How long can I put up with an infection (and panic!)

[Gilbo]

Hi. I have/had an infection in a cracked tooth. I have seen my dentist twice about this and he gave me first a course of 200mg Metronidazole (the only antibiotic I'm good with), and then a couple weeks later, another course of the same, but this time 400mg tablets. I don't know if it's still infected as, with both courses, the pain never diminished! I now have just over five weeks until I can see him again, for a root-canal. I am in a lot of pain, but on and off. Sometimes it aches and throbs and sometimes only hurts (quite a lot!) when I bite down on something. My panic stems from the thought of having to wait so long and the fact that this tooth was filled a long time ago and twice now, the inside wall of the tooth has broken off. both times he managed to shore it up with filling, but this time he says he doesn't know how well it will take when he does the rc on it! I have already lost one molar and suffered a lot with that and don't want to lose another tooth! (Still saving up for an implant, why DO they cost so much?) My questions are 1) is it okay to put up with a possibly still infected tooth for five weeks? and 2) do you think this root-canal will work on a badly broken tooth? The tooth is the second molar in from my lower right (removed) wisdom tooth, which would again leave a single molar, should this one be removed. Many thanks for any help.

 

[Gordon]

My questions are 1) is it okay to put up with a possibly still infected tooth for five weeks?

OK in what sense? It's not going to do you any major harm, but only you can decide if you can put up with the pain for that long.

and 2) do you think this root-canal will work on a badly broken tooth?

No way to tell in advance, sorry.

 

[Gilbo]

OK thanks. I think I was worrying too much, in that, I read that an infected tooth if left too long, can have life-threatening consequences! But I could find no more than that, so began to panic about it. As long as it's not THAT bad, then it'll be soft foods and painkillers for most of that time. Thanks for your help.

 

[Gordon]

OK thanks. I think I was worrying too much, in that, I read that an infected tooth if left too long, can have life-threatening consequences!

Only in remarkably rare cases and mostly in the 3rd world. In over 40 years in dentistry I've never seen such a case in person.