Spot Near Tooth What Is It?

[mischamoonlight]

Hi, I'm a little worried about a spot I have near a tooth, that I've had for nearly 2 weeks. It seems to have pus in it, its very small, like a pin prick size. I did have a bit of pain at the beginning, but now nothing. I made an appointment for my dentist, but I have to wait until the 21st December, as they have nothing sooner.

I was a little worried after reading online, mainly about infection, and them saying how serious it is. I've also been a little spooked about oral cancer too. The spot is right beside a tooth that had a root canal when I was 13, and has a filling in it, and I'm 34 now. I've been using Bonjela for the last couple days but not sure its doing anything.

I'm not touching it either, it had been seeping occassionally, and then stops, and I accidentally brushed too hard over it at one point. It's very small but it has me a little worried, and I am very stressed at the moment, theirs a lot going on. I'm worried because of infection and so on and because I can't see the dentist sooner. I know the doctor is there if it did get worse at any point, I'm just feeling a little panicked about it.

I only tried salt water once, so not sure if that helps, would have to use it again to see.

[pulisa]

Salt water rinsing 5 times a day is the best thing you can do, Mischa. You do have to stop "researching" online too but you know this of course. It won't help your anxiety/ compulsion to check for worrying "development".

[mischamoonlight]

Yeah, I'll give the salt water another try, anything to help it.

[mischamoonlight]

My dentist gave me a prescription of antibiotics of Erythrocin 500mg, to take 3x a day for 5 days. I'm having some serious stomach cramps and noises with it though. Might be just a side effect of it. I'm taking them evenly throughout the day and I checked with my Pharmacist if their okay with my normal medicines; they are.

Anyone ever feel sick on antibiotics? Anything to ease the stomach sensation?

[pulisa]

I get bad gut ache with erythromycin. Are you allergic to penicillin?

[mischamoonlight]

@pulisa Sorry for late reply. yeah, I'm allergic that's why I was given it. Yeah, my stomach ache is bad too, it's not often, but it feels like your stomach is empty and mine gurgles a lot which feels uncomfortable. Along with some cramping too. So far, no diarrhea, but its only the 1st day, 4 days to go.

Felt a little dizzy too, but not sure if that's just all the stress going on, the medicine or little combination of both. Seems mostly my stomach that gets effected. I know its for my tooth though, which the spot was oozing pus so better to take the antibiotics. I spoke to the chemist too, who said it was fine to take with my beta blockers and thyroid meds. I'm always double checking.

Yeah, pretty much same, all gut aches and cramps going on.

[BrightPhoenix]

Glad I found this thread as I can tell you my personal experience with a couple tooth abscesses I had and the headaches (figuratively) it caused.

That little bump with pus in it is an abscess. It's a common thing if you let an infection go for awhile.

The reason why it stopped hurting for awhile is - well - when a tooth gets infected, the nerves in it eventually die off, that's why it stops hurting for a little while, but it's actually a good thing you caught it now because if you left it alone you'd be in *way more pain*. I'm talking about you-can't-go-to-sleep kinda pain.

My dentist usually prescribes penicillin or amoxicillin, not sure why they gave you erythrocin - I guess it's stronger? Usually with the stronger antibiotics you may have to take it with food. It burns if you try to take it on an empty stomach. Only problem is if you Google this medication - there's conflicting info, but if it's making your stomach sour it's your best bet to take it with food, double check with your dentist though, I'm just a random stranger on the Internet.

The antibiotics is only to keep you "tided over" so that the pain from the infection doesn't hurt so much. It won't 100% eliminate the infection because there are very thin blood vessels in the gums so not much of the medication will get there, but you should definitely start feeling better after a few days.

ALSO, this is something I learned from my endodontist. Endodontists are like specialists that ONLY do tricky root canals, which makes them a tier above regular dentists. I asked him about all these articles about how if you let an infection go it'll spread throughout your body and cause problems - he said these are rare, and these only happen *if you let the infection/pain continue for a long time*. We're talking many months, if not years. Since you reacted quickly you'll be ok.

