AIBU to think I can treat an abcess at home due to self - isolating?

[97876757user]

Any advice gratefully taken. I've been up all night with a pain in my gum and there's a big lump there. Defintely an abcess. I'm self - isolating due to covid19. What can I do to treat this at home? Painkillers aren't touching it and I can't eat or sleep. Any ideas or suggestions would be very useful. I'm in so much pain I feel murderous. Please advise me? AiBU to think I can treat this at home?

Having been through this, you need anti biotics, you can’t really treat it at home

Phone emergency dentists, I did that in first lockdown last year, and they prescribed antibiotics and emailed it to my local pharmacist who then delivered it. If your pharmacy doesn’t deliver, see if there’s a local mutual aid or community group that will.

Until then salt water rinses will help a bit but you need anti biotics

You can’t. The risk is it spreading. Get some antibiotics and painkillers from your GP (easier than via dentist) and arrange a rental appointment post isolation.

Meantime warm salt water, painkillers and a warm hot water bottle on the affected side.

You need antibiotics. Call your GP and ask for them.

You need medical attention. You can’t risk all other aspects of your health to avoid covid even when self isolating. Dentists have covid procedures in place to reduce the risk so you should go

God, I feel for you. Yes, you definitely need antibiotics, amoxycilln, I think they are. Take 48 hours, which I know is a long time to be in such pain, but they do work. They did for me. Hope you get sorted, op.

I have had several abscesses; you need antibiotics.

Thanks everyone I'll contact gp in the first instance.

If it wasn’t on your gum I would say try and treat yourself but I think you are right in getting medical help, although a GP might just tell you to see a dentist

If it's on the bottom jaw DO NOT put a hot water bottle on it- I was warned of not doing this as swelling can start to increase down into the neck which can affect airways.rinse hot salt water is fine.you do need antibiotics

my GP won’t prescribe for anything dental related plus getting through to your dentist is usually considerably easier than getting through to your GP!

Contact your dentist not your GP. Dentists can prescribe antibiotics if appropriate. Your GP should not as they have no dental training.

Def get in touch with the dentist ASAP. I ignored an abscess back end of last year and ended up with an emergency tooth exctraction after attempting to treat at home!

You need to go to the dentist not the GP.

I'd call 111 - are you self isolating because you have covid or because you've had close contact?

Please don't call your gp...........waste of their time and yours. GPs do not prescribe for dental issues, needs to be a dentist.

Dentists are safe at the moment. I had to go for emergency treatment and it was fine. They do temp checks on everyone, wear full PPE, clean the room between patients.

Please don’t leave this - you must be in agony.

You need an emergency dental appointment.

Can I go to the dentist if I'm self - isolating?

Close contact and waiting for results.

See if GP will send an antibiotic prescription to your local pharmacy ASAP and then ask someone to collect for you or the pharmacy may deliver if that isn’t an option.

My friend went to a&e whilst awaiting results as son was very ill, she told them on arrival and they waited in their own room.

Apart from the self isolating dd is going through this now. She s getting antibiotics from the dentist today.
They wont do any treatment until the abscess is gone anyway so call them and explain.
My sympathies, I have had 2 dental abscesses and the pain was worse than childbirth.

I had cream for eczema on my face after sending the GP a photo. You may not need to go in.

Can you get a lateral flow test? In my town the council are giving them out to parents of school-age children. Maybe send your partner to get one and then you’d know if you were positive?

I don't think the dentist would want to see someone who was waiting for the results of a PCR test even if they'd had a negative lateral flow test.

Call the dentist and find out what the options are. But you need to start anti biotics ASAP. Today, really.