Wow, I found this thread particularly fascinating and informative... thank you to all who are participating, especially Bryanna! I've been a member of these forums for year and am always amazed when I come across this type of support and knowledge!
Most early onset gum disease can be brought under control with non surgical dental treatment so long as your daily oral home care is thorough and you have your teeth professionally cleaned 2-3 times a year. In some cases, it may be wise to remove teeth that are in the guarded to hopeless category because they usually cannot be made healthy again and will continue to infect the gums. By getting rid of the chronic irritants, the mouth has a chance to heal and become well again.
Your tooth that you mentioned has been root canaled and crowned..... this is what is referred to as in the guarded to hopeless category. The older the root canal, the more hopeless the outcome. Heroic and expensive efforts would be made to build up a tooth and put on a new crown only to inevitably lose the tooth anyway because it is infected. The systemic consequences, meaning the health risks of keeping teeth in this condition are something to think about for the long term.
The tooth that you said keeps hurting and swelling is in the same "risk" category as the one I just mentioned. Infected teeth cannot be cured of their infection and they will infect other teeth and other areas of the mouth. So irrelevant of what other dental treatment you have done for your gum disease, etc.... you will continue to have infection brewing from any infected teeth. I hope I have explained that okay...
I know you are dreading tomorrow.... I hope I have armed you with some good information that you are able to utilize when you see your dentist.
Keep in touch...
Bryanna
I must admit I have been very remiss in visiting my dentist regularly - my life spiraled downwards (depression) and the last thing I thought of was my health (duh!) for 5 years. This last year has really changed for me... so off I went to the dentist. (I have an excellent dental plan so money wasn't my excuse). The cleaning had to take place over 2 sessions. I was told that I had the start of gum disease. The dentist looked at a tooth that has been causing me off and on pain for years but didn't do anything about it. She said I had a few cavities and being who I am, I didn't get them fixed (yet). She also wanted to send me to specialist to fix a tooth which had had both a root canal and crown because the crown had fallen off and there isn't much tooth to build it back up. I will follow up with this.
During my camping vacation, a few weeks ago, my mouth became horribly infected with pain - an upper molar was the cause - its been causing me pain off and on for about 2 years. I was once prescribed an anti-biotic to bring the swelling down and then... nothing. No follow-up ... but the pain continued to occur regularly - it just didn't flare up again so I figured it was just something I would have to deal with.
WELL, this was not a good decision as my mouth swelled up as if I had Bells-Palsy! Honestly, it was horrible... throbbing..and so, I went to a dentist who prescribed double anti-biotics and told me to visit my dentist as soon as I get home.
The swelling is down and the pain disappeared... I got busy and left it a week... here I am, now, 1 week off anti-biotics and the pain is back....
so... off to the dentist I go, tomorrow! I'm concerned about gum disease and whether or not this tooth will be played around with for a while or whether or not it will be pulled.
Anyway.... just wanted to thank you all for this most enlightening thread! I'll be back!!
thanks!