Should I go to the dentist? And if so, where do I even go?

January 25, 2015 6:22 AM

I recently arrived in Uppsala, Sweden. I'm here for six months but my teeth started hurting today. It isn't so much as pain as it is sensitivity towards pressure and heat. It isn't ongoing and it comes and goes (usually if I bite down on something very hard). It happened a few weeks before I left, but it went away so quickly that I didn't think it was an issue. Now, I'm not sure if I even need to see a dentist and if I do, I'm not sure I am covered by insurance because it isn't an emergency procedure. Therefore, I will go to a dentist if it is absolutely recommended, but I'm trying to avoid it. So my question is two-fold: should I go see a dentist? If so, where in Uppsala do I even go?
posted by anonymous to Health & Fitness (11 answers total)

I get that when I have sinus issues. Are you having allergy symptoms as well?
posted by dawkins_7 at 6:38 AM on January 25, 2015 [3 favorites]

No Sweden specific recommendations but here's where I'd start. Monitor the pain and confirm your insurance coverage. Unless all dental treatment in Sweden is covered by insurance (v unlikely in most western countries) you should also be able to find out what a consultation with a dentist costs on the internet. Finally, if you're there for school, work out what health resources student services have to offer including any numbers to call. They may be able to point you in the most appropriate direction. If you're there for work your colleagues my also have recommendations.
posted by koahiatamadl at 6:41 AM on January 25, 2015 [1 favorite]

Just try toothpaste for sensitive teeth for a while (e.g., Sensodyne) and see if that helps. I think tooth sensitivity is v common and doesn't usually require a dentist unless it is preventing you from eating/drinking normally.
posted by Halo in reverse at 7:05 AM on January 25, 2015 [5 favorites]

I had a micro fracture in a filling that would cause symptoms like this.

I'd say you're fine to wait a while, but you do need to see a dentist. No one on here can tell you what's actually gong on.

If the pain is bearable don't worry about it for a while, but no need to keep suffering needlessly.
posted by cjorgensen at 7:15 AM on January 25, 2015

Here's a link to the public dentist service in Uppsala in English. The public dentist service is a good place to start if you're not shopping around for a private practice. In general, prices are okay, and staff are competent. Dentists are more expensive than most other healthcare in Sweden - they have prices on their pages. Check with them directly in case there are any extra charges for non-residents - I'm sure they can give you an estimate over the phone.

I also agree that your symptoms sound exactly like what I was experiencing when my (Swedish) dentist diagnosed me with sensitive teeth. I've been using Sensodyne since, and the problems have more or less vanished. In my case they do get exacerbated by using a hard toothbrush, so you could try switching to a soft toothbrush and using a toothpaste for sensitive teeth while you wait for your appointment, to see if that'll alleviate the issues you're having?
posted by harujion at 7:19 AM on January 25, 2015 [1 favorite]

I'd get it checked. I had a similar problem, used sensodyne and it went away, then one day I had a sandwich and one of my teeth literally split in half and fell out. I was very lucky it didn't damage the root.
posted by knapah at 7:42 AM on January 25, 2015 [1 favorite]

I would wait a day or so. The nerves around your head are a funny bunch. Some totally other thing might make your teeth hurt in that fashion. Typically for me: oncoming cold.
Still, if you need a dentist, look at harujion's link. Call them. They'll know what to tell you, also financially.
posted by Namlit at 8:08 AM on January 25, 2015 [1 favorite]

Do you grind/clench your teeth? Maybe when you're asleep?

If it comes and goes, it may be bruxism, which my dentists said can cause receding gums for the affected teeth (causing heat sensitivity) and cause pressure pain.
posted by zennie at 8:32 AM on January 25, 2015 [1 favorite]

Ps. Your teeth can eventually crack from bruxism as well. If you suspect it's that and don't want to go to the dentist (really nobody here can give you the right advice on that), the correct temporary solution would be to get a drug store mouth guard to wear at night.
posted by zennie at 8:42 AM on January 25, 2015

I had a lot of tooth sensitivity, and my doctor told me to brush a little more gently, and that did help. Flossing also seems to help keep my gums up, so the roots are less exposed.
posted by gusandrews at 10:20 AM on January 25, 2015

I went to my dentist and he said yup - sensitive teeth and you're clenching them in your sleep. Sensodyne works wonders.

Can you get a head/neck/shoulder rub?

Then massage all along your jawline before bed. You can also open your mouth, reach in with your pinky, relax your jaw, and VERY GENTLY massage the tendon behind your last set of molars. It's not even real pressure... Just sort of touch it.
Massaging my jaw gets me to stop grinding/clenching.
posted by jrobin276 at 12:22 PM on January 25, 2015