Really worrying about abscessed tooth.

[MountainMama]

EDIT: Thank you so much Mountain Mama. I just saw your reply.

I called my dentist. She said it could go to my brain. But, it's highly unlikely. That it only happens in extreme cases and there's very few documented cases of that.

No reassurance there.

She does just think it's my anxiety though. And, I cannot get myself calm.

Well, they can't legally tell you that it can't happen, so that is to be expected.

The extreme cases would be like what Gordon said earlier, about having an underlying condition, or the infection going untreated for many years. Almost all the cases you see online are where the tooth was untreated, no antibiotics, and no dental care, along with an unknown heart condition or immune disorder

Seriously, you are going to be just fine. You are on antibiotics (pretty strong ones), and are otherwise healthy. Your body's immune system is an amazing thing.

 

[woooried]

Yay immune system.

I hope I don't have an underlying immune disorder. Also. I know I need to quit. But, I smoke. That won't make it more likely right?

i was just on the line with ask a nurse for 45 mins. She said that since I am not running a fever or having speech problems that she don't think there was any reason for me to seek emergency help. She also told me that I need to actually listen to the medical professionials. But, that is so hard for me to do. Also, the dentist scared me saying that it's possible. She did say that it was highly unlikely. But, she didn't say specifically for me.

 

[Enarete]

So glad to read that you got an earlier appointment! Just hang on there. Anxiety and lack of sleep can cause tinitus and a lot of different symptoms as in both cases your brain is not working how it usually does.
Keeping my fingers crossed for the time til you appointment to pass as quickly as possible and good luck tomorrow!

 

[woooried]

I know it's gonna hurt horribly tomorrow. As long as it's gone I don't care.

I don't know how it's gonna completely ease my fears to have it gone though. Unless they can tell me without a doubt that it hasn't reached my brain.

i feel like there is a rubber band around my head. And, I just woke up. Maybe it's a tension headache.

 

[woooried]

Just woke up from my second nap of the day. Still have a headache.

I am so afraid what what the oral surgeon is going to say and do.

What if he says that it did go to my brain?

 

[grumpybear]

If your oral surgeon suspects that the infection did spread to your brain, he will send you for a CT or MRI scan. If the scans come back positive for an abscess in the brain, I'm not sure what treatment entails, but have read that depending on size of the abscess, treatment would likely involve antibiotics and or surgical drainage of the abscess. Don't obsess over it, just go and see what the oral surgeon says and then take it from there one step at a time.

 

[woooried]

If you pray. Please pray for me and that it didn't go to my brain. If you don't please think good thoughts for me. I have never had surgery before and if they tell me I need brain surgery I probably will die.

I don't think I am strong enough to survive something like that.

But, here is some kinda good news. I woke up feeling alright. Except for a bit of fuzziness in my head. And some shakiness. Which, could be lingering anxiety.

 

[grumpybear]

I have prayed for you. It will be fine. Come back and update how your appointment went.

 

[MountainMama]

Are you prepared to believe your oral surgeon when they tell you that the infection has not spread to your brain? I hope it goes well for you today and you can get some relief. Let us know afterwards.

 

[woooried]

If he tells me I am fine. I will believe it.

I just have this feeling that I'm not. I have a headache and it's dull and that's a symptom.

I will try and update later.

grumpybear. Thanks for your prayers.

 

[woooried]

I went. They said in my case it's probably not what is happening. They only had me in for a consult. Even though I begged politely to have it pulled today. But, they wouldn't. Thursday is when it gets pulled.

 

[MountainMama]

If he tells me I am fine. I will believe it.

I just have this feeling that I'm not. I have a headache and it's dull and that's a symptom.

I will try and update later.

grumpybear. Thanks for your prayers.

Good. I am glad to hear you will believe him. That should ease your mind. Headache is one symptom, but it is usually a sharp pain concentrated in one area also, with a fever, and nausea or dizziness, disorientation, and confusion.
I have prayed for you as well. I know how hard it is to let go of fear and worry.

