Severe infection, tooth pulled and no anti-biotics needed apparently!

[MissNervous]

I've always been scared of the dentist. I had a tooth extracted a few years back when I had an infection. No swelling etc just a bit of pain and throbbing but it needed to come out. Every dentist I saw refused to pull it because of the infection. I found a dentist who did take it out and all was okay. Today was a new dentist and my 1st check up with him. He said about fillings and one extraction. I said can't you just take it out now quickly as I won't have the courage again! He was like ok fine, quickly lie back down, I'll numb you then wait in the waiting room. So 10 minutes later calls me in. I asked if I had an infection and he said yes. He said I don't know how long this will take as it's a molar and you're pregnant so I can't x-ray you. Fine, ok. I could feel it. Like he was punching me in the jaw! I was saying ouch, that hurts, ouch, I can feel it for ages before he gave me another shot. He didn't wait for it to work, he carried on! Anyway, I felt it all and came out traumatised. Right now, my anxiety has kicked in telling me he shouldn't have taken it out with an infection and when I queried anti-biotics, amoxicillin, he said no, you don't need those...I was like wtf. I'm having an operation in hospital tomorrow and I get anti-biotics anyway just in case there's an infection afterwards, just a preventive measure but seriously, this dentist? I'm so scared right now. I keep reading, even from dentists, that they should NEVER take an infected or abscessed tooth out in case the infection spreads to other organs and/or parts of the body I can feel my head hurting a bit too and like I can't swallow (That's probably anxiety and a mix of the anaesthetic wearing off slowly) but it's making me worse! I'm pregnant too which makes my anxiety worse, argh!

Please help! I'm desperate here.

 

[Dr. Daniel]

Hi,

Your story is one of the most extreme situations I have heard (and I am a dentist...).
It sounds like a trauma. Everyone would agree that the dentist's decision (tooth extraction) was a mistake. The result of this decision is horrific.

No dentist makes an X-ray to a pregnant woman and the reason for that is not medical but legal: dentists are afraid to be blamed if something goes wrong with the pregnancy and the baby. Even though many think that the medical risk is infinitely small (including me) they still don't make the X-ray images (including me).
The major mistake the dentist had is extracting a tooth without an X-ray. I personally will never ever extract a tooth without an X-ray, the dentist has to know the form of the roots and the anatomy. What happened is that you asked him because of your anxiety and he responded to you and tried to fulfill your wish. His intention was good but he did not succeed.

Regarding extracting and infected tooth: Since the X-ray is a major source of information, your dentist did not have enough information to proper clinically diagnose the extent of the infection. Only the patient manifests clear signs of spread out infection (swelling, extreme pain, malaise) than it is possible to determine that the infection is severe. Otherwise, it is impossible to determine the severity of the infection. Infection is never a black and white thing, we always have to some degree bacteria in our body (even in our blood-stream there is always an extremely small amount of bacteria but it is not a problem because the body can deal with it easily). I think he told you that the tooth is infected because it is so but he did not know whether it is infected to the degree needed for postponing the extraction until the infection lessens.

I am certain that also your dentist feels very bad about what happened. If not, he is a real asshole.

 

[MissNervous]

Your story is one of the most extreme situations I have heard (and I am a dentist...).
It sounds like a trauma. Everyone would agree that the dentist's decision (tooth extraction) was a mistake. The result of this decision is horrific.

No dentist makes an X-ray to a pregnant woman and the reason for that is not medical but legal: dentists are afraid to be blamed if something goes wrong with the pregnancy and the baby. Even though many think that the medical risk is infinitely small (including me) they still don't make the X-ray images (including me).
The major mistake the dentist had is extracting a tooth without an X-ray. I personally will never ever extract a tooth without an X-ray, the dentist has to know the form of the roots and the anatomy. What happened is that you asked him because of your anxiety and he responded to you and tried to fulfill your wish. His intention was good but he did not succeed.

Thank you for the response! I bloody knew it. I KNEW he shouldn't have done it and I shouldn't have let him. My own fault for asking him! But then again, I only asked him if I had an infection AFTER he'd numbed me up! It honestly was terrible. The thing that really got me was the anti-biotics! He said I didn't need them yet he was the one who said it was a ''serious infection'' I've not got a great deal of pain although the tooth behind it hurts more than the extraction site! I'm seriously not happy. I had to make an appointment for fillings, however I couldn't talk and was so distressed that I said I'd just call to make the appointment afterwards rather than going up to the reception there and then. Do you think, from your professional point of view, that I can do anything about this dentist? I mean yes I asked to have it removed there and then, as I have other dentists when I've been in pain, but they've said no so it's his fault really! I wasn't anxious as such, it was more that the tooth was broken and was causing a little irritation and, as I was there, I thought why not ask as I wasn't sure I'd have the courage to have it done or to even go to a dentist again for an extraction. I need fillings but that's not an issue, it's extraction that scare me as ironically enough, I always worry in case I'm not numb enough and I feel it, which in this case, I most certainly did! Is there any chance this infection can spread and cause blood poisoning? I'm st the hospital tomorrow for an operation and will be having anti-biotics anyway afterwards. It's just now, tonight, that I'm worried about. I'm scared to sleep in case my throat swells with infection or something (However trivial and silly that may seem to some)

Thanks again for the reply!

