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Original poster

I've got a dental abscess and need some support

40 replies

sleepsforwimps · 08/02/2009 22:31

It started a couple of days ago, it's hell to bite on, my face is swollen and i feel like complete crap.

I had an emergency appointment yesterday at the hospital where a dentist prodded my tooth and asked if it hurt and gave me some antibiotics, oh and a letter to give to my dentist who i'm to make an appointment with. That was it.

I'm being a complete wimp, i'm scared what they will do to get rid of it... I'm worrying if they will make an appointment asap or will i have to take the course of antibiotics first and then be seen...

I've had problems with this tooth in the past where a filling fell out where i'd broken it years ago and i left it while i was pregnant. After i had my baby the tooth became unbearably painful and after a course of antibiotics and the tooth refilled it eventually settled down. Now this. I'm thinking should i just have it pulled and be done with it.. part of me just wants rid of the ruddy thing so i can't have anymore problems with it, but then again i'm quite attached to having teeth.

OP posts:

jasper · 10/02/2009 22:35

my blood pressure is going up reading this!
i am a dentist.

What the feck are these dentists doing insisting on saving a tooth you can't see , at the back of your mouth, when you yourself are not that keen to save it?

Here is what happens at Jasper's tooth emporium.

me :Hello sleepisforwimps, how can I help?

SIFW- My second from back tooth is killing me and I feel like crap

me : would you be happy to get the tooth taken out or are you particularly keen to hang on to it?

SIFW-Please just take it out.

me : Good plan. It's what I would recommend. Sit back , it should all be done in five minutes.

SIFW-What? Right now? Even though it is swollen? Don't I need antibiotics to get rid of the swelling ?

me : No. That is a complete myth that refused to die.Sit back and relax and I will numb it up and get it out in a jiffy.

SIFW -why thank you Jasper, you are very kind . have you really done the injection already? I never felt a thing!

jasper · 10/02/2009 22:44

I also work in the emergency evening clinic at the local dental hospital.

The procedure would be identical.

On most clinics patients express surprise that the tooth can be taken out there and then. This myth of having to take antibiotics first just refuses to go away and is a particularly cherished belief amongst older patients.

The dentists are closely monitored and if one is found to be repeatedly palming people off on antibiotics they are asked to to account for their (non) treatment.

There are some cases where giving antibiotics first is sensible ( too boring to go into) but it is NOT a routine requirement.

LightShinesInTheDarkness · 10/02/2009 23:20

jasper - thanks for your informed view. Its really useful.

I only did what I was told with the anti b's, sorry to have driven your BP into overdrive!

Original poster

sleepsforwimps · 10/02/2009 23:34

That is very interesting, i did actually ask him if he could take it out there and then and he said he couldn't...

I do think i'm better off without it, oh i wish i could go to Jaspers tooth emporium, do you do a mobile service lol That was the exact conversation i was hoping for, i especially liked the ending where i didn't feel a thing with the injection. Oh to eat again on both sides and shut my mouth without pain would be lovely.

OP posts:

jasper · 10/02/2009 23:40

the REAL reason they can't take it out there and then (other than in a few exceptions ) is pressure of time!

lightshines it is not you that made my bp go up - have a wild guess why so many patients think you need antibiotics first ?..............

Because there are still dentists out there peddling that nonsense!
I think some of them actually believe it

jasper · 10/02/2009 23:44

Also lots of patients don't want the tooth out here and then - they need to work themselves up to the big event and are happy to be given antibiotics and come back a week later.

It is a bit of a misuse of antibiotics though

Original poster

sleepsforwimps · 11/02/2009 11:32

Ok the swelling has mostly gone but i've now got a painful lump right under my tooth. Oh dear god someone tell me is it going to burst? i want to prepare myself for that if it is, it feels like it needs to do something..

