# Abcessed tooth-suggestions for pain? **URL:** \ **Category:** In My Humble Opinion\ **Created:** [June 10, 2006, 1:35am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/abcessed-tooth-suggestions-for-pain/360147 "2006-06-10T01:35:37Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 14\ **Page:** 2
**Author:** ![Zabali\_Clawbane](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/z/ecd19e/32.png) [@Zabali\_Clawbane](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Zabali_Clawbane)\ **Post date:** [June 10, 2006, 2:34pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/abcessed-tooth-suggestions-for-pain/360147/21 "2006-06-10T14:34:38Z")
Seconding calling the dentist or even your regular practicioner to see if they will call in enough pain meds to help you sleep until you can get in to get it taken care of. Lay off the ibuprofen, of course since it could interact with the script. Good luck. ---
**Author:** ![Zabali\_Clawbane](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/z/ecd19e/32.png) [@Zabali\_Clawbane](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Zabali_Clawbane)\ **Post date:** [June 10, 2006, 2:35pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/abcessed-tooth-suggestions-for-pain/360147/22 "2006-06-10T14:35:56Z")
Hmm, a clinic might even prescribe antibiotics for you as well. Should have added that. It is an infection point out, and they can treat those. ---
**Author:** ![Guinastasia](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/guinastasia/32/5751_2.png) [@Guinastasia](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Guinastasia)\ **Post date:** [June 10, 2006, 2:36pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/abcessed-tooth-suggestions-for-pain/360147/23 "2006-06-10T14:36:47Z")
Well, my dentist called, and after hearing the symptoms, called in pain meds and antibiotics to the pharmacy. My mother’s gonna pick it up for me-I ain’t goin’ out looking like a lopsided chipmunk! Ah, sweet tylenol with codeine! ---
**Author:** ![Marlitharn](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/779978/32.png) [@Marlitharn](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Marlitharn)\ **Post date:** [June 10, 2006, 4:01pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/abcessed-tooth-suggestions-for-pain/360147/24 "2006-06-10T16:01:00Z")
I was gonna suggest hot salt water - as hot as you can stand without burning yourself - swished around and then spit out, but codeine’s good, too. ---
**Author:** ![Guinastasia](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/guinastasia/32/5751_2.png) [@Guinastasia](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Guinastasia)\ **Post date:** [June 10, 2006, 4:32pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/abcessed-tooth-suggestions-for-pain/360147/25 "2006-06-10T16:32:14Z")
I’ve been doing the salt water thing, to make sure I don’t get any food particles stuck in there. The codeine’s starting to kick in. I think I’ll go lay down. She forgot to tell Dr. J that I had a bad reaction last time I took amoxicillin (hives), but as we figured, that was six or seven years ago, I had been on the stuff for weeks because of an abcess AND because my wisdom teeth had to come out, and we’ll watch and see. So far so good. Except that every time I get an itch, I’m paranoid. I’ll call for an appointment on Monday. ---
**Author:** ![Capa84](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/c/8edcca/32.png) [@Capa84](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Capa84)\ **Post date:** [June 10, 2006, 4:36pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/abcessed-tooth-suggestions-for-pain/360147/26 "2006-06-10T16:36:09Z")
I’ve had one before, which I’d also describe as blinding…the absolute best thing was getting the antibiotics started…once they start killing the infection, the pressure inside the tooth will go down, relieving the pain. IIRC, the first dose made such a difference that I was able to sleep a couple of hours later. ---
**Author:** ![Antigen](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/848f3c/32.png) [@Antigen](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Antigen)\ **Post date:** [June 10, 2006, 8:56pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/abcessed-tooth-suggestions-for-pain/360147/27 "2006-06-10T20:56:21Z")
[QUOTE=Guinastasia] She forgot to tell Dr. J that I had a bad reaction last time I took amoxicillin (hives), but as we figured, that was six or seven years ago, I had been on the stuff for weeks because of an abcess AND because my wisdom teeth had to come out, and we’ll watch and see. So far so good. Except that every time I get an itch, I’m paranoid. [/QUOTE] Even if it was a long time ago, hives as a reaction to a medication is **not** a good thing. Not that it’s necessarily going to turn into anything worse, but _please_ if you start getting weird symptoms like a rash or hives, or you have trouble breathing, stop the pills and get to an emergency clinic. ---
**Author:** ![Guinastasia](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/guinastasia/32/5751_2.png) [@Guinastasia](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Guinastasia)\ **Post date:** [June 11, 2006, 12:18am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/abcessed-tooth-suggestions-for-pain/360147/28 "2006-06-11T00:18:42Z")
Oh, will do. But since the dentist wasn’t in (his answering service paged him), I had no choice. And so far so good. I took another dose of the codeine, and I’ll wait and take it again at midnight, when my next antibiotic is due. It says you can take a pill every four hours, but since this stuff is pretty damned STRONG, I’d rather just wait and space it out a little longer. By the way, why are antibiotics always these huge horse pills? Yuck. ---
**Author:** ![WhyNot](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/w/c77e96/32.png) [@WhyNot](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/WhyNot)\ **Post date:** [June 11, 2006, 1:36am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/abcessed-tooth-suggestions-for-pain/360147/29 "2006-06-11T01:36:22Z")
[QUOTE=Guinastasia] Oh, will do. But since the dentist wasn’t in (his answering service paged him), I had no choice. And so far so good. I took another dose of the codeine, and I’ll wait and take it again at midnight, when my next antibiotic is due. It says you can take a pill every four hours, but since this stuff is pretty damned STRONG, I’d rather just wait and space it out a little longer. By the way, why are antibiotics always these huge horse pills? Yuck. [/QUOTE] **Guin** , do NOT let that pain come back. It’s much easier to prevent pain than to chase away pain. Take the pain pills as recommended! Spacing them out may mean you’ll need more in the long run. ---
