Is this really all I can do to cope with my wisdom teeth?

My wisdom teeth are coming in. The bottom two are impacted and are pushing forward against my molars, and the top two are just too big for my mouth. So I’m trying to get scheduled to have them taken out, but right now I’m at the mercy of the whim and fancy of this nameless, god-like entity called “insurance”, which seems to have people sitting around in an office, pulling names out of a hat to see who gets to have their wisdom teeth out. Sorry, I’m really fed up with this and need to vent.
Acetaminophen does nothing for the pain. Ibuprophen dulls it a little, but it’s risky to take even just one pill because if I don’t eat a full meal with it, it’ll give me heartburn. Major burn. (The dentist made sure the tissue isn’t infected, by the way.)
So now I’m trying other things… It would make sense that the problem is irritation and inflammation, seeing as there are teeth in the wrong spot… So my mom and lots of people are suggesting I do everything I can to ease the inflammation. Pineapple is my friend. Lots of ginger.
I’m also trying heat – a heating pad, one of those rice bag things… It helps a little, but getting up to reheat the rice bag every 45 minutes is getting a bit frustrating.

So my questions for all the wonderful jellies out there:
Are there any other OTC pain relievers to try?
Can you think of any foods for inflammation that we might not have thought of yet?
The heating pad doesn’t really put heat in the right place. Any way to make the rice bag stay hot for longer?
Do you have any other suggestions of ways to stay comfortable while I wait?