Root Canal

[dave]

I had one about a year and a half ago on molar #29,  along with a crown.  I somehow developed an absess at the root of the tooth.  Would perhaps rather have a needle in the eye than this pain.  Day one,  Tylenol 3 wouldn't touch it,  then on to Percoset that helped for short periods. (they worked better and longer at night when they were "aided" with Fireball cinnamon whiskey)

 

By day four I was taking Hydrocodone and oxycodone depending on the pain level.  Haven't had a good nights sleep in days.

 

This morning at 8 AM,  I had an apicoectomy with an Endodontist.  Complete lower jaw nerve block and about 45 minutes of pushing and tugging that I will go to You Tube to see what it actually looked like.  It sure felt crazy.  Now it's rest,  ice and Vicodin.

 

I don't want anything like this again for sure. Okay Vicodin...start working!

[nick76]

Didn't they put you on an antibiotic?  A good strong antibiotic can nip this in the butt within 24-36 hours.  You should be fine after a couple of days.  May get a little bruising, but all should be good.  Keep an eye on the tooth, I have seen this too many times.

[CoBass]

Not to play mother hen but pain pills and alcohol together is a really bad idea. Lots of dead celebs can attest to that. Now that I'm done nagging you, glad you got it taken care of. 

[dave]

Antibiotics,  yes.   Still on them.   This was too bad to treat with just antibiotics. (believe me,  I asked!)

 

I do understand the danger.   Thanks for the concern (my wife is on your side)  Very small glass sipped over an hour,  very low dose.

[nick76]

I was asking about antibiotics from the initial pain standpoint. All dental infections cause pain through inflammation. I have never had a dental infection I have not been able to get under control within 72 hours and only because I was limited on the type of antibiotics I could use due to allergies. As far as treating the abscess permanently, nope gonna need that Apico to fix that. Glad to hear you are fixed and on the mend.

[Marty]

Sorry about your problems, but it sounds like you're one of the unlucky ones or I'm one of the lucky ones. I've also had an apicoectomy and more root canals than I care to think about, but never had the aftereffects that you describe.

 

Good luck, hope you feel better real soon.

[dave]

I was on PenK from Monday afternoon to the present.  Even by Wednesday into Thursday,  the pain was hardly even touched by Tylenol 3.  Percoset 5's helped but,  were short lived.  The Vicodin although supposedly not as potent as the Percoset,  seems to have done the trick.  Just my chemistry I guess.

[CoBass]

I was on PenK from Monday afternoon to the present.  Even by Wednesday into Thursday,  the pain was hardly even touched by Tylenol 3.  Percoset 5's helped but,  were short lived.  The Vicodin although supposedly not as potent as the Percoset,  seems to have done the trick.  Just my chemistry I guess.

Individual chemistry can be a weird thing. I have taken percocet and vicodin for dental issues before and they did relieve the pain but I didn't experience the narcotic effects that others experience. When I broke a bone in my hand my doctor prescribed tramadol, which is supposed to be a non-narcotic pain reliever and it knocked me on my butt. 

[nick76]

Yeah, that was probably your problem. Pen VK is the basic first round of antibiotics and with a tooth having secondary trouble you need to start with something a little stronger.

As for pain meds, I have ever prescribed anything stronger than Vicodin, but in a heavy inflammation reaction I often prescribe Vicoprofen. Would have worked well for you I am betting. It has the same narcotic, but is based used Ibuprofen rather than Tylenol. Is usually more expensive, but does well.

For most dental pain Vicodin or Tylenol 3 are the go to drugs. Sounds like they were in the ball.park, but not using the right pitcher. Happens often. Each patient is also different. Sorry you had to experience such terrible pain. Hope it all works well for you, keep an eye on that tooth.

[dave]

So far so good.   Pain is relatively non existant right now.  Slightly puffy.  Dying to eat food I can actually chew. LOL

[Raider Nation Fisher]

Forget those whimpy pain relievers. Pull out the big guns and be done with it. Demerall and Morphine can and will make everything better. Wouldn't combine the two of them though. As for personal experience, Morphine makes everything better. Makes you forget all of your problems, such as not being able to eat solid food and pain.

[Fishing Rhino]

Forget those whimpy pain relievers. Pull out the big guns and be done with it. Demerall and Morphine can and will make everything better. Wouldn't combine the two of them though. As for personal experience, Morphine makes everything better. Makes you forget all of your problems, such as not being able to eat solid food and pain.

 

That's the official word from our resident pharmaceutical guru.

[Raider Nation Fisher]

That's the official word from our resident pharmaceutical guru.

Easy now. Everyone likes a little arse. No one likes a smart arse.

[Bankbeater]

I know what you are talking about.  I have had four root canals.  Nothing touches the pain until the infection is killed.

[Fishing Rhino]

Here's a way to instantly relieve the pain of an abcessed tooth.  Ice water.  No, I'm not kidding.  The pain is caused by the pressure of the abcess at the root.  Sometimes a blister will form on the gum and break, relieving the pressure, and thus the pain.  Ice water, applied to the tooth causes the infection fluid to contract, relieving the pressure. 

 

The relief is short lived however.  When the ice water warms, the infection expands and the pain returns.  You'll need to take another swig of ice water.  The trick is to spit out the water.  You can only drink so much. 

 

My experience has been that once the dentist opens up the tooth, allowing the abcess to drain, the pain stops.  It has for me.  I've had probably ten root canals, and I recently had one retreated, so I speak from experience.

 

You might think the cold water would make the pain worse, but that is not the case with an abcess.  The nerve in the tooth is already dead, so technically, it's not a tooth ache.  It's pressure in the gum on surrounding nerves.

[CountBassula]

Didn't they put you on an antibiotic?  A good strong antibiotic can nip this in the butt within 24-36 hours.  You should be fine after a couple of days.  May get a little bruising, but all should be good.  Keep an eye on the tooth, I have seen this too many times.

 

yep definately should have been put on antibiotics before the surgery (I had the same thing happen, an infection feeding off of a root canaled tooth that was eating through my jaw bone). vicodine helped tame it just enough for me to stop being suicidal. BTW, DO NOT GET USED TO THOSE PAIN MEDS, IF YOU DO, YOU WILL PAY THE PIPER, TRUST ME...