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AIBU?

Share your dilemmas and get honest opinions from other Mumsnetters.

Original poster

To take the antibiotics (dental infection)?

45 replies

QuestionableMouse · 09/07/2023 11:25

Pretty sure i have an infected tooth - it's painful, especially if i bite on it, i have a bit of a temperature (37.8) and just generally feel rough. It's been infected before and I'm pretty good at knowing the signs now unfortunately. It started on Thur and i've been trying to get help since. None of the local dentists have free emergency appointments - I'm on the waiting list at three practices. Limited to how far i can travel due to a badly sprained ankle which means I can't drive!

I don't have a nhs dentist and can't afford private - i spoke to one on Friday who wanted £120 just to see me, plus any treatment costs on top. That's more than my weekly wage at the moment!

111 aren't helping - because i have a treatment plan they can't offer me an appointment. Only the treatment plan is to remove the tooth which isnt happening for two more weeks. The dentist who is removing the tooth is an oral surgeon and can't prescribe antibiotics - he told me to ring 111 and I'm stuck in a frustrated loop of no one being able to help me.

I was prescribed antibiotics last year for tonsillitis that i didn't take (because i had covid, not tonsillitis, tested positive after i got the antibiotics) and I'm honestly thinking about taking them. I'm genuinely worried that I'm going to end up really unwell if i don't get help soon. Google says they are used for dental infections.

Can anyone please help? Will they work? I just don't know what else to do!

To take the antibiotics (dental infection)?
OP posts:
Oxborn · 09/07/2023 11:32

Sorry your in pain, I’d definitely give the antibiotics a go if it was me

Original poster
QuestionableMouse · 09/07/2023 11:44

Thank you! I am just so fricking sick of being ill because of this stupid tooth and not being able to get help.

OP posts:
Oxborn · 09/07/2023 11:48

Hope you feel better soon tooth pain is the worse

Original poster
QuestionableMouse · 09/07/2023 12:12

Thank you! Just sick of feeling ill!

OP posts:
CherryBlossomPants · 09/07/2023 12:16

No please don’t! These antibiotics were made to help with your throat infection not a tooth infection. It could be a completely different bacteria which these antibiotics wouldn’t touch. This is what contributes to antibiotic resistance

Original poster
QuestionableMouse · 09/07/2023 12:22

CherryBlossomPants · 09/07/2023 12:16

No please don’t! These antibiotics were made to help with your throat infection not a tooth infection. It could be a completely different bacteria which these antibiotics wouldn’t touch. This is what contributes to antibiotic resistance

It is prescribed for dental infections though!

https://cks.nice.org.uk/topics/dental-abscess/prescribing-information/phenoxymethylpenicillin/#:~:text=For%20dental%20abscess%2C%20prescribe%20a,250%20mg%20four%20times%20daily.

https://tam.nhsh.scot/therapeutic-guidelines/antimicrobial-guidance/dental/dental-abscess/

Phenoxymethylpenicillin | Prescribing information | Dental abscess | CKS | NICE

Phenoxymethylpenicillin, Prescribing information, Dental abscess, CKS

https://cks.nice.org.uk/topics/dental-abscess/prescribing-information/phenoxymethylpenicillin#:~:text=For%20dental%20abscess%2C%20prescribe%20a,250%20mg%20four%20times%20daily.

OP posts:
AgnesX · 09/07/2023 12:35

I've just finished a course of that exact drug for that reason. I was on 2 pills every 6 hours for a week. Do it.

PurpleButterflyWings · 09/07/2023 12:41

@QuestionableMouse

Definitely take them!!! Don't take any notice of the person saying you have the antibiotics for a different thing - other than your teeth ... TOTALLY irrelevant ...

I had a really bad infection a couple of years ago (NOT in my mouth!) and I had a set of antibiotics ... About 3 months later DH had a bad tooth infection - and he had exactly the same antibiotics. A few months later my daughter had an infection (in a different place on her body to me and DH,) and she had the exact same antibiotics.

Most of them are much of a muchness really ... They're basically just all antibiotics under a different name Just take them and I hope your tooth pain goes soon ... it's absolutely vile.

Original poster
QuestionableMouse · 09/07/2023 12:47

Thank you! Genuinely worried that if i leave it much longer I'm going to be seriously ill!

OP posts:
Wonsunwell · 09/07/2023 12:50

You could always call 111 or something similar and ask for their opinion.

Great sympathy to you, OP. I've just had a really nasty tooth infection and was fortunate enough to be seen very quickly but, my god, the pain was dismaying. I really felt like I was dying so would have taken those tablets like a shot if nothing else was available.

