Steph, that's sounds like something that happened to me when I had a sinus infection.

I went to the doctor because my teeth hurt when I walked, every step I took my lower jaw/teeth throbbed and ached and it was from the pressure from a sinus infection.

My upper right wisdom tooth had roots so long my dentist showed my x-ray to another dentist. The roots had almost pierced my sinus cavity.

Then he cracked the crown in four with a special pliers and twisted each root out like a corkscrew.

Using only a local anesthesia.

(Spoiler-fonted for the dentally squeamish)

I am back from the doctor. I have antibiotics, now, too.

A scratch on my calf is looking good, but the surrounding area looks infected, so I am to keep taking care of it, and take a full course of Cephalexin (generic Keflex) to stave off diabetic complications.

At least the copay was reasonable on the thing: 40 pills for $2.67.

Eeep. After Daniel's post, I'm glad my wisdom teeth got yanked many years ago!

I'm so torn, folks. The pain is intermittent -- I can't remember if I posted that before, because when I posted, I was in agonizing pain and not in a sound state of mind. But anyway, right now, there's no real pain in my teeth, just in my ear/behind my cheekbone/throat. And THAT trifecta is sinus, no question. Plus, I've had bad sinus headaches before that gave me a feeling of pressure in my teeth, but not this holy-shit PAIN I'm having now. So I don't doubt that it's sinus, but it's pissing me off that it won't bow before the power of behind-the-counter Sudafed and ibuprofen.

So I feel like going to the ER, or even an emergency dentist service, right now (as in tonight) would just be an exercise in wasted time.

Tep, try icing it, seriously. It can help. Also, have the boy go get some oragel -- that will also help.

I'm afraid that ice will make it hurt more, but I'm willing to try. And The Boy is at a meeting, but will stop at the store on the way home.

If it's not swollen, I'm not sure how much the ER will do for you. The only time I went, I had woken up with a golf ball in my gum, and they saw me and gave me morphine and an antibiotic IV, as well as scrips and directions to see a dentist. But the swelling sort of meant active infection, so.

See, that's why I wonder whether the ER could do anything at all for me right now, since I have no swelling, either externally (cheeks, glands) or internally (gums). Morphine would be divine, but I don't think I'm bad enough off that they'd give it to me. Especially since, like I said, at this moment, I'm not in pain, and haven't been for about 45 minutes.

It's weird -- it lasts about 20 minutes, during which time I want to rip my teeth out of my head with rusty pliers, and then it's fine for a while. I would think a bad tooth (abcess, etc.) would hurt continuously. Although I don't know that for sure, since I've never had such a problem.

Anyway. Right now I'm not having tooth pain (but my ear and cheekbone hurt), so I'm going to hold off on a frantic ER trip.

Last, the thing that worked for me was 600 mg of ibuprofen every four WITH two Tylenol. As long as you don't overdo the Tylenol, the combo might work for you. I've found sometimes a real painkiller will make it worse *first*, oddly.

Hmm. I've been taking ibuprofen every 4-5 hours (800 mg), and took percocet a couple of hours ago (percocet having Tylenol in it). Maybe if I continue that together, it'll whammy it.

Stoopid head. Be more pain-free!

Steph, by far the worst tooth pain I've ever had, and least responsive to pain killers, was from an infection. So if they can at least throw you some amoxycilin or whatever, it'll be worth it.

I had a tooth -- that I did not know had a cavity. Long long long time between dentist visits.

I thought it was my sinuses. Absolute blinding pain -- that lasted for a short while, then went away. back and forth. Then eventually the pain stopped. Dead tooth.

I thought it was my sinuses. Absolute blinding pain -- that lasted for a short while, then went away. back and forth.

Hmm. Crap.

Then eventually the pain stopped.

Was "eventually" over the course of a day? Or longer? Because I will totally call a dentist tomorrow, but if I *can* avoid the ER tonight, I'd rather.

Longer

But I tend to get really stupid about head pain and ignore it.

It was probably a year later that I actually went to the dentist . And when he asked me about be feeling pain as it died -- I said no . Because I forgot. A few weeks later I made the connection

Longer

But I tend to get really stupid about head pain and ignore it.

This is definitely not pain I can ignore. It's like Spike's brain-chip pain.

Hey. Maybe I have a chip!

Because I will totally call a dentist tomorrow, but if I *can* avoid the ER tonight, I'd rather.

Is it just one tooth? Because you keep saying *teeth* like it's a more general area, and that really might be pressure on the nerves from sinus pain.

The pain can and will flare and then subside. For tonight, once you've got the ibuprofen and tylenol/percoset built up, you might be okay to sleep if you keep your head as propped up as you can and still sleep, and do try the ice. I mean, if it flares immediately, take it away, but for me, I've stopped flares with a quick application of an ice pack and a swab of oragel before ibuprofen sets in.