😫 Swollen Gum above back top molar that broke off, just root remains - anxious ISSUE pls help!

[Tiger5]

So I’ve been dealing with 2 bad back molars for years now. One on each side. The one giving me trouble at the moment is top right back molar. I recently have been favouring that side to chew on. 2 nights ago I had a organic coco pop cereal that was like hard Little Rock’s lol, & yesterday I woke up with the gum swollen on the side (cheek side of the gum) just above where an old sharp tooth root sits. Today it is still swollen, I can feel it with my tongue. No pain , no fever, no bad taste nothing just the swollen bit of gum next to it. It’s like a mound. So when I pry my mouth open with finger I can see the gum is not flush but raised at the side. Pic attached for reference. I’m scared , is this an emergency? I’ve started taking amoxicillin yesterday afternoon incase of infection. The only other thing is my cheek on that side looks a tiny bit fuller no one else can notice it but me. No pain when I press cheek only tender when I directly press the gum part that is swollen above that broken molar. Please let me know if I’ll be okay? This is not an emergency is it!?

 

[Tiger5]

Hello I was wondering if anyone can help me with this? Thank you in advance

 

[letsconnect]

Hi, it sounds like an abscess (for more info on what an abscess is, see here). It would be a good idea to get it taken care of on your own terms, rather than wait until it causes you a lot of pain, but I know that's easier said than done .

It's not an emergency unless you're in pain... if you're not in pain currently, you'd be better off keeping the antibiotics for a real emergency!

 

[Tiger5]

How can it be an abscess if it’s not painful , no pus, no face swelling, no bad taste ??? Is something going to happen to me over night ???

 

[Tiger5]

Thank you for your reply !!! Is it possible it’s NOT an abscess?? I hurt it the night before all this happened. Is it possible it’s inflamed swelling due to hurting gum as I have sharp root in the tooth that’s left ?. There is absolutely no pain, no swelling of face, no bad taste, no fever, no redness just pink gum, no drainage hole or pus ?? It feels like the rest of my gum, just a mound over the top , and it’s directly above that left over tooth I hurt with hard cereal. Sorry I’m freaking out as I have health anxiety after my dad passed a yr ago ever since then all health things make me spiral ugh.

 

[Gordon]

It's an abscess. It's not painful because the infection has broken out of the bone and is causing the swelling, so there isn't any pressure from it. Pressure causes the pain.

 

[Tiger5]

So what do I do Gordon??? It’s Sunday dentist isn’t open I’m worried

 

[Tiger5]

@Gordon does this mean something catastrophic can happen between now and tomorrow??? I have no symptoms , aside from the visual mound, which is not like a pimple or bump it’s more like a smooth mount that goes over the gum on the side of the gum that’s on the outer part of gum. Sorry I am a massive stress head and really need some help before I can get to the dentist tomorrow?? I have been taking 3x amoxcillin since Friday morning it’s Sunday morning now. I have also been doing salt water rinses. Taking amoxicillin is NOT going to mask infection spreading in my body is it, things like sepsis etc?
I apologise as I understand you probably deal with & reply to people like me all the time, but I’m a bit stressed, thank you

 

[Tiger5]

@Gordon does this mean something catastrophic can happen between now and tomorrow??? I have no symptoms , aside from the visual mound, which is not like a pimple or bump it’s more like a smooth mount that goes over the gum on the side of the gum that’s on the outer part of gum. Sorry I am a massive stress head and really need some help before I can get to the dentist tomorrow?? I have been taking 3x amoxcillin since Friday morning it’s Sunday morning now. I have also been doing salt water rinses. Taking amoxicillin is NOT going to mask infection spreading in my body is it, things like sepsis etc?
I apologise as I understand you probably deal with & reply to people like me all the time, but I’m a bit stressed, thank you. Pic of it this morning attached

 

[letsconnect]

@Tiger5 This question about infections spreading and sepsis pops up all the time here, Gordon must be answering this exact same question on a weekly basis! So we've made a sticky on it in the FAQ section, have a read:

K

Thread 'Can infections from teeth spread to the body?'

Mar 16, 2018

Had an abscess over a year now. Probably closer to two. Cause me no bother at all and I have one of those little gum books next to the tooth so I know it’s draining. I am terrified of getting this tooth removed as I went to have it removed when it first abscessed. The dentist injected it about 12 times and it wouldn’t go numb. Iv only been back since once but about a different tooth. I am laying awake at night crying thinking this is going to kill me and leave my babies without a mum. But I still jus can’t bring myself to go to the dentist. So
I just wondering how often these things...

• Karli
• Replies: 14
• Forum: Frequently Asked Questions

 

[Gordon]

does this mean something catastrophic can happen between now and tomorrow?

No.

 

[Tiger5]

@Gordon well I’ve finally plucked up the courage to book dentist & have it extracted my very back left bottom molar has grey & black decayed / rotten which is due to my 2 last molar cracking off at the gum line years ago. So now I have my back one that needs removing & the roots of the 2nd last one because I put off dentist so long … well I infact canceled my appts a few times due to the anxiety … reading so many post on here I am finally doing it … I’m booked in 9 September… I’m sick of dealing with on off worry with these teeth … every time it flares up it gives me panic & that stress is probably worse than actually getting it finally removed! I’ve given birth to a child surly I can get a tooth removed! In the mean time I am gargling salt water brushing after all food … I can feel slight disturbance in that very back molar because of how badly decayed it is now another question would I need antibiotics before the extraction?? Aka amoxicillin?

 

[Gordon]

I wouldn't think there's any need for antibiotics. I'm sure you'll find the whole thing easier than you expected once you actually get in there and do it.

Seeing as you bring up childbirth. I used to be based in a Maternity hospital (it's a long story!) and frequently got called over to the Mat wards to deal with some kind of dental issue. One morning I had to go and see a lady who had just given birth to a 7.5kg baby boy (that's about 16lbs for our US readers)... according to the midwife, she'd been complaining more about her sore tooth during the delivery than the birth itself