Tooth abscess - any advice?

[unicorn]

Took dd to A+E yesterday as the whole of her right side of face had swollen up - looked like she had been beaten up...

She had fallen out of cabin bed at weekend, so thought she may have broken cheekbone.. but x-ray showed nothing.

Doctor thinks it could be a tooth abscess, and has prescribed antibiotics, dentist says can't do anything until swelling goes down.

Anyone got any experience of this, is there anymore I can do to help her?

[pixiefish]

is there any advice here

[unicorn]

cheers pixiefish... she is on antibiotics and pain killers, although the tooth doesn't seem to be hurting, and the dentist couldn't actually see anything wrong with it.

Any other reasons why a face should swell up like this?

[jasper]

How old is she?
Where exactly is the swelling?

[unicorn]

hi!
she's 5 (1/2)..swelling is on right side of face, very puffy and up towards her eye... looks awful.. like beaten up etc.
Kept her off school, and am hoping the swelling will start to go down soon... but it was fairly awful today...
she says it hurts (if she knocks into something..) and is complaining of both her tooth and her cheek... so I'm just not sure what has happened.

[SecondhandRose]

Is there a swelling on her gum? Could be on the palate or the outside?

[Yorkiegirl]

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[Davros]

Oh, was going to suggest vodka from the freezer until I saw it was for young dd!

[JanH]

Is there any chance she could have cut herself when she fell out of bed - under her hair maybe?

This is probably completely irrelevant but DS1 had a stupendous head bang aged 4; running through DH's office at work he fell and crashed onto the corner of his desk and got a huge cut on his forehead, about 1½" long. We took him straight to treatment room at Health Centre but snotty cow of doctor on duty kept him waiting (in lovely germ-filled atmosphere, obv) for over an hour before stitching it.

That was a Friday. He seemed OK afterwards and went to stay at Grandma's Sat/Sun. Grandma is a bit vague and didn't tell us until Sunday afternoon that his head had swollen; he looked like Frankenstein's monster, his eye had closed and his head was square on that side, it was scary. He had to go into hospital and on an antibiotic drip for 48 hours. (He's fine now - has an interesting scar!)

Anyway I know she is on antibiotics already but maybe not specific enough or strong enough. Did they check her whole head at A & E?

[unicorn]

Thanks all...

That is VERY interesting janh...
When we were in A+E I spotted something red/raw behind her ear..and pointed it out to Doctor.. but he just dismissed it as a bit of a sore behind flap of ear.. and didn't think it was significant.(maybe you are on the right track though- could have caused an infection?)

Her swelling is now reducing... so the antibiotics are kicking in...

Sometimes I really don't think the medics have a clue as to what has caused things.

(eg.. the gp on wed told me to go back next day for a second opinion.. I went to hospital instead.. where that Doctor told me either to go to the dentist or see a specialist facial Doctor!!!!)

[Yorkiegirl]

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[unicorn]

Hi Yorkieg,
Swelling is definately going down, so she will be ok for school tomorrow (phewee!)
Will have to go back to dentists though, to see if she has a damaged tooth or something.
(thanks for asking!!)

[Yorkiegirl]

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