Painful gum and tooth

[NotAloneISee]

This is probably an obvious answer, but I will ask the question(s) anyhow.

Last week (day before Christmas), I woke up with a sore gum above a tooth behind the right eye tooth. It felt as if I had been griding my tooth.

This tooth has been filled twice in the past year...January and July. The first was because there was a cavity "that went deep" according to the dentist. The second time was to refill the hole that happened when part of the filling came out. At this time, there was some pain but not much prior to the refill.

To the present. The pain that came the day before Christmas went away later that day, and everything seemed normal. Since I have a dental cleaning scheduled for next week, I figured I would mention it then. She will be doing xrays anyhow. Yesterday (Sunday here and four days after the first pain), the pain came back in the afternoon. I took some motrin and it went away until before I went to bed. More motrin, but in the middle of the night, I was awakened to the pain again...which is always worse in the night. More motrin and some oralgel pm on the gum.

Anyhow, it is morning, and so far the pain is gone. I am not pushing on the gum, but that is probably somewhat tender to the touch. If I start checking, then it will be.

What is the cause? Is the decay inside as there doesn't seem to be a hole in the filling this time, and the pain is up in the gum. In fact, the most pain is located between my cheek bone and my nose. If I push on the tooth, then I can feel pressure pain, but there is nothing in the tooth itself.

What will I need to have done? Can the tooth be refilled? Or is it necessary for a root canal?

Pain permitting, can I wait until next week when I have my scheduled appointment? There is no obvious abcess or infection, but would I be able to see/feel that on the outside?

Any other advice?

 

[Gordon]

Sounds like the nerve is dying/has died and an abscess is trying to develop. If you can wait till next week, fair enough, but it's likely to get more painful over the next few days.

 

[NotAloneISee]

I made an appointment for tomorrow to see the dentist. The pain returned with a vengeance about an hour ago.

What will be the fix for a dying root?

A root canal?

 

[NotAloneISee]

Thanks. I know that she will tell me my options. I also know she does not do root canals herself, but I see that the dentist who did my other one 25 years ago is still in business. At the time, I think he was in his thirties. Since I liked him, I think I will reacquaint myself with him. Not that it is how I wanted to meet him again.

What other options would I have? I know I could wait until tomorrow, but it is 24 hours from now. I just called to see if anyone canceled this afternoon, but no luck. Crazy what this board has done for me...or maybe it is the pain. In the past, I would not have tried for a sooner appointment but rather a later one. Now I know that the waiting is always the hardest part, so if I can reduce the time, I will.

Unfortunately, it looks like a night of pain or at least some pain. I do have some 800mg Motrin and I am getting some oralgel. Anyone have anything else that gets rid of the pain? Legal that is.

 

[NotAloneISee]

Tonight the pain got the better of me.

At about 9 pm, I called my dentist office...which gave me my dentist's home number. I left a message. Within five minutes she called back. I explained the pain and the tooth...which she remembered. She called in an antibiotic and pain medication prescription, and by 10 pm I was home with my meds. I still have to see her tomorrow, but at least some or most of my pain will be gone, I hope.

I asked what my choices would be for fixing the tooth and they are extraction and root canal. On another thread, I asked what each of you would do...feel free to give your opinions.

I asked her which mught be better, and she said it would be better to make a choice when I wasn't in pain, because right now ripping out the tooth sounds great.

So here I sit...still in pain but more hopeful, and above all, I am impressed with my dentist and her quick actions for me.

 

[NotAloneISee]

Tonight I am still in pain. I am taking Motrin 800 which helps for awhile, and an antibiotic called Clindamycin. At first I was taking 150, but she said to use 300 mg.

I have taken 1 dose of 300 and 4 doses of 150. In a little bit, I will take the other 150 to complete the 300 mg for tonight. I have had no stomach problems as of yet. I started my antibiotics 24 hours ago.

Question...when can I expect the pain to go away? My cheeck is also swelled. When will that be normal again?

Help?

 

[smyi2]

Tonight I am still in pain. I am taking Motrin 800 which helps for awhile, and an antibiotic called Clindamycin. At first I was taking 150, but she said to use 300 mg.

I have taken 1 dose of 300 and 4 doses of 150. In a little bit, I will take the other 150 to complete the 300 mg for tonight. I have had no stomach problems as of yet. I started my antibiotics 24 hours ago.

Question...when can I expect the pain to go away? My cheeck is also swelled. When will that be normal again?

Help?

I remember having that kind a pain.. It was about 10 years ago. it was a throbbing feeling inside my tooth that did not go away. It was a sunday night and I had to put ice on it ALL night while watching TV, I didn't sleep at all. The next morning I went to the dentist and I got a root canal...

I dont recommend the ice. It felt okay when the ice was on it, but once it melted the pain returned.. It was hoorrrrrible!!

 

[NotAloneISee]

Well, again I will tell myself the answer that I know of know. It will go away within 30 hours or so.

This morning I woke up with no pain, and during the night had minor pains...as compared to previous nights. I still took a Motrin 800 as a precaution this morning, but there was not much pain. I did double up on the antibiotic per my dentist last night and that may have helped.

Now we wait to see how long this reprieve will last.