AIBU to want to cancel our holiday after root canal problems?

[Worriedtooth]

AIBU to want to cancel our holiday?

I have had a flare up of toothache. After many dentist visits I had the first stage of a root canal treatment on Tuesday. By Friday I was back in pain, with an infection underneath the tooth. The dentist re-did the root canal filling. I won’t know if it has worked for a few days. It may become infected again, in which case I would need an extraction.

i am due to go on holiday, Corfu for two weeks, on Monday, in two days. I won’t necessarily know if it has worked before we fly, I could have another infection on holiday, and the stress of finding a dentist, being in pain etc

My husband is still keen to go. I am very anxious about it all.

We are insured, and would rebook somewhere when everything is sorted.

I’d reschedule it. I flew 2 years ago with an infection under the first stage of a root canal. I thought I’d be okay on the antibiotics. The pain as we ascended is like nothing I have ever endured before. I was in agony the whole flight. It was horrific. I then had to find an emergency dentist who cleared me out of €300 to slice my gum with a scalpel and no anaesthetic. She drilled out the temporary filling and left it open so the pus wouldn’t build up. The whole experience was horrible and ruined my holiday.

Thanks for your reply! This is one of the things I’m worried about. I think the change in air pressure can cause severe pain!

Did you lose the tooth in the end?

I think the infection maybe returning, the pain’s building up again this afternoon. My husband, however, can’t understand, and is bearly speaking to me.

d xx

Would you feel better about going if you could find a good dentist in the holiday resort? Look on Facebook to see if there a “residents and visitors” page or similar and ask for recommendations on there and see what they say, might help you make your mind up. Also check with your insurance to make sure you would be covered if you cancel, also check with the holiday company and see if you can postpone with no penalty

I think you also need to tell your insurance company that you’ve had a root canal procedure.

I doubt this will be a popular opinion but if the tooth is at the back of the mouth I would just have it removed 🫣 I would cancel and re-book the holiday.

I think you need to cancel your husband. This level of uncare and concern is not ok.

He should be prioritising your health and wellbeing over his wish to go to the sun for a fortnight.

Barely taking to you over this- this is abusive. It’s a way to keep you feeling on edge so you back down.

Cancel, get well and reevaluate why you are even needing to ask if this is ok. It’s not.

Yes, that’s my next option if this root canal fails again. Could be next week! I have been trying to hang on to the tooth since I will probably need partial dentures, I’ve had a few teeth removed. My teeth seem to easily crack.

Sadly my husband has said he’ll still go if I don’t want to, I don’t want to be bullied into going. I would prefer to cancel, sort the tooth out, and then rebook.

I started with toothache mid flight. I have always had issues with my teeth. Reoccurring abcesses. Anyway, this pain was in the opposite side to my usual problem area. I always take my arsenal of drugs (metronidazole, paracetamol, ibuprofen plus I have pr volterol, tramadol and oramorph all prescribed for toothache problems) but I knew when it wasn't working well enough after 24 hours I'd have to find a dentist. I did, and after paying €190 he performed a miracle - I've never been able to be numbed enough for treatment in the UK which is the reason behind the multiple absesses (the tooth needs to come out now but unable to be numbed on on a very long waiiting list for GA). Anyway, he successfully numbed me and did a root canal and popped a temporary filling on. Was told to go to my dentist when I got home. Rest of the holiday was totally pain free. Best money I ever spent. Nhs dentistry is dreadful in comparison to the care I had in Tenerife. My own dentist said they won't do root canal on the tooth as its a wisdom tooth. All they will do is remove it. So 2 years later I'm left with a huge hole in my wisdom tooth that everything gets stuck in because of course the temp filling is long gone. And I'm stuck on a waiting list for removal. Most of the tooth is broken off now but just left with sharp bits that dig in to me. You have no idea how tempting it is to fly back to Tenerife in the hope they could numb me again and do the removal!!

Thanks for these comments, you are right of course.

It’s sometimes hard to see clearly when you are in the middle of things.

Can you have the tooth extracted? If the root canal hasn't worked and there is infection then that may be the best option.
If you can have that done soon, you should be OK to fly in two weeks.

I can understand you not wanting to fly with an infected root canal.

