Possibly a new toothache problem!

[Gilbo]

Hi. Like I said to someone earlier, my tooth digging into my tongue following an extraction 5 weeks ago, is now not so much of a problem, as I realise that it seems to be the big gap and recessing gum that's causing more of a problem.

However, Having had a 400mg course of Metronidazole to clear up an infection that went along with my dry socket, I have now just finished another 200mg course of the same antibiotic to deal with a toothache in the opposite, upper right first molar! This has (of course) had absolutely no effect whatsoever and I am still in a fair deal of pain and just wondering what I may be able to do to deal with this pain? I am using painkillers (Ibuprofen/Co-codamol) which only just makes a difference. I am also mostly eating on the left hand side, where the gap/socket is still healing slowly, but this causes no me virtually no pain at all, except when something touches my sore tooth. Can anyone please suggest something I can do for this? I am brushing regularly and rinsing my mouth with salt water twice a day.

 

[Gordon]

A different antibiotic would be the obvious thing, would the dentist write you a script sight unseen?

 

[Gilbo]

Last week I had to go to the practice and pick one up. They're only open for up to one hour between 9 and 10. Or at least they were then. One reason they only give me Metronidazole, is because I am listed as being allergic to penicillin. I'm not, but for some reason, I cannot take Amoxicillin which is the only one they seem to give out at local dentists? I don't know why they don't offer more than one type, as there are many (probably most) that I can take.

 

[Gordon]

Good old fashioned Penicillin V should help or Erythromycin. They shouldn't need to be told, Metronidazole is very effective against one class of bacteria, but not the other major group, which Penicillin or Erythromycin is effective against... if they've given you Metronidazole and it's not helping then it's not exactly rocket science to use the other ones!

 

[Gilbo]

Thanks Gordon. As I'm eating in the middle and left side of my mouth more at the moment (even with the gap, which doesn't seem to be too much trouble at the moment), it seems to have calmed down a bit, so I'll see how long that lasts! Then if it flares up again, I'll try telling him that and see if he agrees. Thanks again for your help.

 

[Raku1]

Hi Gilbo, it's me again. Hard to believe, but I think I'm having the same experience! New twinges on the upper right side, opposite the molar extraction site on my upper left (my original problem). My guess is all those weeks of chewing on the right may have triggered a cavity? My question is, did you find metronidazole was useful in the end? Or have you switched to a different antibiotic?
I just can't believe my luck - as if problems on one side weren't enough.
Hope you are doing ok and soldiering on.

 

[MountainMama]

Hi Gilbo, it's me again. Hard to believe, but I think I'm having the same experience! New twinges on the upper right side, opposite the molar extraction site on my upper left (my original problem). My guess is all those weeks of chewing on the right may have triggered a cavity? My question is, did you find metronidazole was useful in the end? Or have you switched to a different antibiotic?
I just can't believe my luck - as if problems on one side weren't enough.
Hope you are doing ok and soldiering on.

I had this issue as well, and it turned out to be mostly muscular. My jaw muscles were causing it to feel like tooth pain, from primarily chewing on one side. I still have it flare up sometimes because now I am chewing on only the other side.

 

[Raku1]

Thanks MountainMama! It does feel like it could be muscular - like it's in the cheek or jaw, rather than the mouth. I do hope you're right. Thanks for sharing, it's so comforting in stressful times like this.

 

[Gilbo]

Well Raku1, I didn't really ever get the problem solved! I think the 400mg Metro helped to sort out my dry socket problems, but the 200mg course a couple of weeks later, didn't really do a thing! I'm still in pain, whereas I can lightly touch or even just lick that molar on the right, to make it sting again! Not that I'm trying to, but it just happens. Like Gordon suggested, Penicillin V should sort it out, but it's just the problem of trying to get it, that is the real bother. I usually just get offered two, Amoxicillin (which I can't take) or Metronidazole, I don't ever get a choice of any others, but I will ask. My old dentist who gave me the most recent course was away the other day, so I will have to try him again. But for the moment, I'm trying to 'brave' it out, as I know there's seemingly months more of this yet to go, before anything proper can be done! I am trying to eat in the middle and on the left, where the extraction site is, as that isn't painful, though I do seem to have gained a new pain in my jawbone, just in front and above that! It's almost laughable! Almost. I wish you well and hope you get yours all sorted out soon!

 

[Raku1]

Oh Gilbo, I'm so sorry you're still in discomfort.
My own problem has been a gum infection which kicked in after a tooth extraction. I tried clarithromycin but it only partially helped. Today I've started 400mg metronidazole 3x daily - really hoping it kills of the rest of the infection. This swollen tender gum is driving me nuts.
Wishing you all the best - definitely push the dentists for the prescription you need!

 

[Gilbo]

I shall, thank you. Hope this is all over soon, for both of us!

 

[Gilbo]

Quick update! Well that toothache is now fully back again and I am going to pick up some more antibiotics tomorrow (Thursday). The dentist says he's not even 'allowed' to see me anymore, so the script will be going straight to the pharmacy. He's still in complete disagreement with me over which type of drugs to give me. He has flatly refused to even let me try any type of penicillin, due to having had a bad effect with some Amoxicillin once, which is the only other type he would give me, if I was allowed them! So it's back to 400mg of Metronidazole, take it or leave it and my tooth is in no fit state to leave it! He said the only other option is to send me to a special dental care centre, where they will extract that other molar, leaving me in twice the pickle I already am! No thanks. I'll worry about having that done, when we all get back to 'dental normality', whatever that will be in the post Covid future?

 

[Raku1]

Sending you hugs and best wishes Gilbo. Hoping the antibiotics will work and keep you going til we're out of this mess. I have fantasies of jumping on a plane to the Netherlands where I hear the dentists are open again!

 

[Gilbo]

I would SO love to hop on a plane to the Netherlands! Not only to get my teeth fixed properly, but also, as I'm half-Dutch, would love to go round trying all their wonderful 'foodie' delights! Hope you are well.

 

[MountainMama]

I can’t imagine how much anxiety you must have! I had multiple teeth issues at once last year (and year before) and it was so stressful, but not being able to go to the dentist is a whole new layer! Most of the dentists in the U.S were still seeing emergency cases, and it sounds like there are vast differences in what counts as an emergency in the U.S. vs UK. My dentist was still seeing anyone who was in pain. Now a lot of dental places are open again in the U.S, even in states that are still locked down for other businesses.
I hope the antibiotics help hold you over until you can get in, and hopefully you won’t lose another tooth!

 

[Gilbo]

The funny thing MountainMama, is that having phoned the pharmacy near my dentists, (just to check they had these Metronidazole, that everyone is running out of, revealed that not only do they not have the 400mg ones, but that they've also run out of 200mg as well! I have to ring up tomorrow, to see whether they've been able to get any.

I think the anxiety is somehow increased by the position of the back tooth and where the side of it is digging into my tongue. It's an awkward spot and seemingly won't let me 'get used to it'! If I now had to have the same molar on the other side out too, I think I would be living in Hell! So I'll somehow just have to put up with however much pain I get, until dentists open properly again (if ever!) and then hopefully have everything done at once. Hopefully another root canal or an apicoectomy will sort it out, or if not, then it will be extraction only! With maybe a couple of temporary single dentures to fill these gaps up, while I wait for both sides of my gums to heal up properly.