Teeth trouble

[Humly]

Hi everybody. I am hoping you can give me some reassurance/advice and I will try and keep it brief. i visited my dentist for a check up last week and had to have a filling replaced on the bottom very back tooth, which he kindly did straight away. However, since then I have been getting toothache but not from the one he filled but from the 3 or 4 teeth next to it. I was up 4 nights in a row with this and although the pain is not severe it has been enough to wake me up. I have since been back to the dentist and he couldnt really find anything wrong other than saying there was a high spot on the new filling which he got rid of. He did an xray and tapped and prodded. He mentioned referred pain and that things should settle but really I dont think he knows for certain.

Has anybody else had this. I dont know whether to just leave it for a while or go back ( I was only there 2 days ago). I do have sensitive teeth anyway but I am having to eat everything lukewarm as hot and cold make things worse. I am not in agony and can put up with it but the way I am I know I will just dwell on things and end up in a state. I dont want to keep bothering friends and family about this as I feel a bit of a fool.

Sorry this post sounds rather trivial compared to some of the concerns you all have but I would really appreciate some advice.

[Mamfa85]

Hi my story is a little different but i have teeth troubles and just wanted to let you know your worry isnt trivial,i am waiting to go hospital and a very good friend of mine told me to brush with sensative toothpaste,sounds silly i know but it has worked for me and at least im doing something proactive he says lol.Go back to you dentist if your worried.It is probely the fact your dentist has been prodding about in your mouth and it is has upset your teeth im sure it will die down.Sorry im not full of answers just wanted to reply to put (hopefully)your mind at rest

[valleybear]

I had this once after the Dentist crowned one of mine. I think he is on the right track with referred pain and remember that, as Sam says, he has been prodding about, although you didn't feel it with the injection. You could use the Sensodyne toothpaste and let it all settle for a week to see if it cleared up . If not you can always go back then. Good luck. X

[Cell block H fan]

I would buy some of that sensitive tooth paste. Not sure if I really believe in it! But anything is worth a go isn't it. Ive been backwards & forwards to the dentist with tooth ache in the past. I had a filling done a while ago, but I still get pain in it, especially when its cold & I breathe! He checked it & said its fine. So I had to get over it! I concentrated on it a bit more when brushing, kepy my tongue on it when outside walking the dog! And eventually it got better for some reason! Trouble is, its on the gum, on the side of the tooth, so I guess one day the tooth will have to come out.
At the moment I have 'tooth ache' in the back of my mouth where there is no tooth! It was removed years & years ago. But if I put my tongue on it, it hurts on the gum! Got an appointment for a check up for me & the kids at the end of the month as routine anyway, so I shall mention it then if its still there!

[sandradee]

It does sound like referred pain . It can last for a few weeks, and funnily enough I used to have the same with my eyes when I wore contacts, i.e. the right one would be uncomfortable so I would remove the lens and then the left eye would be really painful. Odd but true.

[Humly]

Thank you all so much for replying. It really means a lot to me. I have got some of Sensodyne so I will give it a go and fingers crossed it will do the trick.

Thanks once again.

[Humly]

Well just an update. Well 3 weeks on since I originally went to the dentist and as I knew would happen, I have become obsessed with my teeth. I am constantly thinking about whether they are hurting and if they are getting better. I have told myself that I will give things another week and then ring the dentist. But to be honest I am not in a lot of pain and if I dont think about it I dont notice it.

However, this is the joy of health anxiety. The more you think about the problem, the more it bothers you and then you think about it some more. I dont know about anybody else, but when I have a physical symptom, I want it to be gone by the next day, and if it isnt or if it hasnt improved, then the worrying begins.

I just wanted to "talk" about this to somebody because I tend to hide how I am really feeling from my friends and family as I am embarassed about it.

To all you people out there, whatever your particular concerns, just to let you know that you are not alone.

