I can get rid of this infection without antibiotics, right?

[PoisonRain]

I have a gum infection. Not a tooth abscess, just a bit of gum over a partially impacted wisdom tooth that has become irritated then infected.

I've never had a dental infection before - my dentist gave me metronidazole but I don't want to take it. Everyone I've mentioned it to pulls a face and says it makes you feel dreadful. I've been rinsing frequently with warm salty water, using a cold compress and taking paracetamol - it's unpleasant and I don't feel great, but it's bearable (not like a toothache).

If it's no better in 48 hrs I suppose I'll have to woman-up and brave the drugs, but it's not unreasonable to see if I can clear it myself first is it?

You can't put tea tree oil in your mouth. It's toxic and is dangerous if ingested.
I think it's highly dangerous that people without medical qualifications are giving health advice. OP, please listen to your dentist, not random people on Mumsnet. You could end up with sepsis or the infection spreading to other parts of your body. Many of us have said we've had no problems with metronidazole. No one pulled faces when I told them I was taking it and it was fine.

Take the antibiotics. I recently had a wisdom tooth infection that I didn’t think was too bad and put off going to the dentist thinking it might subside with some salt water rinses and corsodyl. I was a fucking idiot quite frankly. I got the antibiotics but that night the pain was like childbirth. The infection has spread to my jaw and I couldn’t open my mouth to eat or drink. The antibiotics took 5 days to kick in and the dentist said if I’d delayed another day I’d have likely been on an IV in hospital. Don’t mess around with dental infections. I didn’t have any issues with the metronidazole- I did have an issue with the fact I couldn’t open my mouth and was in a lot of pain.

It’s often balance of risk. I’ve been to the dental hospital a number of times over the years. I’ve had two wisdom teeth out and have two left. The ones that are left are very close to nerves and it’s about balance of risk. My dentist is desperate to get rid of my wisdom teeth but the hospital consultants have been very nervous about touching them and doing harm. Now I’ve had an infection spread to my jaw, the balance of risk has shifted and it now might be worth getting rid of one of the tricky ones but it isn’t as clear cut.

I had the same situation. But weighed it up abd took the risk. Was difficult decision and nerve racking while under going the procedure being aware of the breaking the tooth up as wouldn't come out on its own. I was lucky. This was Southampton private dentist but surgery at NHS hospital. (nice regs)

I'd had maybe 3 infections in ,2 years, the last bad enough to keep me off work, with an impacted wisdom tooth. I'm a private patient at dentist but was referred under NHS to the local surgical dentist team, it cost £73.50 as a band 2 procedure.
I had to have a CT scan first to check the nerve was not too close because of risk of paralysis etc. Compared to the other 3 wisdom teeth which had popped out in minutes, it was a 30 min op under local anaesthetic needing drilling and 4 stitches, but the surgeon was lovely and v professional. 2.5 weeks later I'm basically recovered.

(In case it helps people to know the option)

All I heard about metronidazole is that it makes you projectile vomit IF you drink alcohol while taking it. I took it for a nasty tooth infection and was fine. I wouldn't risk it.

I didn't have any side effects with antibiotics for dental infection but it made me feel a lot better.
Personally I would taken them . Dental infections can be nasty and spread.

I was sent to a dental hospital and after the X-rays they told me one was so close to a nerve that if they “nicked it” while removing them, I’d have facial paralysis for life. He followed that up with “but it depends how much of a risk taker you are”. I said “not very when it comes to paralysis”.
Since then I’ve just dealt with them on my own.

That sucks, I'm sorry. My DH just had to have a top wisdom tooth removed by a dental surgeon and he mentioned how close to the nerve it was.

@Bunnycat101 and others who have been warned of the nerve damage risk - is this the top wisdom teeth generally, out of interest?

My wisdom teeth are impacted and pointing in the wrong direction but are stable and I don't get infections since overhauling my tooth cleaning as I described in my previous post. The risks of extraction outweigh the benefits and have done for the last 30 years so avoiding extraction is nothing new. The dentist checks there's no change in X-rays every 2 years.

oh me too with the erythromycin. The first time it happened was years ago and when I phoned the GP back just before a bank holiday he said I should persevere!!! I refused point blank and he said "well I'll have to give you metronizadole" as though it was awful but actually I had no problems at all with it.

Emetophobe here and have taken Metronidozale many times (before finally admitting defeat and getting wisdom tooth removed)

It's never made me feel nauseous, let alone actually vomit. And it always worked!!

Well yeah of course she shouldn’t swallow it but it’s nonsense to say it can’t go in her mouth. You can buy toothpaste and mouthwash with tea tree oil in it very easily. The trick is to spit it out.

Please stop.

@Fencehedge wow thanks for this value-added comment 🙄

do a little research then come back. or not.

A quick Google will tell you this: "No, you should not put tea tree oil in your mouth. It is toxic if swallowed and can cause serious side effects such as breathing problems, loss of muscle coordination and coma"

Not really worth the risk, it it??
Please stop sharing dangerous and incorrect medical advice. How would you feel if someone read what you posted and put some in their child's mouth who then becsne seriously ill?

Why would you ignore a professional's advice?

I've never understood this

You are actually telling someone not to take their medically prescribed medication, and instead to apply tea tree oil, despite the risk of sepsis with an active infection in the mucus membrane, and despite hearing others' stories of severe bacterial infection in similar circumstances and ICU admission. You are ignoring both evidence-based medical advice and corresponding anecdotal evidence. I'm not the one who needs to do some research. Don't you dare tell me not to come back. Wtf do you think you are?

@SallyWD I'm not disputing that it shouldn't be ingested. I am saying it's untrue that it can't be used on gums.

Here's some scientific research for you which is all fully referenced.

my.klarity.health/tea-trees-role-in-oral-health-and-fresh-breath/

Oral antibiotics can cause extensive damage so jumping to use them and just saying "oh have some yoghurt" is pretty naive. OP wants to weigh up the risks and antibiotics may not be the right answer for her.

This link is irrelevant and poor quality.

Show me a large scale randomised controlled trial that compared the benefits of tea tree oil to TREAT ACTIVE ACUTE BACTERIAL INFECTION with using oral antibiotics?

My parent is currently being kept alive by antibiotics. You are so offensive.

This study you've shared shows that tea tree oil should be used in a mouthwash diluted to 0.2% - 0.5% so an absolutely tiny amount. Yet you recommend the OP use tea tree oil (not mouthwash) as if she could just put it into her mouth. Even this study warns of the dangers such as confusion, loss of muscle control and loss of consciousness! It also mentions its role in preventing tooth decay. Not curing an already established infection.
I stand by my remark that your advice was dangerous.

There's still a massive antiscience industry, led by shady chiropractor and homeopathy types who profit financially from peddling their own snake oil. Unfortunately the less educated can fall for it.

I'm another one who cannot bear erythromycin (vomiting loads) but find metronidazole perfectly fine.

If you've been told to take it by a dentist, then I'd take it.

Have you tried Corsodyl mouthwash? I used to get regular infections in my gums and the dentist told me to use it

@PoisonRain how are you feeling? I am in the exact same situation and have the same antibiotics waiting to be take for what shows like a very small infection where I have had my wisdom tooth out 2 weeks ago.

I did nearly 3 days on amoxicillin but think I had a reaction so been switched to these?