I know you're worried about the dentist visit itself but dentists have become way more modern these days - X-rays are easier to do, the procedure is generally faster, and you should be recovered within a few days.

[mischamoonlight]

@BrightPhoenix Hi! The amount of puss is very small, like a pin prick amount. It's at the corner of a tooth I had a root canal done on when I was a young teenager. It's got a full filling in it now, beneath the nerve is completely dead already, so theirs nothing there.

I have an appointment on the 21st, and he gave me the high dose antibiotics before to help clear the infection. I think he may just remove the tooth, or clear it out for now. Thankfully, theirs been no pain at all, I only had a sore gum at the beginning but I think it was like normal sore gum pain. Theirs no discoloration of any kind and it is really small, think it just needs a little help.

I know that tooth needs a crown as my dentist told me earlier this year, but their very expensive, so can't afford it unless theirs a payment option. For now, I can tolerate the stomach cramps and bit of dizziness until I get seen by my dentist, I'll just eat before taking it, that seems to help a little.

I just got a little panicky because I read up on it, and it saying about the infection spreading to the rest of your body, and that panicked me a bit.

Thanks for replying! :)

[mischamoonlight]

Anyone get diarrhea with Erythrocin? I got it this morning, or at least very soft. It is also yellow. Not very nice.

[NancyW]

Anyone get diarrhea with Erythrocin? I got it this morning, or at least very soft. It is also yellow. Not very nice.


Antibiotics make a total mess out of my digestive system. I had something similar with a molar and had to have a second root canal done, same happened to my son. I thought we were done with that tooth ..

[mischamoonlight]

I don't know whether its panic and stress, but I'm feeling a little dizzy and I have chest flutters. I read the side effects for this antibiotics and I've worked myself up. It says about those as a side effect, and now its making me panic worse.

[mischamoonlight]

@NancyW Yeah, mine seems to be a little messed, especially bowel wise. See how it goes over the next day or so.

[mischamoonlight]

It doesn't seem to be going away? I'm on day 4 today of the antibiotics and the little spot beside my tooth is still there, and every now and then it fills back up with that pus. I'm a bit worried why its not going away?

[BrightPhoenix]

I would ask your dentist about it. If it's "refilling" that means the infection is still there, and don't worry, when you see your dentist and have the procedure they will clear away all of it and put something in there to stop the infection. I would call the dentist that prescribed you the antibiotic and ask him the questions you're asking here. Please take care of yourself. :)

[mischamoonlight]

I finished my antibiotic course yesterday, and today it was fine, until later when it seemed to fill up a little more, but it burst (thankfully I had a clean tissue), and it seemed to bleed as well. So I started panicking of course.

I'm ringing in the morning to see what I can do.

[mischamoonlight]

I'm becoming frightened that the infection will spread to my brain, and why I'm feeling dizzy so often. This is making my anxiety and panic worse.

[Scass]

Hi Mischa, it’s very likely your anxiety that is making you feel that way. Plus the antibiotics in your system.
Keep your dentist updated, and maybe keep up with the salt water gargles.


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[mischamoonlight]

@Scass I know, I'm panicking after reading about how to help a tooth infection and it just said about it going to the jaw and brain and as usual, its freaked me out. I rang this morning, and their is nothing available before my appointment on the 21st. I finished my antibiotics on Saturday, and been using Corsodyl twice a day to help keep it clean. I'm avoiding eating on that side of my mouth too. I'm panicking I know, I just get scared.

[pulisa]

You panic when you read horror stories online..Why do you do this to yourself when you know what is the likely outcome?

Salt water washes are more effective than corsodyl...and cheaper!

[mischamoonlight]

@Pulisa I honestly don't know, it's a compulsion at times, which I've done again out of habit. I'm still using the salt water, I just used the corsodyl to help at night.

[BrightPhoenix]

How are you doing now?