[valleybear]

No need to be embarrassed here hun, we are generally all in the same boat and that is why this is such a valuable site. You will always find someone who understands and who has been through it all. Actually,LT, you understand yourself ,so you are more than half way there already. The teeth awareness will get less and less I am sure so hang in there and remember your own counsel "If I don't think about it, I don't notice it!" Good luck. X

[Humly]

I know that tension can cause headaches but can it cause your teeth to ache also? I have been getting quite a few headaches of late, which is not unusual for me, but was wondering if some of my toothaches could also be caused by tension. My neck is quite stiff and sore on the same side as my sore teeth.

What do you think.

[lauren6]

Hi LT. Pain in the teeth can also be caused by clenching. You have been nervous about all this and it can indeed radiate to your head and TMJ (tempomandibular joint). And your neck. I have it all. As far as referred pain, the nerves run along a path and stem from a major nerve near our ear. That nerve has 3 branches which is also why when we have an upper toothache, the pain may be coming from a lower tooth. That's why the dentist taps all of them. I once had a novocaine shot and experienced eye twitching for months because the injection irritated one branch of the main nerve and it traveled to the optic branch. So yup, refereed pain is very common, especially when it's the adjacent teeth.

No need to apologize, this is not minor stuff when we're in pain. A toothache is one of the worst pains there are. Also, after a filling it can be sensitive for a few weeks. I have had many crowns and root canals, extractions, you name it, no fun! The best thing for a toothache, short of a prescription is ibuprofen (Advil, Motrin). Every dentist has told me that. I hope you are feeling better by now.

[Humly]

Hi, I'm back again and the saga goes on. Should I really be here moaning about teeth? Anyway, went back to dentist yesterday and he re-filled the tooth but I am no further forward. Even after the "numbing" injection I could still feel an ache and he made me feel worse by saying that I shouldnt feel anything so I think it probably isnt that tooth that is causing the problems. So at the moment my dentist doesnt know whats going on and this has made me worry even more.

I am to give things a week to settle down and if not go back and I just know that I will be going back. I'm afraid that I am on this rollercoaster of anxiety again and can see things dragging on for months with me worrying about all sorts of possibilities. Just wish it would go away.

[Cell block H fan]

I'm at the dentist later. Mine is playing up again (what I posted up there ^) so I need to get it checked out. Might need filling again. But last time he said there was nothing wrong, so its a bit weird x

[Humly]

Thanks. Hope you got on ok. My anxiety has gone into overdrive and I feel awful. Thinking I will end up having this pain ( even though it is not bad) forever and cant think about anything else - pathetic isnt it. I know I need to try and distract myself but I cant. Just want it sorted as I cannot bear the thought of months and months of this. It sounds crazy, but I could do with something else to worry about to take my mind off this.

[Cell block H fan]

Thanks. Hope you got on ok. My anxiety has gone into overdrive and I feel awful. Thinking I will end up having this pain ( even though it is not bad) forever and cant think about anything else - pathetic isnt it. I know I need to try and distract myself but I cant. Just want it sorted as I cannot bear the thought of months and months of this. It sounds crazy, but I could do with something else to worry about to take my mind off this.

Well, the dentist told me last night that I probably just have a sensitive tooth there :wacko: He said the filling is deep (whatever that means) but cant actually see any reason why it should ache. So I am just going to have to wait until it passes. It did before for a while, before coming back again, so I guess thats just the way it will have to be until they decide it needs refilling or taking out maybe :weep:
I would ask for an xray if I was you, unless you have had that alredy? Thats what I will do if it doesn't go away x

[Humly]

I am not very good at waiting, thats why I get myself into a state. I had an xray 4 weeks ago and it didnt show up anything. Maybe I need another one.

I just hate it when they cant tell you exactly whats wrong with you. I have had episodes in the past where I've had physical symptoms going on for months and following numerous tests and visits to doctors and consultants, they didnt come to any conclusion. I just seem to need to know what it is so that I can deal with it.

Anyway, thank you so much for taking the time to reply.