 

[woooried]

I am having confusion and dizziness at times (especially when I wake up) But, anxiety can also cause that. Even though I never had it before these past three weeks with my anxiety and sometimes one side hurts more. It's just a sharp pain every now and then and then it goes away.

i'm still worried.

I believe him to an extent. I am trying to believe him completely. Just due to that "probably" not with no actual CT scan referral and acting like I can wait the 2 days. It's a case of everything thinks I'm alright but me.

my headache has pretty much went away. I still feel out of it though. Just out of it.

thank you for the prayers mountain mama.

 

[MountainMama]

I am having confusion and dizziness at times (especially when I wake up) But, anxiety can also cause that. Even though I never had it before these past three weeks with my anxiety and sometimes one side hurts more. It's just a sharp pain every now and then and then it goes away.

i'm still worried.

I believe him to an extent. I am trying to believe him completely. Just due to that "probably" not with no actual CT scan referral and acting like I can wait the 2 days. It's a case of everything thinks I'm alright but me.

my headache has pretty much went away. I still feel out of it though. Just out of it.

thank you for the prayers mountain mama.

I will keep praying for you. We are all here because we have fears and worries. Try to take peace in the fact that they didn't think it was urgent enough to pull right then. When my husband went in with his abscessed tooth, the dentist told his assistant to clear his schedule for the next hour because he had to get that tooth out immediately, as it was badly infected.

I know how disappointing and worrying it is to have to wait. The whole "consult" before the actual appointment thing here in the U.S. makes me angry, because the dentist sends the specialist all the info they need to do the procedure, yet they have to "look" at the tooth, then charge you $100 plus to say they agree with the dentist, and make you come back another time. Grr.

 

[woooried]

It's terrible. I started feeling bad about a day after the first dentist appointment. It's like no one I see is taking it seriously. And, yes. I am trying to make peace with that. But, there's a nagging fear that they are doing this on purpose or...it's just my time and that's why no one is suspicious.

I am 31. I am not ready to die.

 

[MountainMama]

It's terrible. I started feeling bad about a day after the first dentist appointment. It's like no one I see is taking it seriously. And, yes. I am trying to make peace with that. But, there's a nagging fear that they are doing this on purpose or...it's just my time and that's why no one is suspicious.

I am 31. I am not ready to die.

I know it is really hard to put your fears aside, but remember that the medical and dental professionals are not going to brush you off if they truly feel as though you had an infection that was going to kill you. They have seen major infections many times, and we have to trust that with their experience and training, they know more than we do. If the oral surgeon truly thought your infection even had a chance of going to your brain, and that you were in danger, he would have scheduled an emergency appointment right then and there.

 

[woooried]

I know. The symptoms I am having scare me so much though.

 

[MountainMama]

I know. The symptoms I am having scare me so much though.

I understand. I tend to be a worrier as well, especially when I do not understand what is going on. I have been dealing with an aching jaw for 3 months now, but no definite tooth causing the problem, and it has recently gotten worse. I also have a failed root canal that is still infected, causing chronic sinus infections, and a stomach ulcer from meds given to me after my last oral surgery. So I get the scary symptoms. My last four months have been a battle for sanity, and trying to avoid getting depressed from never ending teeth and health issues. Then my husband's friend's wife, who is around my age, was just diagnosed with cancer again, after having been in remission for years, and it put everything in perspective for me.

 

[woooried]

I am so sorry to hear the struggles you are going through as well Mountain Mama. Prayers for you.

I was talking to someone who works at my grocery store and he said that he got meningitis from an abscessed tooth. I think that would show on a blood test though. Plus I don't have a stiff neck or a fever. I do regret talking to him about this though because I am now convinced I have it and he told me the hospital up here is crap. So...I think if I feel the need to go the ER again. I will go to the city over from where I live.

I feel a bit better right now. I had to go get some soda for my mom (she has a sodium problem...it goes low) so it's all she can drink as not to deplete her sodium and I got some pizza for dinner.

 

[Gordon]

Pizza is good for everything wrong with the world. I built a wood fired oven in my back garden just for the pizza

You can't get meningitis from an abscessed tooth. That person was an idiot and that's being unkind to idiots