Potentially life-threatening - confirmed by NHS website. Please help

[aliayna]

Yesterday I went to A&E as urged by my boss, due to pain in the left side of my mouth. The day before I figured wisdom tooth again which I could easily ignore, but yesterday I had other symptoms: severe nausea, horrible headache pains, fatigue so bad I'm genuinely surprised I made it to work and then A&E by bus and stomach upset.
It worried me because if they're linked, that's a tooth infection and dr. Google had told me left untreated, that's fatal. At the hospital, they brushed me off completely. They didn't even check my vitals! She told me they do not deal with dental issues there and I'll have to book an appointment with my dentist. I told her I had already tried this the day before and I couldn't be seen until December (true!). She then sent me to an out of hours medical clinic which was next door. I was seen quickly, and the doctor called up a dental surgery nearby to fit me in the same day, I made my way, waited three hours and was seen for thirty seconds.

He took one glance into my mouth and prescribed amoxicillin and told me my other symptoms are unrelated and that I probably have a stomach bug. I believed him, went to a chemist and came home.

Since then my tooth pain isn't even my main concern. It's the other symptoms. I checked the NHS website and I have all of the symptoms of an abscess. And it days that's treated by a dental procedure - draining the pus from my mouth. He didn't do that! It says antibiotics are not the way to treat it. That's what he gave me! It says left untreated the infection spreads to the brain and is serious. This isn't dr. Google, this is the actual NHS website telling me this!

Is my dentist wrong?! What should Ido?! I am SO terrified I've had three panic attacks already since I got home!

[suki300]

Antibiotics can clear up an abscess. It's the least invasive way to treat one and usually how they deal with one first. I had antibiotics to clear up an abscess on my tonsil. It took two types and then it was gone (it made me feel very ill). However, you can make an emergency appointment at the dentists and they will look at the abscess for you.

It's not life threatening. I had an abscess on my tooth when I was younger and I left it - all that happened was that the tooth was removed and I was fine.

So my advice is to go to the dentists by getting an emergency appointment and telling them you have an abscess and it's causing you a lot of pain.

[KeeKee]

I had an abscess when I was younger and it was treated with antibiotics. All was fine.
I understand your fear though, but internet searching will be the death of all us HA sufferers!

[aliayna]

Thank you, people :)

[dancingfrog]

I had an abscess the size of a orange in my mouth, really my face was huge, quite funny looking backing on it. This abscess grew over three hours from a grape sized lump to an orange sized one, it's was horrendous, yet I was prescribed some antibiotics and within a couple of days I was better. Your teeth can make you feel irritable which is why you probably have tummy troubles. Don't worry you don't need it drained, you will be fine! Xx

[harasgenster]

I've had dental abcesses and they make you feel weird and ill. My doctor explained that infections in that part of your body can make you feel ill all over sometimes, but it really is just a gum infection.

All gum infections are treated by antibiotics. It is the only way to treat a bacterial infection. If your jaw was locked or something else more serious, they might drain the pus to make it easier for you to eat and take pills etc. There is a link between gum infections and more severe illnesses, but NHS Choices just has to put it there to cover themselves. It's extraordinarily rare to have serious complications. Abcesses, meanwhile, are extraordinarily common. This is on the level of equating a headache with a brain tumour :)

[roxy90]

I've had an abscess and they're ridiculously painful. They usually treat the abscess with antibiotics first and then drain it after the swelling has gone down. I had mine drained straight away because I was 40 weeks pregnant and they couldn't guarantee me being able to come back in a week. Plus I begged them to do something lol.

I think you need to have a very very very large abcess for a very long time to.have.any.chance.of causing death, its ridiculously rare to die from an abcess, they're very common. your antibiotics will work x

[AuntieMoosie]

Antibiotics should clear it up just fine, they did mine when I had an abscess many years ago :)

I would think it very rare for someone to actually die from a tooth abscess nowadays, as the pain itself, is enough to drive anyone straight to the dentist, and having prompt treatment, thus, stopping the infection in it's tracks.

As has been said, I think these sites have to cover themselves so they normally cover every eventuality, most of which are very unlikely to happen :)

[debs71]

Sorry to go against the grain here, but why is everyone commenting on having had an abscess???

No abscess was diagnosed by the dentist, was it?

When the dentist looked in your mouth, what exactly did he say? Did he say you actually have a dental infection? I assume so if he prescribed antibiotics, or explained why he is giving antibiotics. A dental infection does not necessarily mean an abscess. An abscess usually occurs from an infection - a collection of pus accumulates, hence the abscess.

Whatever the case, the antibiotics should kick in soon. I had an infection after a wisdom tooth removal last December, and it is horrible pain, but was prescribed amoxicillin also and it worked within days.

Not sure how the dentist can diagnose you with a 'stomach bug' either. Your other symptoms could well be down to high anxiety, worrying about what is going on with your mouth.

Hope you feel well soon.:hugs:

[suki300]

I think that's my fault debs - I picked up that that is what the op was worried about. That's why I was trying to relay her fears.

[ankietyjoe]

Any infection left untreated could kill you.

Antobiotics have been prescribed, so all is good.