If I had an absess on/near my wisdom tooth what would it look like?

[emmatmg]

Because it's bloody killing me!

The gum doesn't look red but the tooth is growing outward into my cheek (been like that for yrs)and it's very very sore.

It's been like this for a few days, and will from past experience will get easier/less painful over the next week, then in a month or so will happen again.

This time though it's the worst it's ever been.

I have a check up at the dentist next week (coincidently).

When I had an abcess on my tooth, you could'nt see anything inside my mouth, but the whoke one side of my face swelled up very badly.

start doing plenty of hot salt water mouth rinses 3-4 times a day (as hot as is comfortable in your mouth) the salt is a good disenfectant and the heat is soothing and helps to draw the infection out if there is minimal redness and swelling its usually not an abcess just an infection (but sore none the less) to be honest if it is happening more or less every month i would seriously consider having it removed (the reason its happening is probably beacause it isn't growing straight so therefore is awkward to clean effectively hensce you get repeated infections)

When I had an abcess last year I was in absolute agony and the whole side of my face was hugely swollen, you couldn't see much in my mouth though.

My face isn't swollen but the gum/cheek inside is.

Chicagomum, you've got it exactly right. It grows so awkwardly that even when it's not swollen the tooth is half obscured by my cheek. ATM the tooth is almost totally covered with the swelling now.
The Dentist has been happy to leave it because it's not causing any other teeth problems.
I can almost gurantee it will be better by the time my appointment comes around next week.

how many episodes of this have you had ? tbh if it is occuring every month or so (and particularly if you end up having antibiotics to treat it) you are better of without it, if it is growing sideways its never going to be a functional tooth so its more hassle than its worth (i know having a tooth removed isn't much fun, but once its healed your troubles are over it can't bother you if its not there)

I had a similar problem with mine and kept putting off having it taken out but finally had it done in June and it was the best thing I've done.

Hmmmmm, it probably happens about every month or so, I've never really timed it though. The last episode was quite recently, no more than 5-6 weeks ago I'd say.

I've never had to take anything for it but this time it is much worse that and I've had to take pain killers. Never even thought of anti-b's for it!

I've got 3 wisdom teeth (1 removed) and they all grow outwards but this is the only one that causes me any pain. And it's alot of pain ATM.

sounds like your wisdom tooth is impacted.

mine went through cycles of being OK, then flaring up and becoming really sore (and tasted rotten if stuck my tongue near it - nice, sorry!). had two fo them out under local eventually - a total relief!

Think I'll ring to dentist tomorrow and try and get an earlier appointemnt so he can see the swelling.

Rather annoying that they've just gone private though!!! Swines!

ask them to refer you to get it done in hospital (either under general or local) then.

this sounds gross but get a cotton bud and steep in salty water and push the gum away from the tooth it will oooze gunk rinse out your mouth and keep doing it as it will drain the abcess

had this so many times so horrible i really feel for you but this works also eases the pain

what i often do is give patients a disposable syringe with plastic tubing instead of a needle that they can insert under the gum and flush out any debris with the hot salt water (may be worth applying some teething gel to the area before had to try and numb it up a little as i know it can be pretty tender around that area when it flares up)

I'd push to have that tooth taken out. I had an absess on a wisdom tooth that grew in straight - and it decayed to the point of absess. Had a course of antibiotics before the oral surgeon would touch it. A luckily I had a good one, b/c the tooth had been in there for 10 years and bone spurs had grown on my jawbone - he had to shave them off.

I'd ask for a referral to an oral surgeon - my American dentist wouldn't dream of touching that huge ol' tooth w/bone spurs on it.

Had my appt today, he took one look at it and said he'd write to hospital to get it taken out there.

Not sure if I'm nervous or not TBH. Having a general freaks me out abit.

Sorry forgot to say although I'm sure you've realised.....

(formally emmatmg)