tooth abscess and root canal

[jules321]

Thanks so much for checking in. He said it takes 4-6mo for an X-ray to show an abscess so no reason to take another X-ray. I really trust this doctor as he’s highly regarded and has never steered me wrong before- and I think an endodontist would know far more than a dentist. For me personally I think getting more opinions would just lead to more anxiety not knowing which opinion is right.

I’m just stressed about it. There is so much else going on in my life so I’m clenching a lot at night which isn’t helping! I need this tooth pain to just go away so I can concentrate on much bigger issues in my life.

[Fitzkissa]

Hi,

I'm writing in hopes of helping alleviate some of your fears. I have had 4 root canals on different occasions, two on teeth that broke, one that wasn't broken but had an abcess and the other was a tooth that was infected badly. I was absolutely *terrified* to have a root canal, because you hear such horrid stories about the pain.

I prayed about it a lot, and was led to a particular dental office. This office offered a TV in the room to distract the patients during procedures and also offered nitris oxide (in the US it's called sedation dentistry).

Anyway, long story short, I of course prayed about it before the procedure also and it really was not bad and my mouth felt so much better after. To give you an idea, the nitris wore off almost immediately after they turned it off (as it is supposed to, it comes through a mask on your nose). Even after the novacaine wore off, the discomfort after the procedure was no worse than the broken teeth were (and it was in fact much less than the infected tooth had been). It was a little sore for a day, but nothing I needed strong medicine for.

The procedures themselves didn't hurt at all while they were being done to me. I just zoned out peacefully and watched tv with headphones on (and I'm not a tv watcher normally).

Anyway, I hope it brings you some comfort.

[cofo]

i'm off to the dentist today and boy am i anxious. i go in an hour.
i'm wondering how they tell if you have an abscess besides just waiting? an abscessed tooth sounds like it would present itself pretty strongly. i don't know the symptoms, but i'm assuming it would be something they would want to take care of sooner rather than later.

i'm scared that maybe i have one. my gum around one tooth is bleeding when i brush it now. it seems a little swollen and red. it doesn't hurt.

send up some prayers for me that i can get thru this appt.

[jules321]

i'm off to the dentist today and boy am i anxious. i go in an hour.
i'm wondering how they tell if you have an abscess besides just waiting? an abscessed tooth sounds like it would present itself pretty strongly. i don't know the symptoms, but i'm assuming it would be something they would want to take care of sooner rather than later.

i'm scared that maybe i have one. my gum around one tooth is bleeding when i brush it now. it seems a little swollen and red. it doesn't hurt.

send up some prayers for me that i can get thru this appt.

Cofu it sounds like my situation is just triggering you. That doesn’t sound like an abscess and is likely just an irritated gum.

[cofo]

i'm back. everything is fine. that area is just the worst of my gingivitis.
i need to floss regularly. and i need to do some listerine and salt water rinses.
i love my dentist.

i hate my anxiety.

[jules321]

Well my tooth/teeth are still hurting, and I haven't been able to chew on that side of my mouth since it happened 3-4 weeks ago. I'm not sure what to do. The endo basically told me to repeat his tests at home since I now know what they are - and I continue to pass them so it's kind of strange (biting on qtip, holding ice to my tooth to see if I can feel it, and tapping my tooth lightly to assess for pain). I'm acutely aware of my teeth all day, and it's not anxiety. It's actual pain. I'm not sure how long it takes for the pain to "settle" on one tooth? 3 of my teeth are still hurting, it's like the pain keeps traveling through each of them unsure of where to settle. I keep checking my gums for any pimples (sign of abscess) and I"m just terrified I'll need a root canal. I'm tired of being in pain. Should I go back to the endodontist for another consult?

[ErinKC]

Well my tooth/teeth are still hurting, and I haven't been able to chew on that side of my mouth since it happened 3-4 weeks ago. I'm not sure what to do. The endo basically told me to repeat his tests at home since I now know what they are - and I continue to pass them so it's kind of strange (biting on qtip, holding ice to my tooth to see if I can feel it, and tapping my tooth lightly to assess for pain). I'm acutely aware of my teeth all day, and it's not anxiety. It's actual pain. I'm not sure how long it takes for the pain to "settle" on one tooth? 3 of my teeth are still hurting, it's like the pain keeps traveling through each of them unsure of where to settle. I keep checking my gums for any pimples (sign of abscess) and I"m just terrified I'll need a root canal. I'm tired of being in pain. Should I go back to the endodontist for another consult?

Did you dentist every mention anything about grinding your teeth? I was sure I needed a root canal on a tooth I had a crown put on years ago because my teeth hurt so much. The pain was radiating across my top left teeth. The endo said no root canal for the same reason - the tooth passed the tests. My dentist concluded it was from grinding. I also had a lot of sinus pressure at the time that they said could be contributing as well. One my sinuses cleared up and I paid more attention to not clenching my jaw the pain went away. The tooth is still sensitive and I get pain if I bite down hard on something or eating something very sugary, but otherwise it's fine now.

[Metalltant]

You are not worried about this situation for nothing. Without proper treatment, cracks on the teeth expand and deepen, reaching the pulp itself. Saliva, harmful microorganisms and food particles penetrate through the tooth's cracks, which can provoke the development of the inflammatory process. After a while, the gums become inflamed, and caries develops. If I were you, I would turn to another dentist who is more attentive to the problem. I can recommend a clinic https://sloancreekdental.com/dental-implants/ in which I treat my teeth, and I'm sure my dentist never advised me to wait and endure.