I noticed people tend to post here when they're in the middle of the panic but they don't follow up - followups are good in case someone from outside googles your thread - provides some reassurance. I hope you got to see your dentist and got it taken care of.

[mischamoonlight]

@BrightPhoenix Hi, sorry I've been dealing with a lot of other stuff too. I have an appointment on the 21st, this coming Tuesday. My dentist didn't have anything earlier, and I've been using salt water to help. I don't have any pain, all I have is a small pimple like spot beside my tooth, which seems to fill up less and less with pus as it did before. It was a few days ago, it filled up quite a bit and accidentally burst (thankfully I had a piece of clean tissue) and it bled a little. I rinsed my mouth right after that happened. Since then, it has produced less pus and is small and isn't bursting.

So, I may have to have the tooth removed or drained, I'm not sure. I was simply worrying about infection going to my brain or other parts of my body, becoming life threatening as I read on some of the sites talking about gum and tooth abcesses etc, which frightened and panicked me, still does quite a bit.

My dentist doesn't have anything sooner unfortunately, so I'm just taking care with hygiene, cleaning and not eating on that tooth for now. I don't know what else to do really. I'm still panicking a bit, and anxious about it.

Sorry for not writing an update, things have just been terribly tough with other things in my life too. Thanks for checking in though!

[mischamoonlight]

Update: I was at my dentist today, and he had a look at it, definitely thinks its an infection (I think he said the gums). He took an X-Ray too, and said that he wouldn't be doing an extraction/root canal (those were my two options he said, I opted for a tooth extraction), So I have an appointment to have it removed. Earliest app was Feb 16th, so I've a while to wait. That makes me really anxious. He gave me another prescription of antibiotics in case I need them.

I was so anxious and fussy today that I've forgotten most of what he said to me. He didn't seem too worried, but I'm still worried. I think, I think - he said that sometimes it just takes a bit longer to clear up, or something like that. He'd also be in touch about the X-Ray but everything should be fine he said.

He just said that he wasn't going to do the extraction today and to make an app to get it done, which is Feb 16th, which feels so far away. Should I be worrying this much? I had so much on my mind and really stressed I just didn't get to ask him all I wanted. He did the examination and all and had a look at it, and said it was basiclly those two options. Took X-Ray and then gave me antibiotic prescription and said to keep up the salt rinses too, as I said I was doing that too.

I'm just frustrated and anxious that I can't remember everything I said or he said. I know he looked at it and examined it but I'm just worried about the infection.

[mischamoonlight]

I rang this morning, and the receptionist said that she thought he went through the X Ray with me, but she said he will go through the X-Ray with me on the 16th Feb when I'm getting the extraction? Should I be worried? He's obviously gone through it already and knows. I'm confused...

[Scass]

No you shouldn’t be worried if he’s not.
It’s good that he gave you more antibiotics, that should help to reassure you.
It is a frustratingly long wait though, maybe it’s because of covid limitations? You could always try calling another dentist to see if they have similar wait times.

I think you’ll be fine though. Keep doing all that you’re doing.


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[mischamoonlight]

@Scass Yeah, the other dentists in my area are not accepting new patients at the moment, I think due to Covid, and my dentist is the only one that allows medical cards (it's like the NHS for free medical treatment), cause other than that it would cost a fortune in dentist stuff.

I'm not sure whether to start the antibiotics right away or to wait until I actually need them, or maybe their an extra dose to clear more of the infection. Maybe the first dose wasn't enough or something.

I'm keeping up my hygiene, the thing burst yesterday by accident, it wasn't a lot, and very clean with a little bit of blood. Theirs no pain whatsoever though. I just cleaned it, salt water. I think he said it may be the gum, but that's where the spot is anyway, right beside the tooth.

No discoloration or bad breath, its just a very clear light yellow pus, and sometimes its very little to none, just the raised 'bubble'. It only bleeds if its bursts.

I'm awful at panicking about stuff, usually from what I've read online, like I said before reading stuff like ''infection going to the brain''. That freaked me out.