Dental abscess - when does the swelling go?

[CornishGem1975]

I've had a dental abscess this week (something I wouldn't wish on my worst enemy), 48 hours into a course of amoxicillin and my face started to swell.

Yesterday I had the tooth extracted which gave great relief but now coming up to 24 hours post-extraction and having completed four days of antibiotics my face swelling seems as bad as ever? No signs of it reducing. I'm so frustrated.

Anyone has experience of this? I'm back to pain now (which I imagine is usual after having a tooth pulled) and have been taking painkillers every 2-3 hours since Tuesday and I'm continually putting ice on my face. I just want to be able to stop this and I want the swelling to go away, I look like a monster!

If your swelling still persists you need a different set of antibiotics.

Go to your nearest NHS dental walk in practice or phone 111 so they can guide you where to go.

Try Hepar Sulph, homeopathic remedy.

When I had a dental abscess and subsequent tooth extraction, I was given two antibiotics to take in tandem. I'm sorry I can't remember the name of them but they were very strong and the dentist was very clear about having to take them properly and finish the course. My swelling (which was extensive) and pain went down quickly. I would ring dentist ASAP.

Dental Nurse here. Antibiotics usually take about 24-48 hours to get into your system, sounds like you may need another course of a different kind. Has the pain increased since the extraction? If so you may have something called a Dry Socket. Is there a bad taste/smell coming from the extraction socket? That’s one of the symptoms. Unfortunately it won’t go away by itself, you’ll need antibiotics and a sedative dressing which literally just takes a couple of seconds to apply. Obviously it’s normal to have a little pain when you’ve just had a tooth removed but if it’s a deep throbbing ache that’s getting worse you may have a Dry Socket. It’s nothing you’ve done and it’s not the dentists fault either, it’s just one of those things that can happen I’m afraid. They can be really painful so continue to take your painkillers. An anti inflammatory like Ibuprofen is ideal as long as you don’t have any medical conditions which prevent you from taking it. You can also rinse your mouth out very gently with warm salty water, it’s a natural anti inflammatory and will keep the area nice and clean. Hope this helps

No the pain hasn't really increased - I don't think it's dry socket. I think I'm still feeling pain from the original infection and probably now bruising from the actual extraction. The dentist (emergency as I'm on holiday) I saw yesterday said just to finish the antibiotics my usual dentist had put me on and that he wouldn't have normally given antibiotics after an extraction anyway.

I'm just feeling frustrated that despite being on antibiotics AND having had the tooth removed my face is still as swollen, or more swollen. He did say that if I think the swelling gets worse then to go to A&E but I think now I look at it the swelling has moved and might be more around the area where the tooth was pulled.

I've had Cocodamol at 10.00pm, then again at 2.00am and Ibuprofen at 5am so I can take something else now but I'll get to the point where I'm over the 24 hour dosage limit today. I've pumped so many painkillers into my body since Tuesday it's unreal - and yet I will have a banging headache??

How are you now, OP?

In pain @Greentomatoes21 thanks for asking! Still very swollen but I don't think any infection, just bruising, it was a bit of an effort to get the tooth out. Still need painkillers every 2-3 hours but can open my mouth a bit wider now and eating on one side. Been so careful not to bodge the clot!

Poor you, you just be exhausted! Glad things improving, even if slow. Toothache (or in your case extraction ache!!) really is dreadful and very draining. Hope things continue to get better!

Thanks. Pretty fed up, keep thinking tomorrow is the day it will be gone... Throbs at night, but still nowhere as bad as the pain of the actual abscess!

Ah... Dental abscess is horrendous. I had one at the beginning of lockdown, I was desperate for some help at the time, the pain sent me half-crazy but is all a distant memory now thank goodness. I hope it gets better soon. (my chin swelled, rather than my whole face... it was an interesting look! - My kids just laughed at me for the duration - which I am fine with now but at the time.... well lets just say they were poking the bear and were lucky to come off unscathed! (joke obviously))

Wonder if GP could prescribe some stronger painkillers (if you could manage them). I had a terrible case of strep throat recently and couldn't swallow my own saliva (sorry!) and GP gave me some stronger stuff. Might be worth a shot.

Had this last weekend. I’d take childbirth over the pain any time. It was horrific!
I had some amoxicillin and metronidazole for the infection and also an extraction.
hardly anything kept the pain at bay before the extraction, but the most effective I found was alternating Ibuprofen and Paramol. Also come Clove oil and orajel helped ever so slightly.

Four days past extraction and still swollen (but easing slowly) and painful. Feels like it's never going to go!

I can at least eat pretty normally now albeit on one side, as my mouth actually opens but does anyone know when it's safe for me to eat rice again?

The clot hasn't budged at all and I've had no bleeding since I was at the dentist so I figure it must be healing okay.