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#191433 - 10/09/09 05:29 PM Wicked Toothache
Dotsie Offline
Founder

Registered: 07/09/08
Posts: 23647
Loc: Maryland
First, let me share how much I hate the dentist. I'd rather go to any doctor in the world than go to a dentist.

My childhood dentist worked on my mouth without novacaine. I remember gripping those arm rests and boosting my butt out of the chair everytime he hit a nerve. It was awful.

Then to top it off, as an adult, I once had a dentist who couldn't get my mouth numb. I was in and out of his chair for about an hour and a half, never having the work done. He kept giving me more shots, even had another dentist come try. My legs were shaking, heart pounded and fluttered and I was a wreck. I eventually went home, and when I explained to Ross what went on, he put me on the couch and had me prop my feet up to relax. He said I was having a reaction to the epinephrine and cold have had a heart attck.

So that's why I don't like the dentist.

I'll make a long story short.

Off and on this week, I've had horrendous pain in my mouth that radiates up to my nose.

Whenever I lay down to sleep, I'll doze and then the pain wakes me up, and it's wicked. I'd get up, pace all over the house and it would go away. Weird. Up and down all night. Last night I slept in the basement because I didn't want to keep anyone else up.

I couldn't put my finger on the exact tooth, but knew something was going on.

I went to the dentist yesterday and he took x-rays, but couldn't find anything. He thought I might need a root canal.

He sent me off to an endodontist whom I'd never met and I was a wreck. I listened to my Christian music in the car and it did no good. My heart was pounding, I was hot flashing, my stomach was a mess. I couldn't get a hold of myself.

I then jumped in the dentist chair, share what a wreck I am, and why, and he promised not to hurt me. He had to finish with another patient and he'd be back.

I took my little prayer book out of my purse and found something that gave me peace.FInally, my heart slowed down a bit, and I was able to relax.

He did all the tests, like hot/cold sensitivity, tapping, etc., and couldn't find anything. He did another x-ray and still couldn't find anything.

Here's the scoop. He asked me if I was stressed. I shared that Dad was in the hospital and that my FIL had a rough week at the Alzheimer's home, etc.

He believes this is because I'm clenching my teeth. He gave me an antibiotic just in case there was a sinus infection or a gum infection they were missing and sent me home with these instructions:

Every hour, stop, take two deep breaths, swallow and make sure your teeth aren't together.

Before bedtime, repeat, "I will not clench my teeth," ten times.

And you know what? I think he's onto something.

Last night was better after 3:30, and today's been a bit better too.

I'll keep you posted.

Just wanted to share in case this happens to anyone else.

Deep breath, deep breath, swallow and relax mouth. You better beleive I"m doing this. And everytime I went back to sleep last night, I said, "I will not clench my teeth," ten times.
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www.nabbw.com
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#191440 - 10/09/09 05:56 PM Re: Wicked Toothache [Re: ]
Dotsie Offline
Founder

Registered: 07/09/08
Posts: 23647
Loc: Maryland
Anne, thanks. Tooth pain is horrendous. You are so right.

Hubby is an optometrist, but often mistaken for a dentist.

Oh, I like the positive spin. I'll share that with im when I go back next week.

Sounds like we've has similar experience with the novacaine. Crazy, isn't it?


My dentists in my adult years offer nitrous oxide and I swear by it. It toally relaxes me. They also give me head sets to listen to music which drowns out the drill noise, which rattles me. Gentle denistry is the way to go.

Thanks for your thoughts. I appreciate them.

Deep breath, deep breath, swallow, and relax teeth! I think it's working.

And it makes sense. I'd get the pain as soon as i'd fall asleep, get up, walk around (probably relaxing my mouth) and it would go away. Repeat 100 times and that's the kind of nights I've been having. Waaah, waaah, waaah!
_________________________
Founder Emeritus of Boomer Women Speak and the National Association of Baby Boomer Women.
www.nabbw.com
www.boomerwomenspeak.com


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#191520 - 10/11/09 05:57 PM Re: Wicked Toothache [Re: ]
Dotsie Offline
Founder

Registered: 07/09/08
Posts: 23647
Loc: Maryland
I'm still hanging in here with sporadic painful episodes. I definitely have to do soemthing different about this tomorrow because not too much has changed.

Anyone ever slept with a mouth guard?
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Founder Emeritus of Boomer Women Speak and the National Association of Baby Boomer Women.
www.nabbw.com
www.boomerwomenspeak.com


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#191521 - 10/11/09 06:59 PM Re: Wicked Toothache [Re: Dotsie]
yonuh Offline
Member

Registered: 06/14/06
Posts: 2447
Loc: Arizona
Dotsie, I can so relate. I've been having that kind of toothache for about a month. Dentist did x-rays, couldn't find anything that was causing the pain, put me on antibiotics just in case. He sent me to the periodontist, who said there was a pocket of calcified tarter just below the gumline behind the lower back molar that may be causing the pain. So Tuesday I go in for a root-planing - I'm NOT looking forward to it at all.

