Possible Tooth Infection Really Triggering HA

[tbot]

My tooth has been problematic for around 6 months, started as a simple grinding trauma and has gotten worse gradually. Now it feels like something is stuck underneath, the tooth is loose and tastes horrific.

I'm not particularly worried about what it is. I've decided to contact the dentist in the morning and book an appointment as it's starting to feel like an abscess.

The thing that's really triggered my HA was seeing under NHS advice that it can turn life threatening. I left it 6 months due to the pandemic so I'm now absolutely terrified that the infection will spread. I'm irrationally scared of sepsis, stroke and all kinds now. I've been suffering insomnia and this has made it worse. I'm scared I now won't sleep between now and the appointment and I'm also dealing with worries around the COVID risk.

It's been so long since I had a HA attack that I can't remember how to deal with this I'm just in a ruminating loop of horror.

[bin tenn]

Let the dentist take care of you, you'll be fine. Several years ago I didn't know that an untreated abscess can be dangerous. I had an abscess pop up on my gums, above a top tooth. I let it do its thing, and it burst on its own, and I never saw a dentist for it; here I am, almost nine years later.

I absolutely do not recommend that, because I didn't know at the time that it could be dangerous. But I can say I've had a few dental infections/abscesses since then which were treated by a dentist, but couldn't always be treated immediately.

[tbot]

Thank you that's been very reassuring my main worry is that I've left it too late at 6 months so it's good to know that it doesn't necessarily mean impending risk

[bin tenn]

Has it felt like an abscess for six months, or has it just been in poor shape for six months with the abscess developing recently? I can't imagine a dental abscess lasting six months and not causing unbearable pain, fever, etc. Of course it's best to have any dental problem fixed, but just having a tooth that's not in great shape isn't really going to cause serious issues, IMO.