Hi Ken,

Whether or not you have your general dentist do the extraction or not is up to you. As I have said, most general dentists do not remove the periodontal ligament nor do they thoroughly debride the bone. Yes, they have been taught to do this but if they can avoid doing it, they will. For some reason general dentists prefer to stay "out of the bone" and I have never understood this mentality nor have I ever been given a reason why they feel this way. This is always a topic amongst dental professionals because the oral surgeons feel it's a no brainer to be thorough in the procedure. Although I've seen some of them be careless too :/

If you want your GD to do the extraction then assert yourself in letting him know that you want the ligament removed and the bone scraped thoroughly. He may get annoyed because you touched his ego or he may laugh it off saying I always do that.... just re iterate that is what you want done.

With regard to the antibiotic... I would say start taking it as he suggested because evidently there is enough infection going on for him to be concerned about the anesthetic not taking full effect. You definitely want to be fully anesthetized for the removal of this tooth!!!

Also start on a probiotic supplement to help ward off digestive issues associated with the antibiotic. Just do not take them together. Leave a 2 hour window between the pro and the antibiotic.

Regarding the flying thing..... as I said, one to two weeks is ideal. But obviously putting off this trip may not be doable. The other issue is that it is not a good idea to fly with an infected tooth especially an upper tooth. The cabin pressure in the plane can cause an increase of pressure in the sinus which is most likely in close proximity to this tooth. That could set off a nasty toothache. The other thing to consider is that taking the antibiotic this whole week may just temporarily reduce the inflammation from the tooth enough to get you through your vacation week. You may also want to take another weeks worth with you on the trip just in case you get a flare up or take it starting 2 days before the flight back home to reduce the pressure buildup. You could also try using saline nose spray daily which helps reduce bacteria in the sinus. Perhaps if you speak to your dentist about these options he may have some additional insight for you.

Let me know what you've decided and how things go..
Bryanna