OP posts:

oldraver · 12/02/2009 17:24

Sleep

Had similar problem to you.. an filling came out as tooth crumbled more and I was too wimp to do anything about. Left it for a year and it did start to hurt. I felt a lump on the gum and went to look in the loos at work and when I gently prodded touched i, it burst, and it was a little bit relieved. It left a whole going through my gum to the other side of the tooth. I still left it and it did get an abccess that needed two lots of anti-biotics.

The tooth was too crumbled to save and I did have root canal work done and finally a crown. Root Canal was actually ok, my dentists was very liberal with pain relief and I think this helped. It did take about four visits over a number of weeks

Niecie · 12/02/2009 17:39

I had a lump on my gum after an abcess. Unfortunately the dentist had done the root canal already so I had to have it redone but it probably won't burst. Mine didn't whilst I was waiting for the appointment and it was quite a while. Mind you, weirdly it wasn't that painful, just lumpy!

For what it is worth I had two teeth that broke a couple of years ago (not at the same time - I just ignored one and then the other crumbled so they were treated at the same time) I had the one at the back, one tooth in, removed and you can't see the gap at all. DH has had the same thing and I never see his gap either.

Having a crown is expensive and if there isn't much tooth, not likely to last. I had my second broke tooth crowned and at the time I wish I hadn't as it took 4 appointments to do it. I only put up with it because there was enough tooth left to make the crown likely to last longer and it was further forward.

Original poster

sleepsforwimps · 13/02/2009 09:13

Thanks for your replies, i've decided to have the tooth removed, then at least i know i won't have anymore trouble with it. Oh and it burst what a relief the pressure was awful.

OP posts:

LightShinesInTheDarkness · 13/02/2009 21:38

Bet it was a relief when it burst and now you have made a decision it will probably be a relief as well.

I had a tooth removed and it was quite sore afterwards, but not unbearable.

whinegums · 14/02/2009 22:34

Hi sleeps, just popping in to see how you're getting on. Wish I lived near Jasper's Tooth Emporium too!

I had a wisdom tooth out when I was pg, it was fine, I took some paracetamol and codeine afterwards, no problems, hope yours goes well.

ABetaDad · 14/02/2009 22:48

I just came across this thread.

The Jaspers Tooth Emporium comment is exactly what happened to me.

The dentist said "do you want it out?"

I said "yes".

He checked to see if the tooth was really dead by holding something really cold against it. After two seconds of agonising pain he peeled me off the ceiling, declared the tooth dead and then took it out. He then gave me a prescription for antibiotics.

It was the second to back to - the gap is OK. The only problem is that without the tooth in the space the other teeth at the back have slighly loosened up so that I have a slight gap between them that bits of meat get stuck in. I just floss regularly.

BuckBuckMcFate · 14/02/2009 22:58

Jasper, May I ask you a question?

I should've gone for a filling and I didn't. Tooth now in a pretty bad way and think it needs to come out.

I have had one out before and gripped the dentist by the front of her coat the entire time

I'm embarrassed to admit that the only thing that goes through my head is knocking the dentists head off

I'm always worried I'm going to hit the dentist

Have you dealt with potentially violent patients? What do I saY?

Technofairy · 14/02/2009 23:10

Same as ABetaDad. My dentist didn't hesitate to whip out my back tooth when I had an abcess. Utter agony it was as well, thought I was going to overdose on paracetamol and nurofen - DP had to practically wrestle the pliers out of my hand at 3am! I didn't have antibiotics either afterwards and it healed very quickly.

When I had another abcess - unlucky or what - on a tooth closer to the front of my mouth though the dentist was confident she could save my tooth and I had root canal work - which was absolutely fine - and I'm now waiting for a crown fitting. Again, no antibiotics.

Perhaps I'm being very cynical Jasper - I certainly wish your profession no disrespect, I have often wanted to kiss my dentist out of sheer gratitude - but perhaps some dentists think more of the money that can be made from root canal work (£350!)and protracted efforts to save a dying tooth, private not NHS obv, rather than just pulling the damn thing out.

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