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uniqs
62610

refused
join:2005-10-10

refused

Member

abscessed tooth

Started taking penicillin last night around 5:00pm after constant pain since Tuesday at lunch. How long in your experiences does it take for the infection to go away? There are no exposed nerves (dentist didn't say so, and i don't think so). Dentist just saw me for 5 minutes (i kinda just said no you're not seeing me in a couple days i'm coming in now) and they took a few xrays and wrote me a prescription.
Sorry if this is the wrong place to ask but its killing me and i'm dying to know.
I've taken 4 penicillins (500mg) since yesterday.
ChiTang
MVM
join:2002-08-23
Alhambra, CA

ChiTang

MVM

I thought penicillin is to deal with the infection, not a pain killer.

SparkChaser
Premium Member
join:2000-06-06
Downingtown, PA

SparkChaser to refused

Premium Member

to refused
As a victim (ummm, recipient) of many root canals the pain may be there for a while. It will take awhile for the infection to go away and the pressure to be relieved.

BTW - I've only had a couple of abscesses and they were relieved by the root canal

refused
join:2005-10-10

refused

Member

crap i may need more painkillers then.

chitang: penicillin is to fight the infection, thats why i'm asking how much longer till the infection is gone and hopefully the pain is gone.
i got prescribed norcos which is helping with the pain. i'm more interested in the penicillin taking care of the infection and hopefully the majority of the pain.
Langning
Premium Member
join:2003-04-28
Marlborough, MA

Langning to refused

Premium Member

to refused
said by refused:

How long in your experiences does it take for the infection to go away?
My dentist always recommends pulling the tooth out; he makes it sound like it is the only way.

MrFixitCT
pay it forward

join:2000-12-01
Port Charlotte, FL

MrFixitCT to refused

to refused
take 3 advil/tylenol etc, every 4 hours..

hopeflicker
Capitalism breeds greed
Premium Member
join:2003-04-03
Long Beach, CA

hopeflicker

Premium Member

I just dodged 2 root canals last month!!! yeah!

Hope ya feel better

MrFixitCT
pay it forward

join:2000-12-01
Port Charlotte, FL

MrFixitCT to refused

to refused
had a root canal last week, no big deal...
Mr Den
Premium Member
join:2006-10-17
Elyria, OH

Mr Den to refused

Premium Member

to refused
Aye that, I have had 3, and each has been painless.
myluvnttl78
join:2000-12-22
Ridgefield, WA

1 recommendation

myluvnttl78 to refused

Member

to refused
Yeah tooth infection is pain in the A&&!! I just be a man and take the pain. It usually last a couple of days or a week..but eventually it will get better.. I just put more effort in brushing the part where it hurt more.... :P

CylonRed
MVM
join:2000-07-06
Bloom County
·Metronet

CylonRed to refused

MVM

to refused
said by refused:

crap i may need more painkillers then.

chitang: penicillin is to fight the infection, thats why i'm asking how much longer till the infection is gone and hopefully the pain is gone.
i got prescribed norcos which is helping with the pain. i'm more interested in the penicillin taking care of the infection and hopefully the majority of the pain.
No one can really tell you as how long it takes is variable and depends on many things.

KrK
Heavy Artillery For The Little Guy
Premium Member
join:2000-01-17
Tulsa, OK

KrK to refused

Premium Member

to refused
I've heard gargling with warm salt water can help.
Babaganooosh
join:2008-03-18
Belmar, NJ

Babaganooosh

Member

I second the salt water. It actually drives out infection thru osmosis.

jack b
Gone Fishing
MVM
join:2000-09-08
Cape Cod

1 recommendation

jack b to refused

MVM

to refused
With a little bit of luck, the infection did not cause bone loss around the tooth root. There is a chance you may still lose the tooth.
ChiTang
MVM
join:2002-08-23
Alhambra, CA

ChiTang to KrK

MVM

to KrK
said by KrK:

I've heard gargling with warm salt water can help.
Then is what I do defore seeing a dentist.

