Fifteen days of Amoxicillin...

[Jackyv]

Hey all,

I've been scouting out this site and the forums for a while but have never actually made an account and posted, but you're all such a supportive bunch that I was hoping someone could help me.

About 3 weeks ago I started getting a toothache. I already knew it was probably an infection but I was also on my way to the airport to go on holiday for a few days... Anyway, constant ibuprofen and paracetemol helped fend off the pain (although I always woke up at least once at night and had to top up on pain killers).

As an addition to this story, I suffer from Trigeminal Neuralgia for which I take amitriptyline. This has a sedative side effect but even that couldn't keep me asleep through the pain.

Anyway, a week later I returned to the UK and went straight to the emergency dentist. He prescribed amoxicillin after a *very* brief examination, and sent me on my way. 5 days of this did nothing to reduce the pain. After this I went to my own NHS dentist (to whom I'm newly registered) and he prescribed another 5 days of amoxicillin after I said I'd just finished one course.

Well, I don't think the pain is any better, I think I'm just used to it, and I've been constantly on ibuprofen and paracetemol to get by. I went back today to my dentist and he said it would be painful to remove with the infection still present, so he prescribed even more amoxicillin.

Now call me a sceptic, but surely 10 days is more than enough to know if it's working? I'm confused as to why he didn't prescribe a stronger antibiotic. On this occasion he didn't even look in my mouth. After this next 5 day course I'll have taken the antibiotics for over 2 weeks.

Please, please can someone advice me as to if this has a chance in hell of relieving this pain, or if I should seek another opinion, if only for a different (and preferably successful) course of antibiotics?

Yours painfully,
Jack

 

[Dr. Daniel]

Hi,
It does not seem reasonable to continue with the antibiotics neither switch to another antibiotics.
In addition, Amitriptyline is a very potent pain killer with many side effects. You are probably treated by a neurologist (for the Trigeminal) so it might be a good idea to ask for the neurologist opinion.

all the best

 

[Gordon]

Go find another dentist to actually treat you. I'm not impressed with your current one

 

[brit]

The pain could be the Trigeminal neuralgia couldn't it? At least needs to be considered. Also not impressed. It is not true that in every case you cannot numb an infected tooth either...the dentist needs to try a bit harder, be willing to use a lot more anaesthetic and get it in the correct place.

A root canal would likely be a better option than extraction as well but some NHS dentists don't always offer what they would do for their nearest and dearest, rather the quickest option is chosen.

A friend of mine was told this week by an NHS dentist that the previous NHS dentist was wrong to suggest a crown as if the crown failed, the next stage was an extraction. He re-did the old amalgam filling instead. I suppose he was right that less was more and that a root canal before a crown might be better if done properly.

Anyway, I told her about root canals - she had never heard of them despite having always regularly attended an NHS dentist. She has currently got all her teeth except one which was seemingly needlessly extracted with no mention of a root canal as an option.