Expert answers
We know how daunting dental treatment can be. Our Dental Phobia certified experts are here to help ease your mind before treatment by answering your questions.
I have recurring toothache
I’ve had a recurring toothache for about 7 years that only pops up every year or so, but when it does occur it’s a terribly aching pain. On top of that, I had an abscess last year on a broken tooth, which I had extracted. The extraction site took months to heal, and hurt a lot but I didn’t want to go back to the dentist so I ignored it and eventually it went away. But, now, both pains are back – the toothache I ignored for 7 years AND a sharp pain around the extraction site. Usually Ibuprofen and Paracetamol gets rid of the pain long enough until it fades by itself, but this time, the pain won’t go. I want to call the dentist and get my teeth sorted, but I’m terrified and embarrassed to have left it so long.
The fact that you have had this problem for a long time should not stop you going to the dentist to get it sorted out . Dentists see people every day with long standing problems and they will not be judgemental .
The embarassment is something which is within yourself and you are criticising yourself !!
Just leaving it till it keeps going away solves nothing and leaves you with a chronic problem that cant be got rid of
Its almost certain that the pain is not from your old extraction site , and its possible that you will not have so much pain afterwards this time , But doing nothing solves nothing !
many fearful patients leave problems until they are much worse than they need to be , but its common and dentists are used to that !
Hope this bit of encouragement helps you to pick up the phone
Jenny
