[Cory733]

So the story starts off with myself having tooth pain and swollen neck//jaw on my right side. I saw my regular physician on jan 30 2015. She prescribed amoxicillin, ibuprofen, and said see a dentist. The amoxicillin almost completely removed all pain and swelling by February 3rd. I figured that was great and could wait on getting a dentist to look at my teeth for a while.

By Saturday the 7th the infection came back with a vengeance, and I had about 3 days of amoxicillin left to take. My neck was much more swollen, and opted to visit a dentist ASAP. I ended up getting a root canal done on Monday the 9th, on tooth 31 (I believe) the last one on my lower right side. I was prescribed more amoxicillin and have been taking ibuprofen. However I can't quite open my mouth wide enough to brush my back teeth, let alone eat solid food. There is a hard swollen lump on my jaw, it's under the tooth that was root canaled. If I refrain from taking the ibuprofen the swelling increases and the pain is terrible.

My concern is that the germs might have built up an immunity to the amoxicillin(I have started taking the second script). The swelling went down slightly after having he root canal done, however I think it's only getting worse at this point. It's only been a couple days since the root canal, and I relize these things take time. My dentist said something about maybe having to go to a hospital to get meds through an IV. This was mentioned prior to getting the root canal done when he was informing me about the procedure. He also said this was a very low chance but wanted to make sure I was well informed. I can be a bit of a hypochondriac especially when googling illnesses.

I'm going to call my dentist today and see what he has to say. I have read lots of insightful things on this message board so I figured I would post my situation.
Thanks
-Cory

[Bryanna]

Hi Cory,

I am in the dental field and can offer you some information here. I will re post some of your thread and answer in bold.

<<having tooth pain and swollen neck//jaw on my right side. I saw my regular physician on jan 30 2015. She prescribed amoxicillin, ibuprofen, and said see a dentist. The amoxicillin almost completely removed all pain and swelling by February 3rd. I figured that was great and could wait on getting a dentist to look at my teeth for a while.>>

WITH ANDY TOOTH INFECTION, THE AMOXICILLIN OR ANY ANTIBIOTIC MEDS CAN ONLY AT BEST TEMPORARILY SUBSIDE THE INFLAMMATION AND REDUCE SOME OF THE INTENSITY OF THE BACTERIA. I AM GOING TO ASSUME THAT YOU STOPPED THE MEDS WHEN THE SYMPTOMS SUBSIDED. IS THAT CORRECT?

<<By Saturday the 7th the infection came back with a vengeance, and I had about 3 days of amoxicillin left to take.>>

THE INFECTION NEVER WENT AWAY. THE SYMPTOMS JUST SUBSIDED TEMPORARILY. THE BACTERIA THAT CAUSES A TOOTH INFECTION RESIDES DEEP INSIDE THE VARIOUS CHAMBERS AND CANALS INSIDE OF THE TOOTH. MEDICATIONS OF ANY KIND CANNOT ALTER THE BACTERIA THAT IS INSIDE THE HUNDREDS OF TINY CANALS. SO THESE CANALS ALWAYS REMAIN INFECTED.

<< My neck was much more swollen, and opted to visit a dentist ASAP>>

THIS IS BECAUSE THE BACTERIA FROM THE TOOTH CONTINUED TO PROLIFERATE INTO THE LYMPHATIC SYSTEM.

<< I ended up getting a root canal done on Monday the 9th, on tooth 31 (I believe) the last one on my lower right side. I was prescribed more amoxicillin and have been taking ibuprofen.>>

EVEN THOUGH THE TOOTH HAS BEEN ROOT CANALED, THE ANTIBIOTIC IS NOT GOING TO CURE THE INFECTION. THE RC PROCEDURE IS DONE IN AN ATTEMPT TO RETAIN THE TOOTH, NOT CURE THE PROBLEM. THE PROCEDURE CANNOT CURE THE INFECTION BECAUSE THERE IS NO ACCESS TO REMOVE THE INFECTED NERVE TISSUE FROM THE HUNDREDS OF TINY CANALS. SO THOSE CANALS KEEP THE TOOTH CHRONICALLY INFECTED. BECAUSE THE TOOTH RESIDES IN A LIVE LIGAMENT AND BONE, THOSE AREAS CAN ALSO BECOME INFLAMED AND INFECTED. IN YOUR CASE, AS IN MANY CASES, THOSE AREAS ARE ALREADY INFLAMED AND INFECTED AS THIS TOOTH HAS BEEN INFECTED FOR LONGER THAN YOU REALIZE.

<< However I can't quite open my mouth wide enough to brush my back teeth, let alone eat solid food. There is a hard swollen lump on my jaw, it's under the tooth that was root canaled. If I refrain from taking the ibuprofen the swelling increases and the pain is terrible.>>

NOT BEING ABLE TO OPEN YOUR MOUTH INDICATES SEVERE INFLAMMATION AND THIS IS NOT SOMETHING TO IGNORE. THE HARD SWOLLEN LUMP IS DIRECTLY FROM THE CHRONIC INFECTION. NOT BEING ABLE TO CLEAN YOUR TEETH PROPERLY BACK THERE IS GOING TO LEAD TO A BUILD UP OF PLAQUE AND FURTHER INFLAMMATION AND INFECTION. THE MEDS AGAIN ARE JUST TEMPORARILY REDUCING THE SYMPTOMS, NOT CURING THE PROBLEM.

