Vent - toothache

[Romana]

I just need to talk about this, because I'm upset and in pain and I don't know what to do. I don't really have anywhere else to complain, so please bear with me!

I've had two root canals this pregnancy, both needed. And a filling. Well, the filling was very well done, but so well done that it has cracked the filling beneath it loose. I was already suspect of the lower tooth, but only about a week after getting the new filling, it had jarred the lower tooth's filling loose.

This morning, I woke up with a bad toothache. I am 98% certain the tooth needs a root canal. We do not have the money for another root canal. It is NOT a tooth we can just pull - it's too close to the front (first molar, I don't have any premolars).

If the pain gets really bad, I don't know what I'm going to do. One of my root canals, the pain before the procedure was horrific. I was in agony. The other one didn't hurt beforehand. But this one hurts. I know it'll probably only get worse. But without the money and how the heck would I get a root canal done at 39 weeks anyway? I feel like I could go into labor at any second, not to mention how would I sit in the chair reclined for that long . . . but how long can I deal with the toothache? If it gets really bad, I'm going to be in trouble. Right now it's bad, but not unbearable yet (getting there).

[lilkat]

[DBZ]

I'm so sorry you are in pain from your tooth. Call the dentist anyway. Maybe they have some ideas for you.

[New_Natural_Mom]

I hear you mama!!! For this entire pregnancy I have had 3 exposed roots. Hot, cold, sweet - you name it and I HURT! There are so many things I just can't eat. For the longest time I held off using the Sensodyne b/c it says only use for 2 weeks and I wasn't sure if it would affect the baby. Finally, I gave up. I have been using the Sensodyne for about a month and a half. It isn't all better, but it is sooo much more bearable. I don't know much about root canals, but if it is root pain, Sensodyne might be able to get you through. (I think they have other brands of the same things as well - sensitive teeth toothpaste.)

After baby is born I need to have a skin graft to cover all the roots. NOT looking forward to it. I did find something else that is supposed to help. They are called tooth chips. Like little chips of soap to clean your teeth - no flouride - YAY. These are supposed to help people with tooth problems as well. I haven't gotten around to ordering a sample yet, but could be another option.

Hang in there mama!!! Since you "need" so many - did you get a second opinion?? Was this a dentist's error that the additional surgeries are needed to fix?

s

[Saramomofmany]

Oh Mama! I really feel for you. I've dealt with toothaches this pregnancy too and keep praying if I can just get through this until after the baby comes.

Here's a few ideas to try(had this in a saved email, have no idea where the info came from). And I don't know for sure if everything is safe during pregnancy...

Chew cloves or rub clove oil on the tooth.

Peel and crush a clove of fresh garlic and mix it with peanut butter. Apply it to the aching tooth and keep it there for some time.

Add some lime juice to asafetida (hing) powder. Soak a piece of cotton and hold it on the tooth and gum.

Mix 1 tablespoon of common salt with 1/2 cup of boiling water. Take a mouthful of this water and move it around the aching tooth.

Burn some turmeric (haldi) sticks, make a fine powder and use as toothpowder.

Chew a clove slowly with the aching tooth/teeth to release its juice and leave there for half an hour. Repeat 2-3 times.

Chew a ginger piece slowly with the aching tooth/teeth to release its juice and leave there for half an hour. Repeat 2-3 times.

Drink the juice of 2-3 star fruit twice a day to get relief from the tooth pain.

Boil 5 gram of peppermint and a pinch of salt in 1 cup of water. Drink it to relieve toothache and other pains. You can use peppermint mouthwash.

Pour a few drops of Vanilla extract on the paining tooth.

Pour a few drops oil of oregano on the paining tooth or gum.

Gargle with Listerine Antiseptic.

Chew a piece of ice on the side of your mouth that is aching/paining

[Romana]

Thanks for all the ideas! I haven't tried (or heard of!) most of those. I would try almost anything right now!

I did buy some sensodyne or something similar when the first root canal toothache came up. It was a front incisor that had been bumped and the nerve died - ohhh, did it hurt! The sensodyne wasn't able to dull the pain. So I caved and went to the endodontist, and sure enough the nerve was dead. Just one of those things; and I saw a fantastic endodontist who did a really good job. My tooth looks beautiful (important to me since it's an incisor).

The second one was one that had decay under an old filling. I know that it needed to be done. I hadn't been able to chew on that side of my mouth for over a year, but had been working around it rather than treating it because I knew treatment would be expensive. I'm glad I had it done; it also went well.

This is a different tooth now . . . similar scenario, I think - some sort of problem under the old filling, which was then cracked out of place by the fancy new filling above it. I'm replacing any amalgam with gold now.

I don't think anyone did anything wrong with my teeth, and I do think I needed the work I had done. I researched my options carefully before agreeing to treatment. And I hadn't seen a dentist in over 5 years due to financial constraints, so I suspected there would be a few problems (ok, I knew, because I had pain and other issues).

Thanks again for the hugs and suggestions. Hopefully I can stick it out until after this LO's born, and then save up and have it taken care of. I'm hoping it'll hurt less after the baby's born.

[zaner'smama]

Hugs to you! I'm so sorry to hear you have to be dealing with this pain and at 39 weeks! Hoping you find some relief soon.

[KristyDi]

I'm sorry.

I would suggest trying the remedies with clove. After I had my impacted wisdom teeth removed (as an adult) I got dry socket. I think I have a pretty high pain threshold. It hurt so badly I was moaning and nauseous and had to have my mom drive me back to the oral surgeon. He packed the wounds with gauze soaked in clove oil and the pain relief was instant and complete. Seriously, one second horrid pain, the next it was gone. It tasted awful, but was so worth it. I'm not sure the same will apply, but I'd say it's worth a shot for sure.

I hope something makes it bearable for you until you can get the work done.

[Romana]

Ok, I am definitely going to try the clove oil/cloves!

Fortunately, it hurts a lot less today. Since this is sort of the beginning of the dental "emergency," I think I'll be having good days and bad days, thankfully. Hoping I can make it to the other side of baby arrival without too much pain.

Thanks for the tip about the clove oil.