly when I wake up and bite. Looks like cavities. Absolutely zero pain now, even when I bite. I can even chew on it.

...not really sure which tooth is which

If only there were people who studied teeth and the problems they have? Perhaps they could find help for those who suffer from dental pain?

 

[harllee]

Boho, I am no dentist but the white swelling you have looks like the abscess I had earlier this summer when I had to have a root canal (all OK now). You really need to go to a dentist if you want to save your teeth. Also a tooth abscess can get into your blood stream and eventually cause heart problems.

 

[Boho]

I know you all love to hear the non-checkup things I'm trying, so...I'm getting a Waterpik to help keep the gum around my wisdom tooth clean. I'll fill it with 50/50 antiseptic mouthwash/water (that's the most antiseptic mouthwash you're suppose to put in them, alcohol based or not, which doesn't make sense IMO). I'm also going to try an off-label use by aiming it at the cavities (I think the only Waterpiks that are intended for biting surfaces are the ones with brushes but I put the cheapest battery operated one with no brush in my shopping cart for now). I'm also switching toothpastes to Colgate Total Daily Repair with stannous fluoride. My current ones have sodium fluoride.

 

[Boho]

a tooth abscess can get into your blood stream and eventually cause heart problems.

I know, but that's rare, and I'm thinking it may even be unheard of for someone who's healthy and under 55, uses antiseptic mouthwash, etc. . But, I would like to get a blood test for bacteria in the blood. I want a dental checkup too. I want a dentist who will be as diligent about my teeth as the mods are with deliberations over the obscenities thread.

 

[easysurfer]

From the photo, that back tooth appears pretty cracked. No?

 

[Boho]

From the photo, that back tooth appears pretty cracked. No?

Nah, I think that's a common pattern of tartar. It accumulates in those ridges where it's hard for the brush to reach.

 

[pacergal]

Not a dentist, (RN), but it looks like your wisdom tooth is definitely growing sideways, putting pressure on your other tooth. You also look to have several cavities (holes and dark areas on several teeth). The round swollen spot bulging up from the gum behind your wisdom tooth could be a pus pocket.
I really encourage you to access dental care, understand it is your decision. You have never stated why you won't access dental care (and you don't need too), but dental care has improved significantly as far as comfort and pain control, if that is an issue.
There is medical science/truth to the fact that dental/gum bacteria can lead to cardiac issues.

 

[Likes_to_Lurk]

Boho,
Please see a dentist.

I appreciate that you distrust dentists and may not be able to afford an expensive treatment. But not all dentists are out to rip you off. Some states have a database of doctors and dentists that you can check for a current license and any sanctions against them. Of course, there are some bad apples, but certainly not all. As others have suggested, a dental school may be a good option or a public dental clinic.

I have had some bad experiences with dentists (an awful root canal for one) and I am VERY anxious having any work done. And it seems that the ones I like want to retire early! At times, this has kept me from getting regular care.

About a year ago, I lost a filling and needed to find a new dentist fast. I went to a large group practice and they were having a special for new patients. $99 for an exam including xrays. (This is in Manhattan)The dentist was recommending a fair amount of work and I was skeptical.

I found another dentist to get a second opinion and had the xrays emailed. The second dentist looked at my xrays and recommended a bit less work. He did not examine me, but based his plan on the xrays and our discussion. I spent about 30 minutes with him and he did not charge me for this!!! We spent some time talking about his approach to dentistry and my anxiety. He noted that he could prescribe anti-anxiety meds for me. No one has ever suggested this to me!!!! It has made a HUGE difference! Needless to say, he is now my dentist. I did make an appointment for a more through exam and so far I am pleased with the work he has done. He shows me the xrays and explains what needs to be done.

As others have written, ask friends and neighbors for recommendations. Call and ask for prices. You might be surprised. Many dentists will not charge for an initial discussion of approach, etc. This could help you evaluate if the practitioner is a good fit for you.

Good luck and keep us posted.

 

[MRG]

Boho,
Please see a dentist.

I appreciate that you distrust dentists and may not be able to afford an expensive treatment. But not all dentists are out to rip you off. Some states have a database of doctors and dentists that you can check for a current license and any sanctions against them. Of course, there are some bad apples, but certainly not all. As others have suggested, a dental school may be a good option or a public dental clinic.

I have had some bad experiences with dentists (an awful root canal for one) and I am VERY anxious having any work done. And it seems that the ones I like want to retire early! [emoji23]At times, this has kept me from getting regular care.

About a year ago, I lost a filling and needed to find a new dentist fast. I went to a large group practice and they were having a special for new patients. $99 for an exam including xrays. (This is in Manhattan)The dentist was recommending a fair amount of work and I was skeptical.

