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My father has a tooth infection and I am worried

  • Thread starter 16andbadteethandgums
  • Start date
16andbadteethandgums

16andbadteethandgums

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I was on the phone with my father yesterday and he mentioned he couldn’t eat something, and when I asked about it he said his tooth was painful and he couldn’t eat anything hard, and it had begun just then. I thought it was just a bad sinus issue and let it be. Today I met him and it turns out he can’t eat anything hot or cold either because it makes the tooth hurt. I asked him if it hurts all the time amd how he was managing it and he said that it was painful all the time, and it interfered with his sleep because he couldn’t lie down so he put this herb(?) concoction on it and took some painkiller and it dulled the pain enough to allow him to sleep. He also has some malaise. I got worried and told him he should go to the dentist but he says he’ll wait until Sunday or Monday to book an appointment(he’s a bit of a dental phobic like me). Since I have made a pact not to google, I’m asking here instead.
Three questions -
1: Does it sound like a tooth abscess or infection? Will slathering this concoction on the tooth make it worse?
2: If it is and infection, should I tell him to go to the emergency room or is it enough to wait for a few days? what is the threshold?
3: What are the chances of someone dying from a tooth? Or at least getting seriously ill? Someone I know got some heart inflammation from a tooth apparently, will it happen to my father too?

I really don’t know why these teeth have been plaguing my life ever since I began thinking about them... if it’s not me it’s someone in the family. Sorry for the incessant barrageof questions, I acknowledge that they are kind of stupid but I need to know.
 
The impact of a tooth infection on the heart is a long process that takes time. It sounds like your father should see a dentist. If the Covid situation does not allow that and you are certain it is a dental infection, an antibiotics course might be in order.
Does he have removable denatures?
 
Does he have removable denatures?
Oh he should, but he didn’t get any :( I think it adds to his reluctance to go, it’s just one thing for the tooth and then the Dr. will see the periodontal disease and missing teeth...
Should he go to the ER immediately? Can they supply the antibiotics?
 
The ER can supply the prescription for antibiotics. Also a family physician.
 
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