Anxiety and tooth issues - advice?

[Christi44]

In February I was bathing my little girl and I got a horrendous shooting pain what felt like an exposed nerve in my tooth. It went away so I thought it was a one off, however it happened a few more times so I finally got in with the emergency dentist. They removed my top wisdom tooth which they said was infected. For two weeks I felt great, and then BAM the nerve pain back again! I went back to the dentist to who referred me to a surgeon to remove a bottom wisdom tooth that was cracked. I stated having panic attacks because I didn't know when this horrendous pain would come back. I've been unable to eat or enjoy life and I have been getting these strange electric shock feelings in my teeth. I finally had the tooth removed 3 days ago. I thought that would be the end of all the strange sensations but they are still there.... however I am still worrying whether they have taken the right tooth out this time and worrying whether the severe nerve pain will come back. Could the strange sensations of electric shocks be just because of my whole anxiety focusing on the fear of my tooth pain coming back? I seriously need to put it to the back of my mind and just try and think that the nerve pain will be gone for good, but these electric shock sensations keep making me scared it's not resolved.

[snowghost57]

You are having panic attacks as you fear the pain is going to come back. I am sure they took out the correct tooth as wisdom teeth are very large, that is why we experience so much pain when they try to erupt through the gum, they are so large they press against the nerves and other teeth creating additional pain. Did the Oral Surgeon put you on antibiotics for the infection of the top tooth? Your worry and panic attacks could be causing these "electric shock" feelings, I have read other posts here that people do experience them. Make sure you don't get dry socket with the extraction and put a warm wash cloth on your jaw, that will help with pain and swelling. I would call the oral surgeon if you are still in pain and speak to your family doctor about getting help with your anxiety.

[rcs]

I had these terrible nerve pains several years with a rotten tooth it was excruciating and I couldn't speak sometimes while it was happening and I endured it for a couple of months and avoided the dentist thinking it would go away. I had the tooth removed in the end which cured the pain.
It look like you have gone through the same ordeal and it has understandably made your anxiety worse but you have gone to dental surgeon and dealt with it twice so good on you and it sounds like the worst is over in my opinion :)

[Christi44]

Thanks for your replies. The dentist did give me antibiotics for the tooth.

I popped into my GP and he suggested it may be Trigeminal Neuralgia which has made me even more panicky! He gave me some drugs to take but they made me feel so spaced out and detached I stopped them pretty quickly!

Currently I am just trying to keep positive and keep going. My birthday tomorrow :yahoo: so that should be a day of keeping busy and lifting my mood! Might have to YouTube some breathing exercises to try and chill myself out. I need to program my mind to think about something different but it's so damn hard!

[felix55]

Breathing or meditation could possible help. Always good just to be observer of the pain.

[snowghost57]

Hope you had a great birthday! Not sure what your GP was talking about and I can relate to drugs making you feel spaced out.

[Christi44]

Thank you, yes I did have a fab birthday but it did take a lot of getting through with deep breathing and trying to control my panicking! X

[snowghost57]

Deep breathing is good! Glad to hear you are feeling better!