I found another dentist to get a second opinion and had the xrays emailed. The second dentist looked at my xrays and recommended a bit less work. He did not examine me, but based his plan on the xrays and our discussion. I spent about 30 minutes with him and he did not charge me for this!!! We spent some time talking about his approach to dentistry and my anxiety. He noted that he could prescribe anti-anxiety meds for me. No one has ever suggested this to me!!!! It has made a HUGE difference! Needless to say, he is now my dentist. I did make an appointment for a more through exam and so far I am pleased with the work he has done. He shows me the xrays and explains what needs to be done.

As others have written, ask friends and neighbors for recommendations. Call and ask for prices. You might be surprised. Many dentists will not charge for an initial discussion of approach, etc. This could help you evaluate if the practitioner is a good fit for you.

Good luck and keep us posted.

+1

BIL recently retired from his practice. Hd had nitrous for those who wanted it, called in appropriate anti-anxiety meds for patients and really tried to be painless.

My earliest memory of a dentist, as a very young child, was an old man hurting me saying "if you think that hurt wait to you see what's next". [emoji2] No joke. Later in life an impacted wisdom tooth allowed me to realize the value of modern dentistry.

 

[Alectoris]

I took a photo! Are medical photos allowed on the forum? Well, here it is. The gum partially covering my wisdom tooth looks like pericoronitis. The tooth next to it is the one that hurts just slightly when I wake up and bite. Looks like cavities. Absolutely zero pain now, even when I bite. I can even chew on it.

...not really sure which tooth is which

Hey there Boho,

Something ain't right with you, it's hard to say without an exam and some radiographs and the limited photograph provided.

Are you missing an upper left molar? Specifically, a maxillary first molar.

If you aren't missing an upper left molar, and the lower first molar is hyper-erupted then your occlusal table is wrong. Your second mandibular molar is below the level of the first molar, that isn't right if there isn't hyper-erupted.

You don't have pericoronitis based on your provided photo.

Your teeth appear to be in pretty decent shape. Some dark spots on the second and third molar that I would want to poke at and have a radiograph on, but even if those spots are decay, I would think that they are small lesions and most likely asymptomatic.

My bigger concern is the occlusal discrepancy if it isn't hyper-eruption.

I may or not be a licensed internet dentist, take all advise at your whim.

Pain tells you that something isn't right for your body, it should be followed up on.....

 

[Likes_to_Lurk]

+1

BIL recently retired from his practice. Hd had nitrous for those who wanted it, called in appropriate anti-anxiety meds for patients and really tried to be painless.

I had tried nitrous oxide and really didn't work very well for me. What was new to me was the use of oral medication. Take a pill an hour before an appointment and I'm good. My dentist makes sure I'm comfortable before starting the work. For me, this has been really revolutionary!!

 

[Boho]

Hey there Boho,

Something ain't right with you, it's hard to say without an exam and some radiographs and the limited photograph provided.

Are you missing an upper left molar?

Yes, probably. That must be one of the four or six teeth that were pulled before my braces.

 

[MrsHaloFIRE]

Always take care of your teeth, your butt and your feet. That's my wisdom to share. With all the effort in the DIY, you could instead be in the chair at either a dentalworks type chain on a new patient exam special, or in a regular private dental chair negotiating cash price. Get on yelp and check reviews. Its all cute and semi-ok until you sit straight up in 5 alarm pain and dont even have a number to call. ER doesnt do teeth still in your head

 

[iloveyoga]

I have gone to the same dentist for a long time. When I did have a problem, the receptionist would always ask "is it throbbing?" I wondered why she asked that and then one time I found out. I needed a root canal and a crown, my first one. After that I resolved not to wait for throbbing pain to go......

 

[Born2BRetd]

Every profession has its cheaters and liars. There are bad cops, crooked judges, incompetent financial planners, etc. When your car breaks down, you have to find a trustworthy mechanic otherwise they will not only not fix your problem but tell you need more work done than needed.

We recently replaced our roof. Was it a fun expense? No, I can think of a lot of other places I would have liked to spend the money.

I dislike going to the dentist: the drilling, the suction, the shots, ugh and then I get to pay money for that delightful experience. Nope, it's definitely not fun, however, I have also had a tooth go bad. What was an occasional pain suddenly turned into pain you can't ignore. Treatment involved an expensive root canal and crown. If I had gone to the dentist in the beginning I might have avoided the root canal and possibly the crown. Luckily I had a relationship with a good dentist and didn't have to wait too long before I was treated. No dentist and I would have been hunting for not only a good dentist but also someone who would squeeze me in.

Just like the car mechanic, roofer, etc. you ask around to find someone qualified. There are decent dentists out there who will truly only treat what needs to be treated.

