Toothache

I don't know if you have found a solution to this or not but I can tell you I was feeling the same thing and the doctor told me I have TMJ becuase I am grinding my teeth at night. I had no idea, it seems that people do this when they have a lot of stress. I went the CVS and got a mouth night guard and after a couple weeks the pain and headaches stopped.

Hi, I hope I am not right, but it sounds like maybe an abcess which is not fun, First off I would try your dentist again and see if they can get you in on an emergency basis if the pain is really really bad. Second dont use heat, hot compresses, I did this with an abcess, (my first ever) and I ended up in the hospital!! Heat will allow the infection to grow, they love it!!! I actually pulled the infection into my face and I was pregnant at the time and noone knew what to do with me!!!. Use cold/ice compresses and if you can handle holding ice water in your mouth (spit it out when it gets warm)(drinking to much water can throw off your electrolytes!) ice/cold will help shrink infection and take the presseur off. On a med note you can combine tylenol and advil and take them at the same time as long as you do not exceede more then the reccommended dosage of either. Regular tylenol can be taken every 4 hours and extra strength can be taken every 6 hours. Advil can be taken every 6 hours so if you stick with extra strengt tylenol you can keep your self on an every six hour dosage of both. You could also ask you dentist for pain meds, they should be able to give you something stronger to hold you over if they are not able to get you in soon. I hope I am wrong about it being an abcess and it is just something minor and Ihope the advice I have given helps in any way. Let me know how it goes!!! Good luck, hope you feel better soon. L.

Aside from prescription meds the best thing for a toothache is Motrin (or any brand ibuprofen). You can take up to 800mg every 6-8 hours. Also when you sleep try to keep your mouth closed and that jaw warm (as in covering your face with the blanket, not a heating pad). Cold will most likely make the pain worse. If the Motrin still doesn't take away the pain, and this is your regular dentist, you may be able to call and ask for a prescription to get you through till you can be seen. Or you might even want to call around town and see if anyone else is willing to see you. Good luck, I've been where you are!
(DO NOT take Tylenol and Advil together, as advised below. You are asking for liver problems if you do so. You can alternate taking them, but not at the same time.)

Hi S.,

I have been there, so I understand pain. I read that peroxide swish in the mouth helps. I had uses camomile tea and placed the tea bag in the area of pain. Sometimes, advil works better than tylenol. I have used oral gel, and other toothpaim meds. The tea is natural and it helped ease my pain when I had a chickmunck cheek from my wisdom tooth. Good luck, I hope this helps.

T.

Sorry this is a little late but it might help if the problem comes up again. Try taking Echinacea. It's a natural antibiotic. I use it all the time. Take 3 pills 3 times a day for the fist 2 days and then cut it back to 2 pills 3 times a day. It works for toothaches and anything else that bothers you. It's great if you feel a cold comming on! I always have a bottle in the house just in case. I have taken it for toothaces before when my Dentist said he was booked solid for over a month. By the time I got in the toothache was ancient history. It might take 2-3 days to fully work but it's worth it. Hope this comes in handy in the future!

Are you sure it isn't TMJ? I had it once and it felt like a throbbing toothache but it's actually in your jaw and when you open and close your mouth you can feel it even more, right at the back where the jaw hinge is. It was horrible!!

N.

I had the same problem. The dentist told me when it is really bothering me to hold my mouth like I am going to whistle and just breath out...this relaxes the jaw. It actually does work. Good luck

It sounds to me like you may have TMJ. AKA: Lock Jaw. I have the same thing and I get toothaches, ear pain, etc... Instead of tylenol try some advil. Also try to massage your jaw if you have some time. Try not to chew any gum or eat really chewy foods.

S.,

I have been in that position more that once. Try an anti inflammatory like Advil or Ibuprophen. If there is any swelling (even if you can't see it) the anti inflammatory should take care of it and the pain. Hope you feel better soon!

M.

Have you tried anbesol? Hang in there, I know how a toothache feels...I wish you had the option to go to another dentist and get it checked out right away.