Abscess - wisdom tooth.

[VeryScaredGirl]

I managed to see an emergency dentist today. And by see I mean he looked at me from a distance, could see the swelling as prescribed me antibiotics as it was too painful for me to even bite down for an X-ray

He said I have an abscess in what looks like a wisdom tooth.
He’s made an urgent referral to hospital to have it removed under general anaesthetic.
And given me antibiotics.

Questions:

Will the antibiotics get rid of the pain whilst I wait for treatment?

How likely is it the infection will come back and how quickly?

What happens if it returns before my appointment comes up? There’s a risk of it not then responding to antibiotics. What happens then?

Is there anything I can do to minimise the risk whilst I’m waiting. Salt water rinses after food, avoiding eating on that side etc?

A friend recommended having it dressed and medicated whilst I wait to minimise the risk of it returning whilst I wait. What does that involve?


I have made an appointment at a trauma and anxiety specialist dentist tomorrow to meet the team and hopefully find a dental team I feel safe with.
They said they can give me oral sedatives to calm me down enough for the IV if things get really bad.
They also do hypnotherapy and holistic cognitive treatment. So I’m hoping after a few incidences of getting treatment under IV and getting the worst tooth dealt with I can then look at managing the fear and my mindset. Best of both worlds. Trying to take control back from my fear!

 

[Gordon]

Will the antibiotics get rid of the pain whilst I wait for treatment?

Probably.

How likely is it the infection will come back and how quickly?

Quite likely. It could be months or years. Not likely to be less than 6 weeks.

What happens if it returns before my appointment comes up? There’s a risk of it not then responding to antibiotics. What happens then?

Different antibiotics.

Is there anything I can do to minimise the risk whilst I’m waiting. Salt water rinses after food, avoiding eating on that side etc?

Nope none of that will make any difference.
You want your immune system working at full efficiency. Try to eat well, take it easy on the alcohol, exercise a bit and don't smoke (if you can!).

A friend recommended having it dressed and medicated whilst I wait to minimise the risk of it returning whilst I wait. What does that involve?

Not likely to help in this case.

 

[VeryScaredGirl]

Thank you so much Gordon. They’ve said the wait list as an emergency referral is around 12 months so panicking that it might return every 6 weeks and I’ll need antibiotics each time and they will stop working.

Once I’m out of pain I’m going to try ringing other hospitals to see if their lists are shorter to try and get seen quicker but with the situation as it is I’m not very hopeful.

I don’t drink alcohol at all and I don’t smoke and never have luckily so got that going for me.


I have a couple of auto-immune diseases (psoriasis and arthritis) so not a weakened immune system as such as I’m not on any medication like that (have previously been on methotrexate).
I am on topical steroids as needed but that’s it.
More my immune system prefers to focus on kicking my ass for me lol sometimes. But I think that’s as a result of an over-active immune system?

Does that put me at more risk of anything? Like an infection turning septic etc. I know you specifically mentioned things like AIDS, cancer etc.

I try and eat as well as I can however I currently have post-infectious IBS which means I can’t eat lactose, wheat, fruit or veg as my body can’t digest them.
I’m taking probiotics to try and make my tummy as healthy as it can be so that I can manage antibiotics and eat as well as I can.
I have a lot of fish and things.
Does r

 

[Gordon]

Hopefully your new dental team can get you in quickly and you can get the abscessed tooth removed under IV? Much quicker than waiting for an outpatient GA these days. Covid has really done a number on dental waiting lists.

Me too on the psoriasis front, one thing that helps mine a lot is to take a Vitamin D supplement daily, it really keeps mine under control.
No, you're not at any higher risk of sepsis, your immune system is a bit hyperactive, rather than the opposite