<<My concern is that the germs might have built up an immunity to the amoxicillin(I have started taking the second script).>>

THE BACTERIA IS ONLY SOMEWHAT RESISTANT TO THE ANTIBIOTIC, ANY ANTIBIOTIC. THE PROBLEM IS THAT THE INFECTIOUS BACTERIA IS PERMANENTLY TRAPPED INSIDE OF THOSE TINY CANALS AND THAT IS KEEPING THE TOOTH INFECTED.

<< The swelling went down slightly after having he root canal done, however I think it's only getting worse at this point.>>

THE RC PROCEDURE ALONG WITH THE MEDS TEMPORARILY SUBSIDED THE SYMPTOMS. UNFORTUNATELY, THE ONLY CURE TO AN INFECTED TOOTH IS TO REMOVE THE SOURCE OF THE INFECTION WHICH IS THE TOOTH.

<< It's only been a couple days since the root canal, and I relize these things take time.>>

TIME IS NOT THE ANSWER OR THE CURE. REMOVAL OF THE SOURCE IS THE ANSWER.

<< My dentist said something about maybe having to go to a hospital to get meds through an IV. This was mentioned prior to getting the root canal done when he was informing me about the procedure. He also said this was a very low chance but wanted to make sure I was well informed.>>

IV ANTIBIOTICS CANNOT ALTER OR CURE THE INFECTION INSIDE THOSE TINY CANALS. NOR CAN THEY RENDER THE TOOTH OR SURROUNDING AREA HEALTHY AGAIN SIMPLY BECAUSE ALL TEETH REQUIRE VITALITY TO BE HEALTHY AND THE RC PROCEDURE REMOVES ALL SOURCES OF VITALITY. IV ANTIBIOTICS MAY BE NECESSARY TO CURE THE INFECTION THAT HAS DEVELOPED BEYOND THE TOOTH AFTER THE TOOTH IS REMOVED. BUT IT WILL NOT BE BENEFICIAL FOR ANY LONG TERM AS LONG AS THE SOURCE OF THE INFECTION, WHICH IS THE TOOTH, IS PRESENT.

<< I can be a bit of a hypochondriac especially when googling illnesses. >>

BEING A HYPOCHONDRIAC DOES NOT REALLY APPLY TO THIS SITUATION . YOU ARE CORRECT IN THAT SOMETHING IS NOT RIGHT AND IT IS GETTING WORSE.

<<I'm going to call my dentist today and see what he has to say.>>

HE'S GOING TO OFFER YOU A FEW OPTIONS:

ONE) MORE MEDICATIONS. NO LONG TERM BENEFIT IN DOING THAT.

TWO) REDO THE ROOT CANAL. THIS WILL NOT RESULT IN A FAVORABLE OUTCOME AS IT WILL NOT ALTER THE INFECTION STATUS OF THE TOOTH.

THREE) HAVE A SURGICAL ROOT CANAL CALLED AN APICOECTOMY. THIS WILL NOT ALTER THE BACTERIA INSIDE OF THOSE TINY CANALS AND WILL CAUSE ADDITIONAL INFLAMMATION AND IRREVERSIBLE DAMAGE TO THE BONE ABOVE THE TOOTH.

FOUR) EXTRACTION OF THE TOOTH. THIS IS THE ONLY OPTION THAT YOU HAVE OF REMOVING THE SOURCE OF THE INFECTION AND CURING THE RESIDUAL INFECTION IN THE BONE, ETC. THE EXTRACTION OF THIS TOOTH SHOULD BE DONE BY AN ORAL SURGEON AND IT IS IMPERATIVE THAT THE SURGEON DEBRIDE THE BONE VERY THOROUGHLY OF ALL DISEASED TISSUE AND BONE AFTER HE REMOVES THE TOOTH.

<< I have read lots of insightful things on this message board so I figured I would post my situation. >>

THANK YOU FOR YOU KIND WORDS. I HOPE YOU CONTINUE TO RESEARCH THIS SO YOU CAN MAKE AN INFORMED DECISION AS TO WHAT YOU FEEL IS IN YOUR BEST INTEREST.

[atron23]

Hi Cory, I was having a similar issue with one of my bottom molars on the right side last March, ended up having a root canal in May 2014 then similar issues as you continuing with area for months. I ended up having the tooth extracted in October and the moment the tooth was out of my jaw, I felt immediate relief. Extraction may not be what you want to hear, I know it was disappointing for myself but as someone who lived with trying to save an infected tooth for months, putting your body through trying to hang on to an infected tooth is just not worth it in my experience. I hope you start to feel better and find a remedy for your situation Cheers!

[Cory733]

Thanks Bryanna all of your info is spot on, and easy to understand. This morning however the abscess in my mouth was raging and I couldn't take it. I checked my self into the ER. Didn't want to wait for my dentist's office to open. They gave me a cat scan, some pain med cocktail and a bag of clindamycin. Spent four or five hours feeling loopy watching Netflix on my phone in a hospital bed. Which overall wasn't too bad an experience. I'm going to have to pay for it however. The hospital got me in contact with a great oral surgeon and I had the tooth removed. They gave me anoth drip of clindamycin before putting me under for tooth extraction. I now have a script for clindamycin as well I was wondering if there is anything I can to avoid the nasty side effects on the bottle? It seems like a silly question but I figured I'd ask, cause that turbo diarrhea side effect just sounds menacing.
Thanks again Bryanna and cheers as well Atron what you wrote about wanting to keep my teeth is what drove me to get the root canal in the first place.
-Cory