Take antibiotics or not?

[Suz72]

This is my first time posting but I’m often reading the success stories and it really has helped me to actually go to the dentist, so I’m so thankful to this forum.

I avoid all medical things particularly injections and in the past I’ve even travelled to have gas for a simple filling!

Anyway, to cut a long story short, in June I had pain and went to an emergency dentist and was told I have infections in my two left upper very back teeth both of which were root filled 15+ years ago. I have been given the option to either have them rct retreated with a 65% success rate or have them extracted. I was sent away to think about it with antibiotics (clindimycin) which I only had one of as it gave me such bad indigestion, I didn’t feel I could take anymore. The emergency dentist then prescribed me Clarythramicin but I stupidly googled the side affects and haven’t taken those either.

The pain isn’t bad and actually, if I don’t think about it, it’s not there… so I’ve putting off making a decision and have been putting up with the discomfort (on and off) since June.

I’m just recovering from flu and I’m worried that the pain is going to flare up over Christmas and that I’m really doing myself harm living with this infection?

I know I need to make a decision but wondered if you thought it will be ok for me to face this in the New Year rather than now as I’ve still got flu and if I’m causing myself a lot of harm not taking the antibiotics to get rid of the infection?

But - I’m really worried about the side effects of the antibiotics so would rather not take them if I can get away with it.

Any advice will be much appreciated.

Thanks.

 

[Gordon]

These are very wide spectrum antibiotics with lots of potential issues. You'd really be better off not taking them unless things get extremely painful.

You're certainly not doing yourself any "harm" by holding off on them. Having the flu may have made them flare up a bit more, since your body's immune system has been a bit busy dealing with it.

 

[Suz72]

Thanks so much for your reply Gordon. Because the infection is in teeth that are root filled.. I’ve been worried that the infection could be harming me without causing pain because there’s no nerve? Or is it safe to say, if there’s no pain or only a little bearable pain, hold off taking the antibiotics and work up courage to go back to dentist in the New Year?

Thanks again!

 

[Gordon]

I’ve been worried that the infection could be harming me without causing pain because there’s no nerve?

No, the pain from abscessed teeth comes from the pressure of the pus between the roots and the bone, as a sort of rule of thumb, if there's an abscess then the nerve in the tooth is dead anyway.

Or is it safe to say, if there’s no pain or only a little bearable pain, hold off taking the antibiotics and work up courage to go back to dentist in the New Year?

Yep.

 

[Suz72]

Thanks again Gordon.