**Author:** ![Guinastasia](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/guinastasia/32/5751_2.png) [@Guinastasia](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Guinastasia)\ **Post date:** [June 11, 2006, 3:50am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/abcessed-tooth-suggestions-for-pain/360147/30 "2006-06-11T03:50:56Z")
Well, I’m taking them every six hours as opposed to every four-that way, I can just take 'em when I take my antibiotics-it’s easier that way. They last longer that way, too. I just have ten minutes to go. ---
**Author:** ![picunurse](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/p/7bcc69/32.png) [@picunurse](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/picunurse)\ **Post date:** [June 11, 2006, 4:41am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/abcessed-tooth-suggestions-for-pain/360147/31 "2006-06-11T04:41:21Z")
[QUOTE=Guinastasia] Oh, will do. But since the dentist wasn’t in (his answering service paged him), I had no choice. And so far so good. I took another dose of the codeine, and I’ll wait and take it again at midnight, when my next antibiotic is due. It says you can take a pill every four hours, but since this stuff is pretty damned STRONG, I’d rather just wait and space it out a little longer. By the way, why are antibiotics always these huge horse pills? Yuck. [/QUOTE] Since you now, officially, have a penicillin allergy, (yes, you do) you might want to take an antihistamine, like diphenhydramine (Benadryl) or chlorpheniramine (Chlor-Trimeton) they are both OTC, will make you sleepy and will potentiate the codiene. It will also keep you from reacting to the Amoxicillin. Take it as directed, but don’t wait until you have hives, or trouble breathing. Tell your dentist and your doctor and any other healthcare provider that might give you antibiotics, about your hives with the Amoxicillin. There are lots of other antibotics you can take, without risking your life. Call the dentist first thing in the morning. The less time you’re exposed to the penicillin, the better. Drug allergies are unpredictable. You may have hives once, and you might have only hives with a second exposure, but you could also have anaphylactic shock. Please don’t die over a toothache. ---
**Author:** ![Guinastasia](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/guinastasia/32/5751_2.png) [@Guinastasia](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Guinastasia)\ **Post date:** [June 12, 2006, 10:26pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/abcessed-tooth-suggestions-for-pain/360147/32 "2006-06-12T22:26:57Z")
Well, it’s getting better-I no longer want to cut my own head off, and so far, no reactions from the penicillin. Unless the big ol’ monster zit on my chin counts, and I doubt that. Although I HAVE noticed I need to pee more often, and my skin is much drier than usual. The swelling has gone down-it’s still there, but you can’t tell just by looking at me that it’s swollen. I have a dentist’s appointment Wednesday evening. So I’ll get this all cleared up. (Can someone tell me why penicillin, specifically, amoxicillin, tastes so damned bitter? The pills smell like perming solution and taste how I would imagine it does too.) ---
**Author:** ![kelly5078](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/k/6f9a4e/32.png) [@kelly5078](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/kelly5078)\ **Post date:** [June 12, 2006, 11:17pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/abcessed-tooth-suggestions-for-pain/360147/33 "2006-06-12T23:17:50Z")
> [@Nic2004](#): > > Many have laughed at this but I’ve take a shot of whiskey and held it in my cheek on the area in question. It hurts at first and then goes numb. It has lasted for hours once done a couple of times. > When done, I spit the whiskey out. A dentist I had a long time ago told me about this. Apparently (and I’m trying to remember back 30 years) there are pores in the teeth that, when open, cause pain. Alcohol, when directly applied, closes them up. Sweets, on the other hand, open them. ---
**Author:** ![tashabot](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/tashabot/32/6250_2.png) [@tashabot](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/tashabot)\ **Post date:** [June 13, 2006, 5:41am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/abcessed-tooth-suggestions-for-pain/360147/34 "2006-06-13T05:41:53Z")
For future reference for everyone, since the problem seems to have been taken care of - I’m in terrible tooth pain constantly (no money for expensive dental procedures). I’ve found that drinking hot teas, combined with two advil and two tylenol (only for the most extreme of pain) tends to work. For somewhat instant relief, laying down with the affected side against a heating pad works wonders. The acetametophin in Tylenol accelerates and boosts the medical properties of the ibuprofen, so you don’t have to worry about O-Ding. Overdosing on ibuprofen is NOT FUN. I just did it a few weeks ago by accident, and I spent a good two days puking everything I ate up. It’s the same reason they put acetametophin with hydrocodone in Vicodin. If you’re allergic to ibuprofen or acetametophin, though, I wouldn’t suggest it. 😃 Also, if you’re of drinking age, wine DOES work, if you get a good red wine and swish it around in your mouth, but this generally only works if you have an open sore. Alcohol is first and foremost an antisceptic, but it does have analgesic qualities (as I found out after a moment of pure agony after accidentally dumping a bottle of Tuaca on an open wound…all that expensive liquor, down the…wound…). I just generally drink the wine and hope the pain dulls. ~Tasha [Previous page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/abcessed-tooth-suggestions-for-pain/360147.md?page=1)