 

[MissNervous]

Hi,

Your story is one of the most extreme situations I have heard (and I am a dentist...).
It sounds like a trauma. Everyone would agree that the dentist's decision (tooth extraction) was a mistake. The result of this decision is horrific.

No dentist makes an X-ray to a pregnant woman and the reason for that is not medical but legal: dentists are afraid to be blamed if something goes wrong with the pregnancy and the baby. Even though many think that the medical risk is infinitely small (including me) they still don't make the X-ray images (including me).
The major mistake the dentist had is extracting a tooth without an X-ray. I personally will never ever extract a tooth without an X-ray, the dentist has to know the form of the roots and the anatomy. What happened is that you asked him because of your anxiety and he responded to you and tried to fulfill your wish. His intention was good but he did not succeed.

Regarding extracting and infected tooth: Since the X-ray is a major source of information, your dentist did not have enough information to proper clinically diagnose the extent of the infection. Only the patient manifests clear signs of spread out infection (swelling, extreme pain, malaise) than it is possible to determine that the infection is severe. Otherwise, it is impossible to determine the severity of the infection. Infection is never a black and white thing, we always have to some degree bacteria in our body (even in our blood-stream there is always an extremely small amount of bacteria but it is not a problem because the body can deal with it easily). I think he told you that the tooth is infected because it is so but he did not know whether it is infected to the degree needed for postponing the extraction until the infection lessens.

I am certain that also your dentist feels very bad about what happened. If not, he is a real asshole.

Hi,

Your story is one of the most extreme situations I have heard (and I am a dentist...).
It sounds like a trauma. Everyone would agree that the dentist's decision (tooth extraction) was a mistake. The result of this decision is horrific.

No dentist makes an X-ray to a pregnant woman and the reason for that is not medical but legal: dentists are afraid to be blamed if something goes wrong with the pregnancy and the baby. Even though many think that the medical risk is infinitely small (including me) they still don't make the X-ray images (including me).
The major mistake the dentist had is extracting a tooth without an X-ray. I personally will never ever extract a tooth without an X-ray, the dentist has to know the form of the roots and the anatomy. What happened is that you asked him because of your anxiety and he responded to you and tried to fulfill your wish. His intention was good but he did not succeed.

Thank you for the response! I bloody knew it. I KNEW he shouldn't have done it and I shouldn't have let him. My own fault for asking him! But then again, I only asked him if I had an infection AFTER he'd numbed me up! It honestly was terrible. The thing that really got me was the anti-biotics! He said I didn't need them yet he was the one who said it was a ''serious infection'' I've not got a great deal of pain although the tooth behind it hurts more than the extraction site! I'm seriously not happy. I had to make an appointment for fillings, however I couldn't talk and was so distressed that I said I'd just call to make the appointment afterwards rather than going up to the reception there and then. Do you think, from your professional point of view, that I can do anything about this dentist? I mean yes I asked to have it removed there and then, as I have other dentists when I've been in pain, but they've said no so it's his fault really! I wasn't anxious as such, it was more that the tooth was broken and was causing a little irritation and, as I was there, I thought why not ask as I wasn't sure I'd have the courage to have it done or to even go to a dentist again for an extraction. I need fillings but that's not an issue, it's extraction that scare me as ironically enough, I always worry in case I'm not numb enough and I feel it, which in this case, I most certainly did! Is there any chance this infection can spread and cause blood poisoning? I'm st the hospital tomorrow for an operation and will be having anti-biotics anyway afterwards. It's just now, tonight, that I'm worried about. I'm scared to sleep in case my throat swells with infection or something (However trivial and silly that may seem to some)

Thanks again for the reply!

 

[Dr. Daniel]

Do you think, from your professional point of view, that I can do anything about this dentist?

If you wish to do something, I suggest writing a letter to the dentist and the clinic, describing your story.
You can't really critic him for not giving antibiotics. Antibiotics are not vitamins and they should be giving after considering many factors. The fact you are pregnant does not make the antibiotics an attractive option.
A letter is the most proper thing because it will help this dentist to improve his decision making in the future. Don't try to get revenged, you will not benefit anything. Believe me, it is already difficult for him as well.

 

[MissNervous]

If you wish to do something, I suggest writing a letter to the dentist and the clinic, describing your story.
You can't really critic him for not giving antibiotics. Antibiotics are not vitamins and they should be giving after considering many factors. The fact you are pregnant does not make the antibiotics an attractive option.
A letter is the most proper thing because it will help this dentist to improve his decision making in the future. Don't try to get revenged, you will not benefit anything. Believe me, it is already difficult for him as well.

Of course I don't want to get ''revenge'' I just want to understand why and how he could do it. I understand maybe he felt he was doing a good deed, seeing as I was anxious, in pain AND pregnant but still, I had no idea it was dangerous or would even hurt, he's the professional, not me. My Doctor gave me some anti-biotics.