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Extremely scared of antibiotics not working for a gum/tooth infection.

W

woooried

Member
Joined
Aug 29, 2018
Messages
51
About a year ago. I broke an eye tooth. I started having horrible pain issues with it in December and I kept putting off going to the dentist because of my fear and anxiety issues. Well, I put my fingers in my mouth to soothe it a lot and last Thursday I noticed that the gum above it had a boil/infection on it. So, I reluctantly went to the dentist finally. I was told to take antibiotics before I could have it pulled or a root canal performed. I've been on the antibiotics (clindamycin) for almost 2 days now and my gum is still swollen and actually feels more swollen than before I got them.

I am a habitual worrier and I am starting to have thoughts creep in about the antibiotics not working for some odd reason. I cannot move my appointment to have it removed up or I would. But, I did contact my dentist. Haven't heard back from her yet.

How long does it normally take for symptoms to clear up with Clindamycin? When should I be expecting it to kick in? Should I be worried more if it doesn't kick in within 5 days or so? Because, I read that sometimes it does take that long. But, what I'm hearing a lot more is 24-48 hours and I'm almost past the 48 hour mark.

Help please.
 
Everybody is different and sometimes it does take a little while for it to start to kick in. If you are very worried though, you should call the dentist and let them know. It is possible that they could call in a prescription for a different antibiotic without you needing to go back to the dentist. Most likely they will tell you to give it a little more time. Warm salt water rinses can help speed up healing as well. I hope you start feeling better soon!
 
I called my dentist and my pharmacist. Dentist said if it didn't improve in 48 hours (which it hasn't) to go the hospital or emergency dentist. I cannot go the emergency dentist. I don't have the money at all. I am in the hole from what I just had done as the insurance did not pay for all of it. No money at all and no one to borrow from.

The pharmacist said what some people online have said. That the pills can take up to 96 hours to work.

Problem is. It's Labor Day weekend coming up and waiting till Tuesday make not be feasible. I don't even know if my dentist can get me in then.

I asked my dentist if I would be fine waiting till my actual appointment date. Which is the 11th. She said yes. But, I am freaking out. I don't want to die. How long can someone have an abscess and not die. This came up last week.
 
When you called the dentist, did they mean for you to wait an additional 48 hours or to go to the hospital right away? If they meant an additional than it would be the same as the pharmacists advice. Are you in any pain? If it were me and I was not in pain and was already taking antibiotics, I would wait it out until Tuesday. I'm sure the dentist will be able to squeeze you in for an emergency. They usually leave a little wiggle room in the schedule for that. But I am not a medical professional, this is just my own opinion. Do you have a primary care doctor? Perhaps you can give them a call to get another opinion about what you should do. I totally understand the money problem. Medical and dental costs are through the roof and dental insurance especially gets used up so quickly.
 
They meant immediately. Which, doesn't even seem long enough to tell whether the antibiotics are working are not.

I'm just frightened that they aren't and told the dentist.

Can swelling just not go down even with antibiotics? Or is that a sign they aren't working?

I hope they can squeeze me in Friday. She said that I should be ok by the 11th. But, my health anxiety is saying otherwise. I'm so afraid these antibiotics aren't doing anything. I rarely even take antibiotics but I have read so much about resistance.

Also, I am not in any pain. My nodes a bit swollen on that side though.

I guess I can call my Primary Care doctor tomorrow. I would today. But, he's closed. I went to him on Friday and he just shrugged me off without anything to help my infection. So, I don't know. He's not the greatest.

I feel like my anxiety is telling me everything is out to kill me. And, my anxiety won't go down because I have barely had any sleep. I have to pop one of these pills every six hours. Which, barely leaves me any time to sleep at all.
 
Last edited:
woooried,

sadly I don't have any advice about the antibiotics or where to go, but here is a post that might sooth your worries of dying from the abscess:


Hope your dentist can sweeze you on Friday or that the swelling goes down by itself.

All the best wishes and keep us posted
 
I can't even get in on Friday. My insurance has it where I can only have one dentist appointment a month. So, I've got till at least Wednesday (They aren't opened on Tuesdays) if they can cram me in there.

I have such bad health anxiety that this is driving me batty. I keep thinking it's going down. And, the next min I feel of it and it feels like it hasn't changed or it's swollen more. I keep thinking I am going to die and feeling this horrible impending sense of doom. It's like a boulder on my chest. I am extremely afraid of this.

Thanks for posting that. I saw it earlier. But, I just cannot make it seem like it applies to me. Because, my abscess isn't draining. I needed to see it again.
 
I can't even get in on Friday. My insurance has it where I can only have one dentist appointment a month. So, I've got till at least Wednesday (They aren't opened on Tuesdays) if they can cram me in there.

I have such bad health anxiety that this is driving me batty. I keep thinking it's going down. And, the next min I feel of it and it feels like it hasn't changed or it's swollen more. I keep thinking I am going to die and feeling this horrible impending sense of doom. It's like a boulder on my chest. I am extremely afraid of this.

Thanks for posting that. I saw it earlier. But, I just cannot make it seem like it applies to me. Because, my abscess isn't draining. I needed to see it again.

1 appointment/ month is something I haven't seen yet but this is the general trend in ALL third party payors of limiting care in medical and dental.
As to a general answer to a non-responsive infection the treatment is always surgical either surgical drainage, open debridement, or amputation. This answer is not addressed to your needs but in general rather it be dentistry or medicine. I have never known of a patient dying from a dental infection when they have received appropriate care in a reasonable time frame. People have died from late interventions and I'm sure that there have been cases when all correct measures were taken and the infection advanced. There is a serious growing problem of antibiotic resistance. This is chiefly due from the gross abuse over many years. The basic problem is that what might be prudent and best for an individual might be bad for the collective. This overuse leads to resistance and the last I knew over 25,000 died in USA from resistant infections.
As to the OP if your face swells more or your eye doesn't open right then consider this a medical emergency and go to the ER. You will receive emergent tx there.
 
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