Tooth abscess?

[Mamaxo]

Already phoned emergency dentist there's no appointments and have to phone back in the morning. My daughter is autistic and grinds her teeth, her two front teeth been grinded down to the nerve and today we've noticed this lump above the tooth, does it look like an abscess? What will they do if it is?

Is she in pain? I’d ring the out of hours GP so that they can prescribe antibiotics, as a first line of treatment this is likely what the dentist will do too

I’m a children’s dentist. Can you send a picture of what the teeth look like as a whole. Eg. Is there decay in between, exposed nerves or very worn down enamel and dentine? Yes, it is 100% an abscess. Likely caused by dental trauma (knocking the tooth) or decay or attrition.

Antibiotics will do nothing here. They only treat systemic infection, so unless she is showing signs of systemic spread such as a fever or generalised rash, they are not appropriate.

The only option is an extraction. Needs referral to dental hospital or community dentist if she is unable to cope at the dentist, but be prepared for long wait for a GA (General Anaesthetic). She doesn’t seem in pain and it is localised, so it won’t be considered urgent. Also worth bearing in mind, any other decayed teeth will also be extracted unless these can be satisfactorily restored prior to a GA.

Is she registered with a dentist?

x

The GP shouldn’t be prescribing antibiotics for a localised dental infection, with no underlying systemic signs.

Apologies - I am not a dentist, just going off my own previous experience with an abscess. Dentist said that they couldn’t treat it before I’d had antibiotics to take the swelling down!

its not your fault, it’s actually the GPs. Very common for them to prescribe antibiotics unnecessarily for dental infection as they don’t know what to do - particularly to children, as a way of ‘providing care’ and avoiding any litigation - but it just results in mass over prescription of antibiotics, increases in antibiotic resistance and cost to the NHS.

And yes, sometimes the swelling needs to reduce before local anaesthetic will take effect but often better to drain or provide a very short course x

Everything @ncforthis2024 said, but also you’ve not said how old she is or whether she’s in pain

@ncforthis2024 shes registered with a dentist and actually seen one around 3/4 weeks because she was in pain the dentist said she has no cavities the only problem she has is her two front teeth she grinds them and they've been grinded down to the nerve and the lump is above them teeth. Shes in no pain, no swelling and no temperature ect. She's 4, we brush her teeth daily and she's pretty good with it. We're phoning the emergency dentist back in the morning so hoping they help and not fob us off. Thank you for commenting xx

She's 4, not in any pain at the moment, no temperature or swelling, but does have exposed nerves from teeth grinding