Also, I can't take the Novocaine with the epinephrine in it. And I can't tolerate nitrous, either. There are local anesthetics without the epinephrine, and I always ask the dentist to use those. My biggest problem is the sound of the drill - it slices through my whole body like a knife and vibrates all my bones. Music doesn't block it out, so I try the breathing/relaxation, which mostly works. So a trip to the dentist is quite the ordeal for me. I didn't go for so many years, and now I'm paying for it!

I haven't used a mouth guard - yet. But I will have to wear some kind of stabilizer at night because my lower front teeth are crooked and have shifted. Some days, when the pain is really bad, I'm tempted to call the dentist and tell him to pull 'em all! But then the pain goes away for a while.
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#191523 - 10/11/09 07:13 PM Re: Wicked Toothache [Re: yonuh]
Lola Offline
Member

Registered: 06/23/06
Posts: 3703
Loc: London UK
Dotsie, could the pain be from your jaw? I used to clench my teeth a lot when I was in my late teens and used mouth guard at night. However, the relief it offered me was only for the duration I was asleep and not in the daytime when I needed it most. I used to clench my teeth a lot when I was studying and actually caused damage to my jaw...i.e. "clicking". Might help to have that checked out, especially if your dental check-up eliminated dental problems. Do you grind your teeth at night?
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#191525 - 10/11/09 07:22 PM Re: Wicked Toothache [Re: Lola]
Edelweiss3 Offline


Registered: 11/19/08
Posts: 1758
Loc: American living in Germany
Dotsie, so sorry to hear about your toothache. I think I mentioned this before; toothaches or earaches are the worst pains ever. I rather give birth to twins then go through that again. I remember sitting up through the night and drugging myself with whisky and aspirin. The only thing that helped was when the dentist pulled the tooth. They discovered a mean old abscess at the root.

Lola, very interesting that you should mention teeth grinding. I do that! How did you ever stop?
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As soon as you trust yourself, you will know how to live.
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#191529 - 10/11/09 07:35 PM Re: Wicked Toothache [Re: Edelweiss3]
Lola Offline
Member

Registered: 06/23/06
Posts: 3703
Loc: London UK
Wearing a mouth guard helps with teeth grinding, EW. In so far as one does not grind (wear down) the teeth. However, the jaw motion is still there. I found that sleeping on my side with a hand tucked under the side of the face minimises grinding but, not clenching.

You're right about toothache. Heck! Give me child birth anyday.
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#191589 - 10/12/09 05:46 PM Re: Wicked Toothache [Re: Lola]
Dotsie Offline
Founder

Registered: 07/09/08
Posts: 23647
Loc: Maryland
yonuh, do you have earphones? Listen to music so you can't hear the drill. It works.

For an update:

Ross has diagnosed me. He believes I have Trigeminal Neuralgia. He's witnessed the tremendous, sporadic pain I'm in that comes and goes without any rhyme or reason. After showing me the diagram of where the pain is on the face, and all the internet has to say about it, I'm convinced he's right.

So I called my endodotist to run it by him, and he hasn't called me back. I called the doctor who removed a tumor on the same side of the face where the pain is, and he gave me a neuroligist's number. Called him. He can't see me until November 9th. HELLO! I'm in crazy pain here. Called my general practitioner and they are still out to lunch. I'm hoping to speak with him soon, get an appointment, and get on the right medication to get some releif. It's all began last Monday night. I'm happy to report that I slept through the night last night, but have had episodes today that ahve sent me moaning and groaning!

The endodontist said I was clenching. He sent me howm with these instructions, and I think they help. While grinding doesn't hlep what I have, it's not the only thing going on for me.

Here's what you do:

Every hour - take two deep breaths, swallow, and set your jaw making sure your teeth aren't touching.

Teeth should only touch when you chew!

Then, before falling asleep, say 10 times - I will not clench my teeth.

It's helping with the teeth clenching, but I'm still getting pain for the other reasons.
_________________________
Founder Emeritus of Boomer Women Speak and the National Association of Baby Boomer Women.
www.nabbw.com
www.boomerwomenspeak.com


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#191591 - 10/12/09 05:47 PM Re: Wicked Toothache [Re: Dotsie]
Dotsie Offline
Founder

Registered: 07/09/08
Posts: 23647
Loc: Maryland
Calling doctor now. They must be back from lunch because the line is busy. Go figure. It would probably be faster for me to drive to his office to make the appt. Honestly.
_________________________
Founder Emeritus of Boomer Women Speak and the National Association of Baby Boomer Women.
www.nabbw.com
www.boomerwomenspeak.com


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#191597 - 10/12/09 06:11 PM Re: Wicked Toothache [Re: ]
Edelweiss3 Offline


Registered: 11/19/08
Posts: 1758
Loc: American living in Germany
Oh you poor thing Dotsie. I find it amazing that you can type at your computer. I pray it's not Trigeminal Neuralgia.
_________________________
As soon as you trust yourself, you will know how to live.
Goethe

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