If the pain is too annoying, I get a bucket of water with tons on ice. Hold some ice water in the mouth, the pain will ease off, the water will get warmer, spit it out, when the pain begin to develope again, repeat.

dandelion
MVM
join:2003-04-29
Germantown, TN

dandelion to refused

MVM

to refused
Generally it takes a couple of days for the antibiotic to start kicking in and helping with the infection which may also help the pain.
BudBob
Premium Member
join:2003-01-01
Mckinney, TX

BudBob to refused

Premium Member

to refused
I usually double up on the antibiotics for 3 days and drop down to the normal dosage in the 500mg dosage. The pain goes away in about 2 days if you catch it early enough.

StillLearn
Premium Member
join:2002-03-21
Streamwood, IL

1 recommendation

StillLearn to Langning

Premium Member

to Langning
said by Langning:

My dentist always recommends pulling the tooth out; he makes it sound like it is the only way.
Time for a new dentist.
Bobcat79
Premium Member
join:2001-02-04

Bobcat79

Premium Member

said by StillLearn:

said by Langning:

My dentist always recommends pulling the tooth out; he makes it sound like it is the only way.
Time for a new dentist.
I was just about to say the same thing.

madylarian
The curmudgeonly
Premium Member
join:2002-01-03
Parkville, MD

madylarian to refused

Premium Member

to refused
They still have to get rid of the infection before anything can be done, be it extraction or root canal. How long will it take? How many days worth of penicillin did you get? That's how long it will take. The pain may begin to get better in a couple of days but that doesn't mean the infection is gone. Take the entire prescription.

mady

meddude
@sbcglobal.net

1 recommendation

meddude to refused

Anon

to refused
It is possible you may need a different antibiotic. Though penicillin VK is the standard for this, increasing resistance may mean you need a different one. If the pain continues 3-4 days, I would call the dentist again. If the abscess area is squishy ("fluctuant"), then it should be incised by the dentist. Mady is right, also thumbs up on the warm compresses and ibuprofen.
BudBob, it is NOT a good idea to "double up" on the antibiotics for 3 days. For the FIRST dose of penicillin, yeah, but extra antibiotics puts you at increased risk for second infections caused by killing too much "good" bacteria. Specifically, the risks are oral thrush and even a horrendous intestinal infection called pseudomembranous colitis.

Good info:
»www.enotes.com/nursing-e ··· -abscess

dvd536
as Mr. Pink as they come
Premium Member
join:2001-04-27
Phoenix, AZ

1 recommendation

dvd536 to Langning

Premium Member

to Langning
said by Langning:
said by refused:

How long in your experiences does it take for the infection to go away?
My dentist always recommends pulling the tooth out; he makes it sound like it is the only way.
And a good dentist won't extract until the abscess goes away.

bigunk
Gort, Klattu Birada Nikto
join:2001-02-10
USA

1 recommendation

bigunk to myluvnttl78

Member

to myluvnttl78
If a tooth infection is a pain in the ass, you're probably looking in the wrong end...

smw315
Premium Member
join:2002-07-18
Edison, NJ

smw315 to refused

Premium Member

to refused
I am a retired Critical Care Hospital Pharmacist by profession. As a rule of thumb, any infection above the neck should be considered serious. Abcesses in soft tissue are almost always caused by Staphlococcus, a particularly virulent and dangerous bacteria.

The correct treatment is Penicillin or another antibiotic to which the bacteria is sensitive, and then extraction of the tooth or teeth surrounding the abcess. You should take the antibiotic for 5 days in order to protect against spread of infection to the eyes and even worse, to the brain (bacterial meningitis).

Your dentist MUST extract the teeth involved quickly and not rely solely on the antibiotic. You will then continue the antibiotic for a total of 10 days.

DO NOT WAIT to have the teeth extracted. That should be done ASAP.

Good luck!
8744675
join:2000-10-10
Decatur, GA

8744675 to refused

Member

to refused
If swelling increases or doesn't go down in 48 hours, call an oral surgeon. You'll likely need an incision and drainage to allow the infection that is encapsulated in your gum to drain and relieve the pressure that is causing the pain. If the infection gets down to your jaw bone, you'll be in big trouble.