PriOn1 · 09/07/2023 12:56

PurpleButterflyWings · 09/07/2023 12:41

@QuestionableMouse

Definitely take them!!! Don't take any notice of the person saying you have the antibiotics for a different thing - other than your teeth ... TOTALLY irrelevant ...

I had a really bad infection a couple of years ago (NOT in my mouth!) and I had a set of antibiotics ... About 3 months later DH had a bad tooth infection - and he had exactly the same antibiotics. A few months later my daughter had an infection (in a different place on her body to me and DH,) and she had the exact same antibiotics.

Most of them are much of a muchness really ... They're basically just all antibiotics under a different name Just take them and I hope your tooth pain goes soon ... it's absolutely vile.

They really aren’t much of a muchness. They have different attributes and are used to treat different things.

Some care needs to be taken because some antibiotics are much better at treating infections in different places in the body than others. Some penetrate better into different tissues and the bacteria which grow at different sites can be generally different as some grow better depending on various factors such as presence or absence of oxygen or pH.

That said, those antibiotics appear to be indicated for dental infections, so as long as you have enough for a course and they were prescribed for you, and you are fairly sure your tooth is infected, then it’s probably a reasonable thing to do.

Somethingsnappy · 09/07/2023 13:00

CherryBlossomPants · 09/07/2023 12:16

No please don’t! These antibiotics were made to help with your throat infection not a tooth infection. It could be a completely different bacteria which these antibiotics wouldn’t touch. This is what contributes to antibiotic resistance

Op's antibiotics are just penicillin; penicillin is prescribed for dental infections.

What's the dose and how many days worth do you have? I've done the same thing as you op, in the past.

HurricanesHardlyEverHappen · 09/07/2023 13:13

I'm trapped in a similar dental nightmare. I don't think people realise how bad the dentist situation is. I was supposed to have my tooth out three weeks ago and I got an infection so had to take antibiotics and I'm due to have it out this week.

The whole debacle has been going on since March. 111 just keep telling me to 'see my dentist' but my NHS practice has one dentist and they used to have seven. I couldn't get an appointment when I was crying in agony.

I'm having the extraction done privately.

HurricanesHardlyEverHappen · 09/07/2023 13:15

Also, when I got the antibiotics for my infection the pain was gone the next day. I thought I was going to be seriously ill because I couldn't eat for a week and a half.

Valerians · 09/07/2023 13:16

I would take them

Wonsunwell · 09/07/2023 13:18

HurricanesHardlyEverHappen · 09/07/2023 13:15

Also, when I got the antibiotics for my infection the pain was gone the next day. I thought I was going to be seriously ill because I couldn't eat for a week and a half.

It was the same for me, couldn't eat and barely slept. One way to lose weight, eh 🙄

Mischance · 09/07/2023 13:20

Whatever happened to the NHS?! God help us all.

As long as it is clear from your research that these can be used for dental infections then I would go ahead and take them. If you do see a dentist they would not be relying on a swab prior to prescribing if the infection needs treating right now - they might take a swab but would be likely to prescribe in the meantime.

Original poster
QuestionableMouse · 09/07/2023 13:20

I'm booked for a call back from 111 (I say that, but I've been waiting for it since Friday night so...)

It is a full course, i think for seven days. (I'd check, but they're in the kitchen and walking sucks too because of my stupid ankle!)

OP posts:
Stormydanielss · 09/07/2023 13:22

I would take them x

Thelnebriati · 09/07/2023 13:25

Its irrelevant if they were prescribed for a throat infection because they are also prescribed for dental infections. I had them because the usual dental antibiotic didn't work, and they did the trick.
In your shoes I'd take them, and make sure you finish the course.

Cheesyfootballs01 · 09/07/2023 13:29

OP my OH had these prescribed for an infected tooth so I would take them.

fizzysoda · 09/07/2023 13:34

The BNF states phenoxymethylpenicillin can be taken for oral infections. Adult dose is 500mg every 6 hours.

bnf.nice.org.uk/drugs/phenoxymethylpenicillin/#indications-and-dose

uncomfortablydumb53 · 09/07/2023 13:35

They're penicillin so I'd definitely take them assuming you have a full box
Dental pain is agonising
Probably should say this but online pharmacies will also prescribe after you complete a consultation form for approx £15

uncomfortablydumb53 · 09/07/2023 13:36

Shouldn't!

noglow · 09/07/2023 13:44

How have they been stored? What is their expiry date?