 

[Boho]

Everything I post to this thread other than "I went to the dentist" rightly invites replies of "go to the dentist!" so I'm a little careful about what I post, but I think my Waterpik experience is worthy of a post. Everything I've read seems to say that Water flossing reduces bleeding compared with string floss. Well, I don't bleed from string flossing (using floss picks) but I did with the Waterpik, though with no pain. In fairness, that may be due to my not trying to get under the gum behind my wisdom tooth with the string floss (I didn't even know there was something to get under back there).

I hated the low capacity and the requirement that I put petroleum jelly around the battery gasket each time I replace the batteries of the hand held model that I got, but I was satisfied when I saw the blood. It means I'm reaching a new place. After the warm water, I filled the reservoir with antibacterial mouthwash and hit it again. There was more bleeding but still no pain. In fact, I was having a little pain immediately BEFORE I used the Waterpik.

I also ordered PUR gum, with xylitol which is supposed to be good for the teeth. I wanted a gum with CPP-ACP, which is also good for the teeth, that's currently made by a major gum manufacturer, but I couldn't find one.

I'm also being more careful about what I eat between meals.

I was thinking about two old-time things that became much less popular for some reason. The toothbrushes with the rubber gum massagers at the end, which I'm just barely old enough to remember being more common, and the wattle tighten exercise when you slap under your chin. They increase blood flow and probably increase metabolism in the area. How could that not be good? I massage my gums by rubbing the outside of my face sometimes, and I'm really tempted to slap under my chin. I'd like some modern study to confirm it's effective.

 

[ls99]

My early expereince at the dentist is similar to this pic. complete with spit tray.Slow speed drill would rattle my head. When driling, smoke would come off the tooth.

As for tooth ache, a Baltimore Light train driver claimed Cocaine was great. After drug testing when he drove a train through the BWI airport building's glass walls stopping at the baggage carousel. $2 million train rendered useless.

 

[Boho]

I kind of remember Dr. Nemrow's setup in the 70s having the same things except I vaguely remember a cone shaped thing, I think for x-rays. I had several fillings, never with Novocain. Then he retired and a young guy had to give me a filling and I had to tell him no Novocain. He tried to talk me out of it, but I insisted. After the filling he asked "didn't it hurt?" and I said "yeah" with a shrug. He seemed impressed. I think it was in May 1989. That's the last time I was at a dentist.

Drilling with no Novocain always caused an occasional intense pain. My shrug just meant it's no big deal, not that the pain never got bad.

 

[HadEnuff]

I took a photo! Are medical photos allowed on the forum? Well, here it is. The gum partially covering my wisdom tooth looks like pericoronitis. The tooth next to it is the one that hurts just slightly when I wake up and bite. Looks like cavities. Absolutely zero pain now, even when I bite. I can even chew on it.

...not really sure which tooth is which

So here is a picture taken directly off of the internet. I practiced dentistry for 40 years and saw stuff like this every day. Note how small the holes are on the outside, and look at the radiograph. Notice how big the shaded area is?

What's this tell you?

 

[HadEnuff]

My early expereince at the dentist is similar to this pic. complete with spit tray.Slow speed drill would rattle my head. When driling, smoke would come off the tooth.

As for tooth ache, a Baltimore Light train driver claimed Cocaine was great. After drug testing when he drove a train through the BWI airport building's glass walls stopping at the baggage carousel. $2 million train rendered useless.

My grandfather practiced like that for 40 years. He had a bad hip, and a bad back. I practiced sitting down, but still too hunched over. My hips are OK, but my back is pretty temperamental, with some ruptured/herniated discs.

 

[Boho]

So here is a picture taken directly off of the internet. I practiced dentistry for 40 years and saw stuff like this every day. Note how small the holes are on the outside, and look at the radiograph. Notice how big the shaded area is?

What's this tell you?

I know. Same thing that the below video told me. And I think it started with grape skin getting into my gums, not from surface decay. I'd kind of expect that.

 

[HadEnuff]

I know. Same thing that the below video told me. And I think it started with grape skin getting into my gums, not from surface decay. I'd kind of expect that.

without a radiograph, you are just guessing. If you guess wrong, and you have what is depicted on the picture I posted, or in the video, you are setting yourself up for what can be a serious medical emergency.

I have seen several people go from pain free to swollen like a pumpkin, overnight. Two had to be airlifted to another hospital, and both of them came really close to dying.

Good luck. I wish you the best.

 

[Amethyst]

Whoa! Had no idea that orthodontia could require so many teeth to be pulled.

For decades, I declined to get adult orthodontia for crowded lower incisors (the uppers came in straight) because it meant getting a healthy tooth pulled. Fortunately, Invisalign doesn't require extractions.

Yes, probably. That must be one of the four or six teeth that were pulled before my braces.