I went to the dentist almost two weeks ago for a pretty massive tooth infection. He gave me antibiotics and while I started to feel better and the swelling went down, I’m hurting again. I think the infection is returning. Did he give me the wrong antibiotic?
Caitlin
Dear Caitlin,
There’s been some miscommunication here somewhere. An antibiotic is only a temporary aid to hold off a tooth infection. It will NOT heal the infection. The fact that you started to feel better shows that your dentist had you on the correct prescription. Your infection started to improve. However, no antibiotic will completely remove the infection. For that to happen, a dentist has to get in there and physically remove the infected tissue.
This is because the pulp of the tooth dies. When that happens there is no blood flow in the tooth. Therefore there is no way for the antibiotic to reach the root of the infection. A dentist will typically remove the infected pulp using one of two ways. He or she can either do a root canal treatment, or if the tooth cannot be saved, a tooth extraction.
It doesn’t sound like your dentist explained this to you very well and that concerns me. Hopefully, he understands that you needed follow up treatment. If not, you really need a different dentist. Tooth infections are considered a dental emergency. If you don’t get rid of the infection it will spread and become life-threatening.
Replacing a Lost Tooth
If it is too late to save the infected tooth, you will want to replace it. If you don’t, the other teeth will eventually shift or tip into the open space. This will throw off your bite. Not only could that be unattractive, but it could leave to TMJ Disorder, leaving you with pain and headaches.
For a single tooth, the best replacement option for a single tooth is a dental implant. It will be like having a healthy, natural tooth back in your jaw again.
This blog is brought to you by Decatur, AL Dentists Drs. Drake and Wallace.