How long before I die from this?

[jakesmith]

@Gordon

Thing is they're chalking up the severe pain on chewing to the decay extent entirely while insisting no abscess. They took a CBCT as well. They are adamant no infection or abscess, so am worried they won't debris it correctly if they do operate or aren't being forthcoming with me. The surgeon is highly rated though. The severe pain isn't on biting on top tooth for eg, but on chewing food. Prior providers said infection or abscess for months but current is constantly adamant no infection or abscess so i'm just confused as well.

The severe pain on chewing issue has been present for quite a few weeks including before i saw him. the pain only occurs on chewing. I even told them the same symptoms I told to you and they are still adamant no abscess.

They didn't think I needed antibiotics, but even if I took some old ones I don't know how to gauge if it was effective, I don't want to cause huge pain or cause lots of chipping from chewing on it.

Should I be going on antibiotics or something? I haven't found one I can tolerate and they have me scheduled out pretty far (weeks) and its not even clear if i can be medically cleared for it as it involves GA for a "zebra" condition. (dysautonomia, and he refused to operate on me in office). If the oral surgeon is right and no abscess then antibiotics could be unnecessarily dangerous as there's only one i haven't tried yet i was reserving for emergencies.

 

[Gordon]

No you don't need to take antibiotics. There will be a reasonable amount of drainage of the infection through the cavity so unless it gets bunged up with some food it'll hopefully not get any worse.

Technically, there isn't an abscess because the infection is draining out through the cavity so an abscess isn't forming. There is infection present but it's being managed by the fact that it's draining out and your immune system is able to cope with it.

 

[jakesmith]

I still have 0 symptoms if not chewing food on the aforementioned tooth in question. In fact i haven't chewed food on it for months now. But i anticipate i'd get severe pain if I do. It never had pain on pressing via a top tooth, just couldn't chew hard food due to severe pain on chewing hard food. I don't notice anything alarming in my mouth or elsewhere, no fever etc. Another tooth occasionally hurts without chewing, unlike the tooth in question. Don't have any date for extraction for either tooth due to having issues with dysautonomia, allergies, anxiety, and medical clearance.

My question is if you think it is an urgent issue or if I will still be ok, like if it has reached some chronic state that isn't particularly dangerous if ignored indefinitely. I don't really have many options for dealing with it but was thinking of seeing an allergist because most dentists in my area won't deal with anything that has a history of infection without at least some antibiotics, and I also don't want to need emergency ones but have no oral options. If I ever noticed anything like fever, facial swelling, ludwigs, painful swallowing, or difficulty swallowing (none of which I have) obviously I'd go to the ED.

 

[Gordon]

My question is if you think it is an urgent issue or if I will still be ok, like if it has reached some chronic state that isn't particularly dangerous if ignored indefinitely.

It's only urgent if it starts causing a lot of pain or swelling. If it remains as is then it's not really a problem, it's not great but it's OK.

I would happily swipe a tooth with those symptoms without wasting antibiotics on it