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I didn't find clove oil very effective. Just makes your mouth feel weird. Plus my dentist pulled a face when I mentioned it.
I've found Corsodyl pretty effective.
Another vote for ice. Last month had really bad tooth ache. It needed a root canal. The only thing that took the pain away was having an ice cube on it. I tried all sort of painkillers that had no effect. But ice took the pain away until it melted.
Beware what you read on the internet........
Relieving pain depends on what is causing the pain, not all toothaches are the same.
If the nerve of the tooth is alive and inflamed then clove oil may work, typically tooth will be sore to temperature.
If the nerve has died then likely to be an abscess, clove oil unlikely to help, typically tooth sore to pressure.
Paracetamol and ibuprofen can help.
Corsodyl only likely to help if a gum infection.
Ice might relieve an inflamed tooth which is sore to hot.
Wouldn't advise dissolving paracetamol on it.
Quote about dentist unable to do something if abscesses is wrong, tooth is dead so might be able to drain without anaesthetic, most will freeze up and can be extracted.
Basically you need a dentist to diagnose the pain and treat it. Sounds like it needs extracted or root treated to me.
If you can get to that emergency dentist they could do the first stage of root canal which should relieve the pain.
I reckon if you've got an abcess then only a root canals going to sort it then some antibios if anything flares up.
A few yrs back I had an emergency Root canal due to an abcess. The procedure did hurt a bit as you're so inflamed the injections don't work that well. I remember the dentist saying to me after a few shots and the drill still hurting that the only option left was to inject the anaesthetic right into the nerve which was exposed. She said something like "this is probably the most painful thing you'll ever experience but it will only last a second until it kicks in", honestly it was as described but for a split second. I remember the nurse saying to me that I needed to relax as my shirt was wet through and only my heels and my shoulders were touching the seat. She just kept rubbing my chest trying to calm me down!
Thing is, the relief when they get the nerve out is amazing it's like you can feel the pressure turn off. I had had that nagging tooth/jaw/ear/ head pain over the new yrs period which was a badly filled tooth with an abcess and it took a few days to sort and get to the emergency place due to bank hols etc. By the time I got there I'd have had the work done without any anaesthetic.... that sort of tooth pain for a few days is a killer. You can't sleep and you can't focus on anything else. I was literally sitting at the end of the bed up at night rocking wondering what I was going to do.
My missus thought I was going mad. My wife tells me nothing can be as bad (painful) as childbirth. My sister had 2 kids, few yrs later had an abcess and root canal and said to me that childbirth was nothing compared to the tooth pain.
Update time.
Went back to my dentist yesterday who shaved a couple of millimeters off the top of the tooth to try and stop it rubbing on the teeth above, and so stop a bit of the pain. Gave me some antibiotics and now I have to wait till next Monday when I'm hoping they'll do the root canal work? God knows how I'm going to survive till then? The dentist advised me to have the work done privately which is £600 just for the root canal work, but then told me she could do it if I chose for £60. Interested to know how much everyone else has paid? Also, how much do crowns cost to be fitted?
I had mine done as follows:
Tooth drilled, root removed by emergency dentist. V temp patch up filling as crown.
Trips to nhs dentist afterwards for further drilling/ removal of the nerve to get it all out. (Unfortunately it went round a corner so some still left in - does flare up in a minor way if I'm really really run down once or twice a yr, it's like a barometer for health!) would need further hospital treatment to get it all out, my choice to leave it.
Nhs dentist made up a solid longer term temp crown thing which has been good for a few yrs. most of the tooth was good so seems to do the trick. The issue will be if it crumbles or splits apart one day it'll need filling off and a proper crown fitting.
All the above was nhs. Cost minimal and fairly quick, easy painless job as much as it can be (after the initial emergency treatment). I guess if I'd have gone private I'd have a perm fix and decent crown now.
Might extraction be quicker & cheaper?
My dentist is fully NHS. He is very good at root canal work - it actually feels rather pleasant when he's doing it. He once did one through a crown for me.
Gold NHS crowns are reasonably cheap if you don't mind the look of them. Your surgery should be able to give you a comprehensive price list.
I'm with you on this one OP 🙁
A week of unbearable tooth pain and a refusal by any NHS dentist to see my as an emergency and I cracked and went private although I can't afford it!
£137 lighter I have 2 types of antibiotic and tramadol which is the only thing that's touched the pain.
Extraction or root canal booked with NHS dentist for Thursday, frankly they could amputate my head if it would stop it hurting!
FFJA-Sorry you're in so much pain too. It really is rubbish.
Hopefully your antibiotics will kick in very soon? After a couple of days mine have already started to have an effect and the pain is far more bearable.
Fingers crossed the same will happen for you?
Thanks mate, they've certainly taken the edge off it, although eating isn't a great deal of fun!
I'm almost looking forward to an extraction tomorrow, although last time it took hours to prise the tooth out, the dentist had to stop for a drink and a breather!
The best part about the extraction will be the injection, within a few mins the pain will disappear and your whole body will feel like it's untensing.
15 years or so since I was in your position and I still remember the relife.