[Cell block H fan]

I am not very good at waiting, thats why I get myself into a state. I had an xray 4 weeks ago and it didnt show up anything. Maybe I need another one.

I just hate it when they cant tell you exactly whats wrong with you. I have had episodes in the past where I've had physical symptoms going on for months and following numerous tests and visits to doctors and consultants, they didnt come to any conclusion. I just seem to need to know what it is so that I can deal with it.

Anyway, thank you so much for taking the time to reply.

Yes, I know what you mean there. I think its fairly common for everyone to have episodes of things that never actually end up with an explanation. Ive had backaches that went on for weeks, stomach pains, ovary type pain, swollen sensation under the armpit, looooads of things, the latest this darn tooth ache, & all those & more that I cant remember at the moment, were never explained & went away on their own eventually.
I guess at times its normal to suffer symptoms & never find out what caused them. Us HA sufferers just need answers though ey :blush:

[Humly]

Well today as well as the toothache, I ve got a earache as well. This morning I took 600mg of ibuprofen and it had no effect at all. Very strange as the pain is not really very bad. If I could only get rid of the pain for a while, then I wouldnt think about it and would feel better. Any ideas?

I'm also wondering if perhaps I have got some sort of infection which could explain things. I am clutching at straws here as I need to know whats happening. Its going to be a long weekend.

[Cell block H fan]

Well today as well as the toothache, I ve got a earache as well. This morning I took 600mg of ibuprofen and it had no effect at all. Very strange as the pain is not really very bad. If I could only get rid of the pain for a while, then I wouldnt think about it and would feel better. Any ideas?

I'm also wondering if perhaps I have got some sort of infection which could explain things. I am clutching at straws here as I need to know whats happening. Its going to be a long weekend.

Might be worth seeing the doctor & they will know if you have an infection?
Only thing I can think of, is taking Nurofen, which is what you have tried. Soz x

[Humly]

Thanks. I think that anything to do with teeth and the doctors dont get involved, just refer you to a dentist. I am going to have to wait until Tuesday and go back to my dentist, unless I make a miraculous recovery by then - fat chance! Anyway, surely my dentist would have picked up on an infection and its been going on too long without getting much worse. I have got some old antibiotics from a few years ago but I am too scared to take them in case there is nothing wrong.

Well, it could be worse. I'll just have to pull myself together and get on with things, which is easier said than done.

Thanks for listening.

[Humly]

Hello friends.

This is turning into a really long thread and if you have taken the time to read it I thank you.

I really dont know what to do for the best. Should I just leave things and see what happens. Things are not getting any worse nor or they getting better either. I am worried about going back to the dentist in case I am wasting his time and there is nothing really wrong. Should I just take the antibiotics just in case, after all they do sometimes prescribe them "just in case", or will this make things worse. They are actually a few months out of date!

If only I could just forget about it and get on with things. I'm sure most people would not be going onl ike this. I am not in a lot of pain, just a nagging dull ache. What should I do?

[Cell block H fan]

Hello friends.

This is turning into a really long thread and if you have taken the time to read it I thank you.

I really dont know what to do for the best. Should I just leave things and see what happens. Things are not getting any worse nor or they getting better either. I am worried about going back to the dentist in case I am wasting his time and there is nothing really wrong. Should I just take the antibiotics just in case, after all they do sometimes prescribe them "just in case", or will this make things worse. They are actually a few months out of date!

If only I could just forget about it and get on with things. I'm sure most people would not be going onl ike this. I am not in a lot of pain, just a nagging dull ache. What should I do?

Well, if it was me, I would be worried sick about the out of date antibiotics if I took them, so I wouldn't lol But ive noticed a few people say they're not dangerous if out of date, but just the wondering would have me on edge, knowing what I'm like.
I dont think going back to the dentist would be wasting his/her time. Thats what they're there for! And if you dont feel your teeth are right, then you should go see them, without feeling guilty x