If gum/tooth is infected, does an abscess usually form sooner than later?

[Soma]

My dentist is took x-rays and did his check list to on me to and didn't see any sign of infection. Fixed bite, he saw no signs at all of anything wrong. - but I'm still getting an on and off dull ache in my teeth surrounding a tooth I had root canaled a year ago. I'm sure it changes from person to person, but if it is infected, do these things usually escolate quickly? He's taking the 'wait and see' approach but I'm just obsessing over it. When will I know if I'm in the clear? It's not that painful at all, just a dull pressure/ache. But I'm worrying so much over it I'm considering having him knock me out and extract it just so I can live again.

 

[mcfly666]

Re: If gum/tooth is infected, does an abscess usually form sooner than later?

A doctor here gave a good analogy once, if you have a failed RCT the bacteria in the tooth and your bodies immune system can create a balance in a healthy person.

Think of it as a war between good and evil, sometimes that balance can become upset and the good side looses ground, when that happens someone might experience pain and swelling. Sometimes its not bad enough for an abscess to form as the body is doing an adequate job of killing the infection and removing the dead cells.

Can't say for certain but I imagine most Dentists wont want to do something 'blind' and will wait till its either very painful or they can see something tangible on an xray.

On another more promising note, if you've had your bite adjusted you could just have angry/tender supporting tissues surrounding the tooth after the battering they have taken with poor bite. It could just die down after a while.

 

[Soma]

Re: If gum/tooth is infected, does an abscess usually form sooner than later?

Do you think antibiotics will help restore the balance? Or will the antibiotics actually hinder my immune system from doing it's natural thing?

I have amoxicillin (spelling) that my doctor gave me for my sinus infection, but I don't like taking meds if I can avoid it. So it's kind of the ace up my sleeve at this point.

 

[mcfly666]

Re: If gum/tooth is infected, does an abscess usually form sooner than later?

Yeah, Amoxicillin will help restore the balance if the pain is caused by bacteria in/around the tooth. And the balance can last for quite some time afterward, though if you get down the nasties in the tooth will find a way out if your immune system isn't 100%

Trouble is that even if you do have a balance there, the immune system could do without it. I don't think antibiotics directly cause your immune system to weaken, especially over the short term but they can devastate natural good bacteria in the body which perform many functions, some of which are linked to the immune system.

Maybe just leave it a while and see if it settles down, it could all be caused by a bad bite?

 

[Soma]

Re: If gum/tooth is infected, does an abscess usually form sooner than later?

The whole situation is really hard to pin down. It all started halfway through a 3 or 4 week sinus infection. My mouth is sorta like fireworks now. A pop and a twinge here one day, a pop and a twinge in a different place tomorrow. It gets better through the day, but when I wake up each morning I usually feel a slight pressure along the 3 teeth (one of which being the root canaled tooth) on the bottom back. My bite was adjusted a week ago, and it did help a bit, but I almost feel like now the other side of my mouth is slightly off. It could be the bite is still off, or maybe the bite is fixed and just needs more time.

I do hate antibiotics because I've heard how bad they can be for you, and also I don't want to turn this into a super bacteria. So I don't know.

The symptoms don't seem to be getting worse, and there are still no other signs other than pressure and sometimes a low throb if I poke around too much. I have started taking vitamin C supplements now, and I'm also trying the oil pulling thing. Honestly I close to just ignoring it from now on until something significant surfaces, it's consuming so much of my focus and it doesn't deserve it. I have already decided, if this thing doesn't get better I will have them knock me out and remove the tooth. It would be one less thing I have to worry about in life.