When I had a root canal done in December, I found the procedure traumatic as I have a fear of the dentist but once done, I had no issues.
When you say you have had part of the treatment done - are you going back? Why was only part done - was it because of the infection? If you can get rid of the infection and have it finished it should be OK?

I’ve had the entire list of dental procedures and complaints, including an implant, a bridge, and two root canals. If it was me I would either go to the emergency dentist for an extraction or I would investigate dentists close to your destination. Your husband is a complete arse and should be trying to come up with solutions with you, rather than giving you an ultimatum.

I really sympathise. I had a root canal fail and become infected and it was honestly the worst pain of my life including child birth. It started on xmas eve, I spent xmas day in agony, had an emergency appointment on boxing day and the antibiotics kicked in on 27th. Those few days were horrendous, I was in so much pain I was delirious. The whole right side of my face from jaw to forehead was very swollen for a few days from 27th which was uncomfortable too, although the actual toothache was subsiding by then.

I had it re-done 2 times (each time I had infections which were very painful but luckily never as awful as the first). This was about 12 years ago, I still have the crown but do get infections every now and then and have nearly had it removed a few times and then always ending up not.

My point though is that unless someone has had a toothache this bad they have no idea how horrendous it is. I'm sorry your husband seems to be lacking in sympathy and empathy. I would've been very reluctant to go abroad during the first set of flare ups especially if I was confident I could reschedule and not lose anything/much. It doesn't sound like you're going to enjoy yourself even if it doesn't flare up and you'll be worried about it happening. Your husband should be enough of an adult to realise it's a disappointing situation but these things happen sometimes and surely he'd much prefer a postponed holiday with a happy and well wife than this!

I must say although maybe controversial aboard dentists can be just as great and cheaper. Could be better to get it fixed or removed abroad.

All my friends who are from eu countries always go home for dentist work.

I’m sorry your husband is being so unsupportive. That would make me even less inclined to go.
Yes, it was the cabin pressure that caused such horrendous pain. I’ve had numerous surgeries, babies, and DVTs and nothing came close to the pain on that flight.
If you have the option to cancel that’s what I would do. Then later, I’d enjoy a lovely holiday without your husband and use the time to think of this is someone you want to grow old (and increasingly vulnerable to ill health) with ❤️

And yes, I eventually lost the tooth unfortunately. On my return home the root canal treatment wasn’t successful and I had an extraction.

I totally get it.

I wouldn't go. 💐

If it’s already failed I think it has zero chance of being successful short or long term based on my experience of a private root canal where they drilled and temporary packed with material to kill bacteria 3 times over a few weeks to ensure all infection was cleared.

I would also suggest you LTB, life is far too short to stay with someone so disrespectful of your pain and understandable anxiety.

Have you said to your dentist that you are going abroad? There may be treatment options like a small hole in the filling that woyld see you through a holiday. Presumably to make an insurance claim you need your detist to say you aren't fit to fly anyway.

Completely agree!! How awful of him! I wouldn’t even want to be in the same room as him yet alone on a holiday with him.

@Worriedtooth in spite of my sympathy, I do wonder if you've checked your insurance policy

I'm not sure where they stand on this kind of thing.

And yet I'm sure your husband would feel differently if it were him with the toothache.

It's disappointing OP - his behaviour and missing out on a holiday, but I would want this sorted yes. If it's worrying you at home it will worry you more abroad when provision is more difficult and costly to sort. You need to prioritise yourself in this matter. If your DH wants to go on holiday on his own then he's welcome to. I'd stay at home and get myself sorted on this occasion and book something when it was resolved.

It's important to save teeth when possible so I wouldn't rush to have it out if I could help it anyway, and definitely not to appease an inconsiderate partner.

I have called them, they said we would be insured. The dentist has been great and I’m sure would support my claim. If not, it wouldn’t be a great loss, and at the moment I’m more worried about my health.

Yes, the root canal is packed with a temporary filling. I am due to go back for an hour’s appointment to complete the work. I think this is standard procedure on the NHS. There could be a crack in the tooth, a hidden root canal or the temp filling could be at fault. Either of these would cause an infection.

If I get another infection, I will be having an extraction.

Yes I have. He was non committal about the chances of a further infection. ☹️ I guess he just doesn’t know.

Your DH is being very selfish.