Infected wisdom tooth. How long?

Evening all,

I’m going back to the dentist on Monday, but as it’s Saturday evening and I’m not bad enough to ring the emergency dentist I thought I’d ask you kind folk on here..

Anyone had am infected wisdom tooth? How long did it take to clear?

I ended up at emergency dentist last Sunday night with a lot of pain and inflammation, turns out one of my impacted wisdom teeth has become infected. Had 5 days of amoxicillin which didn’t help much so went to my dentist on Wednesday and she gave me some metronidozol (5 days).

It’s now Saturday and although slightly better it’s still really bad… I’ve got 1 day of antibiotics left.

I’m going back Monday, but am getting paranoid I’ve got some sort of resistant strain of bacteria in there.

Anyone been through similar? How long did it take to clear? Advice?

The best thing to do would be to tank yersel up with whisky in the meantime.

Unfortunately metronidozol and alcohol are a MASSIVE no no

Metronidazole – yes has an unpleasant reaction with alcohol

Try using hot salt mouthwash, water as hot as tea/coffee with a teaspoon of salt
Hold it in mouth over infected tooth

Ibuprofen preferable to paracetamol

Wait for the searing pain to blind side you as the tooth splits in half.

#gogstoppers
#crumchynutcornflakes
#ice cream
#vodkashots

Had a wisdom tooth infection at start of year, dentist gave me 7 days of Amoxicillin and Metronidazole to be taken together. That combination did eventually clear it up, but it took until after I’d completed the whole course for the pain to go. Bag of ice cubes against the side of face provided the best relief.

Why not just have it out they do nothing except make trouble ? (Didn’t have mine out when younger and they have pushed my bottom teeth out of line. Have had 1 out now (rotten) and due to lose another two sometime

Probably will ultimately. Doesnt hslp the current sitiation though.

It’s a big decision, I got referred about 6 months ago to have it removed… the surgeon that I was referred to advised against it as it’s so low and close to a big nerve and could cause facial paralysis.

Metronidazole is the right thing here, you might just need more of it.

And as Chilled said, you -really- don’t want to drink whilst taking it.

IANAdentist.

Adding pepper to the salty water helps as well

There a risk of having nerve damage after.
Basically it will feel like the anaesthetic hasn’t worn off.
Experienced surgeon will advise on risk having looked at proximity of tooth to the nerve on X-ray.

https://www.dentalhealth.org/tell-me-about/topic/sundry/wisdom-teeth

When I had a recent abcess in a rear molar I was told that the pain wouldn’t go away just with the infection as the abscess would still be exerting pressure.

Be careful with the NSAIDs … it’s easy to overdose when you are in pain and forget what/when you did and didn’t take and a pretty crap way to die.

the surgeon that I was referred to advised against it as it’s so low and close to a big nerve and could cause facial paralysis.

Understood, thats a tough call then. Get another opinion ? If its rotten there is a danger it will infect the gum and jaw too. Two difficult choices.

On a (hooefully) lighter note when I had mine out my niece who is a trainee dentists asked for the tooth to practice on / investigate. The single most disgusting gift I have given anyone !

There’s a quoted 1% chance of nerve damage like backinireland describes, ie loss of sensation rather than paralysis. Be worth having a cone beam scan of it if you haven’t yet (mini ct scan, a 3D image rather than the 2D X-ray) as it may not be as close to the nerve as it appears. Will also allow the surgeon to know where all the important bits are.

+1 for hot salty water and use your brush to brush it around there.
It may be if you’ve had a few courses of antibiotics that you’re developing resistant strains.
Paracetamol and Ibuprofen work well in alternate doses, ie paracetamol every six hours, ibuprofen every eight. Assuming you can take both, not allergic, etc.

Paul’s right with the quoted 1% but X-ray or scan may change the percentage risk.
Paul did you work around Dundee area? Name rings a bell….