tooth abscess and root canal

[jules321]

I bit something hard a week ago, and my tooth has been hurting ever since. I saw an endodontist a couple days ago who said I don't need a root canal at this time as I passed the tests he performed on my sore tooth (tapping, cold, biting on qtip). He took an X-ray and said I have no abscess and said it's possible I could have a crack but it wouldn't show up on X-ray. He basically told me to return in a couple weeks if it still hurts. It's been 3 days, and it still hurts and I'm scared. I'm scared I will need a root canal (I am hugely terrified of dental procedures), and after Googling (I know, I know) I'm scared I will develop an abscess and get a swollen face and die. (I'm also allergic to many antibiotics.)

[Scass]

I did this a couple of months ago and it took 2 or 3 weeks to stop hurting. The dentist recommended sensitive toothpaste rubbed on the tooth a couple of times a day which I did. I think it’s nearly better but I had an x-ray too & nothing showed up.


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[ErinKC]

I've gone through so many tooth issues. Death by tooth abscess is EXTREMELY rare. Many years ago I developed a large abscess in a that had been filled for a cavity years earlier. It was SO painful I couldn't sleep. I got a root canal on the tooth and it was fine for a year or so. Then, I developed another large abscess, which I knew about because there was a sore in the gum on top of the tooth that was oozing. So, I went and had another procedure where they had to drain the infection through my gum. Then, like 6 months later the infection came back, and that's when they decided the tooth must be cracked and they pulled it. This is not to freak your out, but to show that I went for about a two year period with a recurring dental abscess that didn't kill me. And also, it was very obvious I had an abscess both pain wise and physically because of the sore on my gum. Since you know you hurt your tooth and infection is a possibility, you're on the lookout, so you won't miss anything. You will definitely know if a true infection develops. The endodontist knows what he's doing. All he does all day is decide which teeth need root canals, so you can trust his judgement.

[jules321]

Thanks for sharing your experience. Scary to hear your root canal resulted in more problems. (I'll cling onto any potentially bad outcome while I'm in HA over here). I know that wasn't the point of your story though. It's good to know a potential abscess isn't a 911, as I'm worried about the upcoming weekend. I woke up feeling sick today so am convincing myself it's because of an abscess forming. I called the endo and am awaiting a call back. No gum swelling, no sore/pimple on gum, no facial swelling. Just a sore tooth (about a 3-4 out of 10). I'm probably getting sick because I'm around so many kids every day during winter where so many are coughing. But my head is spinning. I hate dental problems!

I bought some Sensodyne toothpaste hoping that might help.

[ErinKC]

Scary to hear your root canal resulted in more problems. (I'll cling onto any potentially bad outcome while I'm in HA over here).

It wasn't necessarily the root canal. I'd had a cavity in that tooth and then an abscess, which is what necessitated the root canal. So, it's more likely it was cracked before the root canal.

[cofo]

So I came on here this morning to post about my gums/tooth fears I’m having today and saw this!! I was going to have a “worry free” Saturday but now it’s ruined. I decided to floss this morning, which I don’t ever do and am stupid for not doing. I always say I’m going to after my teeth cleanings but then I just can’t get into the habit and I forget til it’s almost time for my next cleaning (it’s coming up on Tuesday)and I kick myself for not flossing for months. So when I do floss, my gums bleed. So this may be kinda gross, sorry....Well today, I flossed behind my very back upper molar and it bled more than I usually bleed when flossing. My other side bled but not as much. So I grabbed a clean washcloth and pressed my gum to stop the bleeding. Then realized that was dumb and got a sterile gauze and held it there. It was still bleeding and I was spitting it out. It stopped but I swear it looked pale yellowish when I spit a few times. (Maybe that was my coffee??) anyway, It isn’t bleeding but now I’m terrified that I have an abscess. It did not hurt before I messed with it. Of course now it’s sore. And red, and swollen. And I’m remembering earlier this week I felt like my cheek/sinus area was kinda sore on that side. And that’s sore now. By sore I mean a 1 out of 10. so of course I’m scared I introduced bacteria by putting the washcloth in my mouth even though it was clean. And I’m scared I’m gonna have an abscess and die.
So, surely these things don’t just shoot up overnight and you don’t know it. Right? Like it would start hurting and gradually get worse and I would have time to have it seen about, right?
I just want to go back to my regularly scheduled program of a worry free Saturday 😢

[ErinKC]

Well today, I flossed behind my very back upper molar and it bled more than I usually bleed when flossing. My other side bled but not as much. So I grabbed a clean washcloth and pressed my gum to stop the bleeding. Then realized that was dumb and got a sterile gauze and held it there. It was still bleeding and I was spitting it out. It stopped but I swear it looked pale yellowish when I spit a few times. (Maybe that was my coffee??) anyway, It isn’t bleeding but now I’m terrified that I have an abscess.

Our mouths are full of bacteria all the time! You won't give yourself an abscess or make one worse like this. Think of all the food and drinks we put in our mouths everyday that aren't sterile. Our bodies are excellent at dealing with foreign invaders, so the washcloth should not be a worry at all.

I just had my 6 month cleaning and the hygienist was SO rough with my gums when cleaning that I spit out a full mouth of blood when I had to rinse and my gums were sore for 2 days. The worst case is that there's the start of a cavity or other decay issue with that tooth where the gum bled more than usual and your dentist will see right away at your appointment on Tuesday.

I had a tooth once that had been filled and literally for YEARS it would bleed like crazy every time I flossed it. I used to be terrible about the dentist and didn't go for a cleaning for maybe.... 5 years? When I finally went, the dentist found that the filling had been "leaking" so my tooth was basically just rotting under the filling... for years. And, I survived. You will be fine for a few days even if it is something that needs to be fixed. But, chances are, it's just that you irritated that part of your gum more than the rest.

I've had basically every dental problem you can think of, haha. So, I'm an expert!

[cofo]

Thanks Erin! Once again we have that similarity!! I think the only difference in us so far is you’re much younger than me, lucky you! ❤️

[jules321]

OP here. I went back to the endodontist yesterday as instructed since I was still in pain. This time, he told me that he thinks that I **will** need a root canal but that it's not yet clear on which tooth since my pain includes a couple different teeth at this point. My body immediately went into flop sweat hearing this, as I thought when I left last time he thought I likely would not need a root canal. He then tested my teeth, and he again could not isolate which tooth is the problem tooth yet. I originally came in because tooth A was hurting, but he actually identified that teeth B and C hurt (and that tooth A passed all of the tests and is fine). Tooth B has actually been a little funky for years, so I'm trying to now convince myself that I'll be fine and it's just tooth B acting up again. I am losing sleep over this though and am having a hard time enjoying my days... which is a bummer because I have a lot of other non-related stuff going on that needs my attention. So I'm again on a wait and watch to see if the pain isolates in one area while also trying to convince myself it won't. I've never had a toothache last this long, and Advil isn't touching it. I'm grumpy and irritable from it and feel like a wounded animal who just wants to be in bed (which is not an option).

[cofo]

jules i'm sorry you are still having tooth pain. i have heard so many times that tooth pain can radiate like that and that's why it's hard to tell which tooth it is.
can he do another xray or something? i would have a hard time just waiting if i was in pain.
or maybe you could go back to your regular dentist and get another opinion there?
good news is that he doesn't think it's any kind of emergency.