Mouth Infection

[pelmetman]

On Sunday I suddenly had the most awful pain on the right side of my mouth. It got so bad I had to make an emergency appointment to see the dentist on Tuesday, he took an x-ray and seemed to think I had a mouth infection but didn't seem too sure. He gave me a presciption for some antibiotics but also said that I had a dodgy looking big tooth near the back which could have a hairline crack in it. Basically go away and hope the antibiotics work.

This morning I had to make another emergency appointment as my face was starting to swell and pain was all over that side of my face.
He took another look at x-ray and said I did have an infection and gave me some different antibiotics to take in conjunction with the original ones.

I then had to make an appointment for 2 weeks time to have said tooth extracted as he is on holiday next week!

Was wondering if anyone else has suffered the pain of this type of infection and did it result in an abscess? Also did it heal up without having to have a tooth removed? It is really, really painful.

Sue

[Susie]

Hello Sue, I'm answering because I'm very, very sympathetic but I'm not going to be any comfort. I have had exactly that, I think if your face is swollen you've already got an abscess (sorry!) - I had one which started on one tooth and spread to the one behind. I had a root canal on the original tooth (I got an abscess because of a botched root canal because of a botched filling because of a brace!) and the tooth behind had to be extracted. It hurt a lot and I don't think it would have gone away without the root canals/ extraction. I hope what I'm going to say now doesn't make you feel worse: I couldn't have waited 2 weeks to have it extracted - if I were you and it doesn't get better, I would insist on an emergency appointment, perhaps with someone else in the practice. I went private (this is how much pain I was in!) and the whole thing is a blur of pain and money but I think he did the first appointment at NHS rates because I was already registered with an NHS dentist (who wouldn't see me because he didn't have any appointments free).

I'm so sorry if that doesn't make you feel better but basically my advice is be really bolshy (in a nice way) until someone sorts you out. I really hope you feel better soon (and also perhaps lots of people will chime in and say they had infections which went away with antibiotics in which case ignore me, because I have had rotten luck with teeth! ).

[boboff]

owwwww!
Get the infection under control, and then wait and see. Personally once it "goes" it will keep happening.
I had a similar thing, which in all honesty was the worse paid I have ever felt in my life, and therefore really feel for you, eventually I had them out and a crown/bridge thing, and still now some 14 years later when I get run down the "hole" fills up with yuk again.

Fingers crossed, hope you fell better soon.

[Helsbells]

I had a repeat problem with the gums on my lower jaw where my wisdom teeth were coming through kept getting infected. I had one side taken out and the dentist wanted to take the other side out too but I decided not to. BIG mistake, the other side has been infected so many times now I am finally getting it taken out after waiting for 6 weeks!!

My advice, get the tooth out.

[pelmetman]

Thanks for the honest replies.

With the five antibiotics and 3 painkillers a day I am feeling somewhat better today and the gums don't seem quite so inflamed and red and I think my face isn't so swollen.

I am afraid I am a complete and utter wreck when it comes to going to the dentist but realise it would be foolish not to go ahead with having the tooth out so will have to somehow pluck up courage and keep the appointment.

By the way this might sound stupid but has anyone had an abscess burst without it bleeding. The reason I ask is that I had excruitating pain and wonder if it burst but didn't bleed! I remember, only too well, having one burst before in the night and gosh did it bleed.

Sue

[battybird]

Hi Sue
Sounds dreadful.. Usually when an abscess bursts, the pain goes as its the pressure of pus building up which causes the pain. I dont know that it always bleeds though but a nasty taste would indicate pus being released! My OH had an abscess a couple of months which eventually cleared up after two courses of antibiotics and the dentist advised not to extract the tooth just yet he felt that OH's low immune system at the time was a main factor. It has not come back (YET!!)
Hope you get it all sorted and painfree soon!

[spider8]

Sorry that you're in this situation - been there, done that and it's awful. I had a horrible abcess and shovelled antibiotics down plus any number of painkillers until the infection went. The dentist wouldn't do anything to the tooth until then and it turned out I had a crack in it. Being a tooth at the back I decided to have it out as the alternative was a costly root canal job and crown . It did make my face swell, my gums horribly sore and boy, the pain! If it happened again (please no!) I'd take the same action - sorry .

[oldjerry]

This sounds terrible,wait 2 weeks while the bloke swans off on holiday? Around here you can get emergency dental treatment in some of the hospitals,if it gets really bad try ringing NHS direct and see if they can suggest anything,tell them you cant afford private treatment and see what they say.I really feel for you,I'd probably get drunk. Hope you get sorted.

[Keaniebean]

That sounds really horrible for you, but absoloutly typical of the dentist .I do hope the antibiotics start to work, there isn't much worse than tooth ache, and this sounds even more horrible. Definately see if any of your local hospitals have a dental department.

We are lucky and have Kings College where they do all the teaching so if we have any emergencys, of which there has been several, then we can go down there and wait for hours and get dealt with by a student . it is better than waiting for weeks mind you.

[Thomzo]

If it's any consolation, I'm also currently on antibiotics for an abscess and they're really helping. Fortunately, we caught it early so I wasn't in much pain, more of a dull ache at that stage. Half way through the course and the pain has completely gone. They did make me feel a bit nauseous as first but that's cleared up now as well.

I've been told that Ibuprofen is the best pain killer for tooth related problems if you can take it. It helps to reduce any swelling.

One good thing about the dentist being private is that the cost of the prescription was about half what it would have been under the NHS.

Zoe

[pelmetman]

I'm, glad to say I am feeling better now. In the end I had to take 35 antiobiotics in one week, but they worked, the swelling went down and I couldn't have had an abscess because nothing burst!

I'm still booked in to have the tooth extracted next week but whether I'll go through with it remains to be seen.

Many thanks for all your replies and I hope you are on the mend Zoe.

Sue

[Millymollymandy]

I'm glad you're better too now Sue - sounds like it was a nightmare time.

[Phoenix]

Sorry you've had such a dismal time of it Sue, and glad the antibiotics are working.

I would still keep the appointment, because my abscess shifted itself away from the nerve and my pain eased, but it was still there - after several courses of antibiotics it was reduced, but my dentist still had to remove the tooth. Basically, with the abscess as big as it was, the numbing stuff wouldn't have worked. My dentist was super, she knew I was nervous and gave me lots of numbing before going near the tooth, and was super fast with the extraction, about 5 or 6 seconds and it was done.

Only once the tooth was gone did the abscess gradually disappear, I could feel the lump in my jaw gradually shrinking over some weeks.

Best of luck.

Nix