Adding insult to injury, another ouch to bear

[ladyauthor2b]

Well on Monday I wrote on my journal about my dentist experience, where they poked and prodded on two back molars. I ended up feeling lousy that night afterwards. Ever since then, I had these fathom pangs in my back tooth, every time I ate or opened up my jaw. All week long, my gums feel irritated by the temporary crowns. They feel rough on the bottom edges that sit atop my gums. I prayed and prayed that the twinges I felt were not the roots of the teeth, because I certainly didn't want to go back to get a root canal done after that horrible two hour experience on Monday.

To add insult to injury, yesterday I began to feel an ache slide up towards my ear. My imagination I wondered? No. Today, as the day wore on, the discomfort became more and more. Very noticeable. Was I developing an infection in the gland area? Was it an ear ache? Not sure, I dialed up the dentist office, sort of hoping they could offer me a prescription for an antibiotic. With the long weekend looming, I didn't want to be sick over it. The lady listened to my description of my new ache and what had taken place at the dentist office. Then she told me she didn't think it was because of my dental procedure. Perhaps it was something new. Perhaps it was allergies and that I had to see my primary doctor if it persisted.

I hung up the phone sort of steamed by her blase attitude. Well, gee lady. I had my head all the way down, with stuff stuck into my jaw, and you tell me that it's not possible that I could have caught something to inflame my gland back there? It's all connected ya know!

So I went to the walk in clinic, a new service made by my hospital several months ago. Thank goodness for one small blessing. They saw me right away. However, the PA peered into my ears, my throat and inspected my gums. No sign of infection. I guess that's good, but say lady... 'my gland behind my ear does hurt!"  So she gave me a script for some ear drops (a numbing type analgesic) and told me to take some sudafed or afrin to clear up that gland. If not better in a two or three days, then to call her back. Well, at least I got the drops! They did help and I've already taken two doses of the Sudafed. I sure don't want to feel like this all weekend.

What luck!  I've always been one to have a simple cold to turn into a respiratory infection; a sore throat turn into sinusitis; So I hope and pray this does not flair up any worse. I haven't had ear discomfort since I was a kid, I think.  Guess all I can do is hang in there, take my medications, and get plenty of rest. Just hope for the best. Right? Ouch! Ouch! Ouch! (Sigh)

[Lb128f]

May. 22, 2009 at 4:02 AM

I just had a couple of caps placed myself (back teeth)! Ugh. :( And, it was about a week before the pain subsided...however, I did use Gel Kam (it is Stannous Fluoride)...you can get it at the Pharmacy (you have to ask for it) --- it's about $15 and it really helps! It calms the tooth down and gives the nerves/pain some time to chill! It can also be used when you have a small cavity (until you can get it fixed). I hope the pain stops...and, if not, call the Dentist back and tell them you need some pain meds to get you through the weekend! If you aren't taking Motrin every few hours - do because Motrin, AdviI (Ibuprofen) is an anti-inflammatory. I really think once your teeth have a chance to "calm down" you'll be okay...I hope so anyway! Try not to bite down on anything or expose it to sugar, cold or heat. Good Luck!

BTW:

4) Facial Pain

Tooth Pain: Tooth pain from a bad nerve can be very specific. You can put your finger on the tooth and say "This is the tooth that hurts!"

We also may have what we call "Referred Pain". A bad tooth can send radiating pain to other distant sites. This would include another tooth, skin of your face, your eye, ear and your sinuses. Lower teeth tend to send pain to the ear.Upper teeth tend to send pain to those "Headache" areas. Point: Referred pain never crosses the midline of your face! A toothache on the bottom jaw can make your ear or upper teeth hurt, but only on that side. Pain will not refer from right to left or left to right, only up or down