Possible Dental abscess and swollen lip. What will the dentist likely do?

[pandy123]

Hi All.

Yesterday my front right tooth became very sensitive to pressure. It wasn't overly painful. I managed it with ibuprofen and codeine. In the late evening, my lip started to feel funny, like it was full of sand. So I put an icepack on it overnight. This morning I woke up and the tooth is no longer sensitive or painful, but my upper lip and partly up the right-hand side of my nose has swollen slightly. It isn't visibly swollen unless you look closely, but I can feel it, and movement of my upper lip is restricted.

I have an extreme fear of the dentist, one that stopped me from going to the dentist for years. I'm terrified that he is going to pull my tooth. He referred me to an anxiety dentist 6 months ago, and my treatment isn't due to start until June. I phoned the anxiety dentist first to see if they could fit me in, but they cannot. So I phoned my dentist and explained to the receptionist that my lip is swollen. She initially told me there were no emergency slots available today, but once I told her about the swelling, she told me to get there for 6pm tonight, so it sounds like its serious.

I'm in the UK. Will the dentist just examine it and give me some antibiotics or is he going to pull my tooth? I'm only 24 and it's my front tooth. I start a new job on Tuesday so it will be incredibly embarrassing for me if it is pulled. Plus I'm a massive wimp, with anxiety, and a sensitive gag reflex.

I hope someone can put my mind slightly at ease.

 

[letsconnect]

Re: Possible Dental abscess and swollen lip. What will the dentist likely do?

Hi, in all likelihood, you will be prescribed an antibiotic (and hopefully, the infection will stay away until you can be seen by the dentists at the community dental service). And sorry to hear that the next available slot isn't until June - seems to be quite a common pattern these days .

Good luck with your appointment tonight

 

[pandy123]

Re: Possible Dental abscess and swollen lip. What will the dentist likely do?

Hi, in all likelihood, you will be prescribed an antibiotic (and hopefully, the infection will stay away until you can be seen by the dentists at the community dental service). And sorry to hear that the next available slot isn't until June - seems to be quite a common pattern these days .

Good luck with your appointment tonight

Thanks Letsconnect, you were right.
The dentist had a look and gave me a prescription for a weeks course of amoxicillin.

 

[letsconnect]

Re: Possible Dental abscess and swollen lip. What will the dentist likely do?

Thanks for the update, and good luck with your new job !