Tooth infection - still really worried

[louise0501]

hey, i'm still really worried about this wisdom tooth infection i had. i took the antibiotics but im still really worried coz my sister keeps saying my breath still smells and i got the letter for the consultation through and its not till feb so god knows when i will actually have the tooth out. tooth infections can cause serious health problems and today i keep getting sort of muscle spasms in my head and i'm thinking its connected as well as dizzy spells and my jaw hurts sometimes. can anyone relate? i'm so scared.
please reply
love louise XX

[snippy]

Hi Hun,,,,,Please dont worry, I had an infection in my tooth, had anti biotics, and my breath smelt after taking them, I asked in the chemist and they suggested corsodol, a mouth wash which is anti bacterial, it is brilliant for after extraction, ulcers, gum infections etc, ask at your local chemist. I think the dizziness you are experiencing is due to worry and you may be breathing a little quicker than normal.:hugs:

[marley]

Hi There -

If you're still worried that the infection hasn't cleared after taking antibiotics and you can't get in to see a dentist, try seeing your GP - they are able to put you on a repeat prescription, as well as painkillers for any pain.

The tip above about the mouthwash is also good. Make sure you're also brushing your tongue - stray bacteria love to hide there and give you lovely smelly breath.

I lived with a dental infection / abscess for a couple of years and only got the extraction a month ago... I'm still alive and well. Please don't stress.

If you do want peace of mind, get a repeat antibiotic prescription as a back up.

[louise0501]

okay thanks for the reassurance. i'm probably worrying over nothing but its just having to wait till feb for the consultation and i dont know how long im gonna have to wait for the extraction.

[louise0501]

Hey Marley, what sort of symptoms did you have with your infection? why was it left for two years?

i keep worrying i have had mine for ages and now it's to late. my mouth in general feels quite funny and the gum is sticking out over the tooth which is quite uncomfortable but i supose i can't get rid of that untill extraction. coz i'm so anxious i keep biting the inside of my cheek which isn't helping. i just feel like crap and i can't concentrate on anything else.

Please reply
Love Louise

[marley]

Hey Louise

I probably had it for longer than 2 years! To begin with, it was a small achey spot on the gum above a tooth, and I never even associated it with a tooth infection.

Then a couple of months later, the tooth really started to hurt - a dull constant pain. My gum above it swelled up also. The pain was incredible and I felt unwell. I went to the dental hospital (I'm Australian, and as I'm not on welfare I can only get emergency treatment there) and the dentist there took x-rays and gave me antibiotics and painkillers.

With dental infections, they have to treat the infection before taking action on the tooth so that it doesn't spread. So at that initial visit, I was given medication but no treatment.

The antibiotics cleared the infection up pretty well - within a couple of days, all the pain and swelling was gone, so I didn't go and find another dentist to finish the treatment (extraction of the tooth or a root canal).

So the infection came back a few months later, more painfully and swelled up my cheek. I got more antibiotics. Called a dentist for treatment, but they were booked up. The infection went away again.

Flash forward to about a month ago. Having a panic over a lymph node in my neck and wondering about all the possible causes, it occurs to me that I should probably get the damn thing treated properly. So I got more antibiotics, cleared the infection, and finally got it pulled!

My mouth initially had a terrible taste for the first week, but since then it has cleared up. There is no longer any swelling of the gum near the extraction site, and it had healed up.

____________________________________

Now, mine is an unfortunate example of bad oral hiegene. It's also an example of how effective antibiotics are in treating dental infections. There are other things I did in order to self care between seeing a dentist. Warm salt water mouth rinses, and applying hot water on cotton balls to the effected area (this draws the infection to the surface, and if it forms a head, it encourages it to drain into the mouth - helping it to lessen the pain and to heal).

Look after yourself, but please don't stress about it being life threatening. Take your antibiotics, use some salt water rinses, and make sure you get the tooth treated properly by asking your dentist as many questions as possible when your appointment finally comes!

Marley:)

[den68]

hi Louise
Dont panic i have been a dental nurse for years and if the infection comes back they can give you more antibiotics to clear it up again. Its not unusual for people to have to wait for this long for a consultation which i assume is at the hospital but your own dentist can help keep the infection at bay whilst your waiting. If you are still concerned ring on monday for some advice
denise

[louise0501]

Hi denise, thanks for the reassurance. how will i know if the infection is back? also...the dentist said during the extraction there could be permanent nerv damage so does this mean i have a good chance of this happening? or does the dentist say it to everyone. and yes i am having it done at the hospital.
Please reply
Love Louise x

[suzy-sue]

I had a lot of probs with my wisdom teeth .There wasnt any room for them to come through properly They would get infected often and I couldnt open my mouth due to the swelling .I had to have injections of penicillin to get rid of it .It got so frequent I was taken into hospital and had the four of them removed ..I never had any more probs ,so dont worry too much ,As Den says more antibiotics will get rid of any further infection ..Sea salt is better than table salt for mouthwashes ..Take care SUE XX

[mumof4]

im the same i have had a absess for years in my tooth i dont get pain now but still swells up and goes numb i think there are 2 abcess in it. i dont take anti botics for it as i dont get pain and after a few days it goes down. i wont worry as im still here after years of it,

i have around 4 teeth rotted and i dont get any pain atall but im stick of my teeth so im of on monday to the dentist to get them seen to,

since my panic attacks got bd 8 years ago dentist have became my fear but before i was so ill i was there every 6 months so i know deep down its all in my head.

ill know ill be a bag of nevers on monday but its for the best i have had 2 teeth pulled in the last few years at a dental hospital and belive it or not i was fine no problems at all so i know i can do it.

i have prop rambled on im sorry but i though it migh help you

all the best

[Cell block H fan]

Sounds like good advice in here, so I wont add anything apart from, hope you dont mind me asking in this thread Louise, but how is your mum now? She had a swollen face before? If ive got the right person. Is she all back to normal? x

[den68]

if you start getting pain or swelling the infection is coming back and as for nerve damage we have to warn everyone although its unlikley to happen a bit like when you have a op and they put you out the warn you of all the risks and most people are fine
denise

[louise0501]

Hey cell block h fan. yeah my mum is fine now, we have no idea what caused it. it went down within a few days.

I think my tooth infecion is back and i'm freaking out. yesterday i woke up and the area where the infection is really noticible, it's not really painful but coz the gum has come over my tooth its all of a sudden really noticible again and after i took the antibiotics i couldn't notice it as much.

should i go back to the dentist? or just wait till feb when i have my consultation at the hospital?

Please reply
Love Louise XX