I've had to have an I&D every time I had an abcess. One was so bad my eye was swollen shut and they had to give me IV antibiotics in the emergency room.

An abcessed tooth is some of the worst pain I've ever had.
Dodge
Premium Member
join:2002-11-27

Dodge to smw315

Premium Member

to smw315
said by smw315:

I am a retired Critical Care Hospital Pharmacist by profession. As a rule of thumb, any infection above the neck should be considered serious. Abcesses in soft tissue are almost always caused by Staphlococcus, a particularly virulent and dangerous bacteria.

The correct treatment is Penicillin or another antibiotic to which the bacteria is sensitive, and then extraction of the tooth or teeth surrounding the abcess. You should take the antibiotic for 5 days in order to protect against spread of infection to the eyes and even worse, to the brain (bacterial meningitis).

Your dentist MUST extract the teeth involved quickly and not rely solely on the antibiotic. You will then continue the antibiotic for a total of 10 days.

DO NOT WAIT to have the teeth extracted. That should be done ASAP.

Good luck!
WOW, maybe you should brush up on available treatments. Good dentists and oral surgeons stopped pulling teeth as a fix all solution a long time ago. Aside from the fact that penicillin can be prescribed for 5, 7 or 10 days so don't tell him to take it for 5.

And here are more fun facts:

1) May not be the tooth at all
2) Root canals can help if the infection is actually tooth related
3) Don't remember what it's called, but oral surgeon can take the tooth out, remove the parts of the root that is affected and put the tooth back in.
4) To speed up the process they can also just cut it open and drain it.

All of these options need to be discussed with proffesionals, not random people on public forums, no matter how close you may feel to some of them.

To the original poster however here is advice to adhere to always, DO NOT LISTEN TO ME, DO NOT LISTEN TO ANY ADVICE GIVEN TO YOU ON A FORUM, go and talk to a respected professionial and determine what treatment works for you based on availability and financial ability.

smw315
Premium Member
join:2002-07-18
Edison, NJ

smw315

Premium Member

You missed the point, Dodge. Five days' therapy will sufficiently cover him so that his dentist can do the extraction(s). He will need 10 days' total dosing with the antibiotic.

Any oral surgeon practicing good dentistry will extract a diseased tooth instead of playing games and building up the bill. The cure for disease is surgical removal, not palliative treatment and waiting for the next abcess.
Dodge
Premium Member
join:2002-11-27

Dodge

Premium Member

said by smw315:

You missed the point, Dodge. Five days' therapy will sufficiently cover him so that his dentist can do the extraction(s). He will need 10 days' total dosing with the antibiotic.

Any oral surgeon practicing good dentistry will extract a diseased tooth instead of playing games and building up the bill. The cure for disease is surgical removal, not palliative treatment and waiting for the next abcess.
"Playing games" got me to keep a tooth almost 4 years ago, how long would you estimate it should last to make it worth my money? It may be me, but if I can keep an original tooth, instead of replacing it with a bridge, I say it's worth it.

And as a side note, the tooth that caused the absess for me was 4 teeth down from where the absess actually formed, so pulling teeth "around the abcess" may not be the best of ideas.
Bobcat79
Premium Member
join:2001-02-04

Bobcat79

Premium Member

Extraction is always the last resort.

refused
join:2005-10-10

refused

Member

They said they can save the tooth. looks like its going to happen sometime next week. the pain isn't constant throbbing now all the way up to my temple, but its still there in my gums i can feel it. My main concern was is the majority or all the pain going to subdue anytime soon before my next visit? Or is pain usually constant until a root canal or its pulled?
I trust my dentist as he's a family friend and his son and I have been best friends since we were in diapers and the dentist and I golf together frequently so i'm not worried about getting shafted or yanked around.
The tooth that is hurting is back left lower, but most of the pain is on the lower left side and the lower left front by my canine teeth or w/e they're called, the fang looking ones. Gums are KILLING me.

It is Penicillin VK i'm taking.

Thanks for all the info guys.