Any dentists about? need advice about extraction

[lirael]

I have to have a back molar taken out as I have a severe infection probably caused by the wisdom tooth pushing up underneath onto the nerve. The emergency dentist treated and temporarily filled the tooth three days ago and I visited my dentist today, who gave me the choice of root canal or extraction. I have gone for having the tooth removed, as she said the eruption of the wisdom tooth means that root canal only has a 30-40% chance of success.

I have made an appointment for 3rd April, as the school holidays are easier for me for childcare (I have a child with SN at home), but now I'm wondering if it's sensible to leave it that long. Could the infection spread?

Have you got antibiotics for the infection?

No - no-one has suggested it

If you have an infection you need antibiotics before an extraction. It's not a great idea for them to try and take out a tooth with an active infection unerneath it. I don't think your head will fall off or anything but it's going to hurt like heck if you don't get some drugs soon. Rng your dentist tomoorw an ask why antibiotics haven't been given. They may have thought the emergency dentist had one that.

I need to get a back molar extracted on 8th april and I am currently on a course of Amoxicillan 500mg. You really should have been given antibiotics by the dentist!

So is it definitely infected or just sore? Having an infected tooth/gum can be quite dangerous due to its proximity to the brain.

I'm not medical at all, but i would have thought if it were infected y should get some sort of antibs, its a long time to wait with toothache. I would try to get it seen to sooner.

Haven't got toothache at the moment - but yes, I think I need ABs, much as I hate talking them. Will ring dentist tomorrow