Do not ignore dental pain to avoid the dentist!  If you have a serious dental phobia, admit it, and consider an anti-anxiety drug for appointments. There is no shame involved in using an anti-anxiety drug for dentistry.

Antibiotics

One of the best ways to relieve pain from an abscessed tooth is to remove the infection that is causing the inflammation. It is not unusual to see the pain of an abscessed tooth start to diminish quickly after an effective antibiotic is given. Most dental abscesses respond to amoxicillin– for those not allergic to the penicillin family. Some people with abscessed teeth have learned that if they can obtain an antibiotic, they can take it to avoid seeing the dentist. Don't do this. The bacteria in an infection changes over time and becomes resistant to the antibiotic, causing the tooth to continue to disintegrate, making an extraction or restoration more difficult, and the dental infection to spread. If the problem is in the gum (such as, periodontal abscess or around a wisdom tooth) antibiotics will probably help, but pain relief is faster if Dr. Jeff can clean out the area between the tooth and gum. When an infected tooth is extracted, relief is usually instant, since the focus of infection (the thing the bacteria were living in) is gone, and drainage is immediately established.

Medicines

The pain your body’s nervous system experiences from dental trauma or disease is a complex process, and the use of pain relievers that act at multiple pain sites can improve dental pain relief. In general, for the treatment of mild to moderate dental pain, the most appropriate options are Non-steroidal anti-inflammatory drugs (NSAIDs), like Advil, Motrin, and Aleve, or Acetaminophen, like Tylenol. Compared to Acetaminophen, NSAID's are better painkillers, but they act slower and last about the same time (about 4 hours). Whichever pain reliever you take, follow the manufacturer’s directions to the letter. Studies have indicated that taking higher-than-the-recommended dosage does not achieve greater pain relief.

A Warning about NSAIDs and Acetaminophen

NSAIDs have been the traditional treatment for moderate dental pain and inflammation, but they generally require a higher dose than Acetaminophen to achieve the desired anti-inflammatory and anti-pain effect. What's more, long-term use of NSAIDs can cause gastrointestinal distress, bleeding, kidney damage, and cardiovascular problems. Therefore, use NSAIDs only as directed, and if you experience any of the most common short-term side effects of NSAID usage, such as upset stomach, diarrhea and abdominal pain, contact Dr. Jeff.

Acetaminophen, on the other hand, is not as effective for dental pain as NSAIDs, but some people cannot tolerate aspirin or NSAIDs. Acetaminophen acts as both anti-pain and anti-fever, and it has rapid painkiller action, but Acetaminophen, unlike NSAIDs, has little anti-inflammatory action. Again, use only as directed—at very high single doses, Acetaminophen can cause liver damage.

Cold Sores

Annoying, painful and extremely contagious, cold sores (also called fever blisters) are groups of fluid-filled blisters caused by an outbreak of either the Type 1 or Type 2 herpes virus. Eruptions commonly appear on the lips, under the nose or around the chin. They can also appear inside the mouth on the gum tissue near teeth or the bony roof of the mouth. The earliest exposure to the herpes virus and the subsequent infection typically occurs during childhood (usually by age 10) and may be mistaken for a cold or the flu. This initial bout with the herpes virus can cause painful lesions to erupt throughout the mouth and make some patients quite ill for a week. Most people infected by the virus do not become ill, however. Once a person is infected, the virus dwells in the body and causes an occasional unpredictable attack. An attack may follow a fever, sunburn, skin abrasions or emotional upset. Menstruation can also bring on cold sores for some women. Cold sore blisters usually heal themselves in about a week to 10 days, but if the sores do not heal in 14 days, contact Dr. Jeff.

Stages of a Cold Sore:

Stage 1: The tingling stage (itching or burning sensation beneath the skin) occurs before the cold sore has formed, usually around the mouth or base of the nose. Applying a prescribed anti-viral medication during this stage can help alleviate and shorten the cold sore symptoms.

Stage 2: A day or two after the warning signal of tingling an outbreak of fluid filled blisters will occur.

Stage 3: The ulcer or weeping stage is the most contagious and painful period when the blisters rupture, leaving shallow reddish open sores.

Stage 4: During the crusting stage, each blister dries up and forms yellow or brownish crust, which eventually falls off.  Each new scab will be smaller than the previous one until the cold sore heals, usually without any scarring. During this stage it is important to care for the scabs so that they do not crack or break.

To prevent the spread of cold sores:

• Avoid touching the cold sore – if you do, wash your hands with soap and water, immediately
• Don’t touch anyone else after touching your cold sore
• Don’t kiss anyone affected by a cold sore or while you are experiencing a cold sore
• Don’t touch your eyes after touching a cold sore. This can lead to blindness in the infected eye

Apthous Ulcers (Canker Sores)

Apthous Ulcers, or canker sores, are reddish, painful and shallow lesions that develop in the mouth. The typical areas for canker sores to develop are inside of lips, under the tongue, base of the gums and inside of the cheeks. The causes of canker sores are not clear, however. In fact, anyone can develop canker sores, irrespective of age group, but the lesions are more prevalent among those in adolescence with the frequency of occurrence lessening with age. It is believed that canker sores are exacerbated by stress, tissue injuries, irregular eating habits and food allergies. And women are more likely to develop canker sores during their menstrual period. They are not contagious, however. These sores can cause utmost discomfort and pain while eating and talking, and you will experience worsening pain if you consume hot, salty, very sweet or spicy foods. Therefore, it is advisable to refrain from such food items until the sores are healed completely. In most cases, canker sores subside without any treatment, in around one to two weeks, but if they persist for more than two weeks or recur frequently, then dental or medical attention may be needed, as the condition can be a symptom of some other disease.

What to do in the meantime –

There are a number of over-the-counter liquids or ointments with benzocaine, a numbing ingredient, such as Anbesol, Oragel, Orabase, Zilactin-B, Tanac that, when used as directed, can help take the edge off the discomfort of canker sores while they heal. If you find, however, that you are suffering from an unusually large or painful canker sore, Dr. Jeff has an answer for your pain. Debacterol is a liquid, topical, cleansing agent that has unique chemical and physical properties that completely stops oral ulcer pain, seals the affected damaged mouth lining tissue and aids in the natural healing processes in just one application, which requires only minutes to perform. Typically, the lesion is replaced by healthy tissue in three to five days. Debacterol is only available from your dentist or doctor.