katherine, if your son still is hurting in the morning, go to the chemist and ask for clove oil, ask them what it does for dental pain, its a short term fix granted, but it more than covers the time needed by your son for pain relief without drugs before his appointment, the side effects are from plolonged use, month or more daily, receeding gums, and more sensative teeth, in the short run that your son will be using it, there are no side effects, only instant dental pain relief, if nothing else, when you go to the chemist tommorrow ask there opinion on short term use of clove oil for dental pain, then decide