Gum infection adjacent to socket post wisdom tooth extraction
 

Hi all,

About 3 weeks ago I had a completely erupted upper wisdom tooth extracted. It was a reasonably straight forward extraction other than a root snapping, which the dentist retrieved. I was sent on my way and told that antibiotics wouldn't be necessary and to rinse for 7 days with salt water, which I did.

Now, everything has seemed fine since then aside from some tenderness around the site which I figured was normal. I've been eating fine, no pain unless I actually poke, etc.

On Saturday I noticed that the gum surrounding tooth in front of the removed wisdom tooth had begun to swell. Since its a public holiday because of Easter I cannot get to my dentist until tues at the earliest if they can even see me so I began to rinse regularly again with salt water. This morning, while the big swelling is still there, it now seems to have a white head on it, like a giant pimple. It is not painful unless I poke it, aside from a very mild stinging in the soft tissue, and I feel physically well. Previous dental xrays from october show no problems with any of my other teeth and the dentist mentioned nothing on seeing the opg that i got for the wisdom tooth extraction itself.

However I am very concerned. What is this? Why has it occurred? Is salt water the best course of action until I can see a dentist?

Hi,

You may have what is called an aphthous ulcer or canker sore. These generally develop in the mouth and various other places from some sort of trauma or irritation. Oral surgery or hitting the area with your toothbrush or hard food could cause the ulcer to occur. You can do a google search to see what they look like and compare the photos to what you have. Or you could be developing an infection and the white area could be what is called a fistula. This is similar to a pimple and it appears to be on the surface but it is much deeper than just on the gum. Either way, it is important for your dentist to make the proper diagnosis.

Rinsing with warm salt water is best until you can see your dentist. Only use a pinch of salt and rinse 3-4 times a day. Avoid using any mouthwash, especially any that contains alcohol or harsh chemicals because this will just cause further irritation. Keep the area clean and continue to brush all of your teeth as usual to keep down the level of bacteria.

Please let us know how you're doing...

Bryanna

sceared
 

Hello Bryanna, Forgive me if I'm not doing this in a correct manner. Iam New to the site. I was doing some research on the aftermath of wisdom tooth extraction, and came across the site. I was so pleased with the conversation between you and Jwang.

I'm in the Army and recently had 3 wisdom teeth removed. Before the procedure was done I knew and felt something was wrong. I have all the symptoms that J had, severe pain, knot in my lower right jaw, can't open my mouth. I haven't eaten for almost 2 weeks, besides some soup maybe once a day. I'm so scared I will never be able to open my mouth again.

I expressed my concerns to the dentist, and he told me it was infected, and that if by next week the antibiotics don't work, he may have to recut and go back in and drain the infection out. He still has yet to mention why I have a knot on my jaw, and why I can't open my mouth yet to do anything. I'm so afraid and don't trust them to do anything, but I don't wanna get worse.

What should I do. You seen so educated on these matters. Please help.

Hi V,

The post that you wrote is just fine ;)

Based on your description, you had an infection in your lower right jaw.. pain, swelling... prior to the removal of this wisdom tooth. Extracting the tooth was important because that removed the source of the infection, but if you have the same symptoms as before, then you may still have the infection in the jawbone. It is important to see your oral surgeon if the symptoms have not subsided.

It is not unusual to have limited opening of the jaw for a few weeks after wisdom tooth removal. This is due to the swelling and inflammation in the jawbone and surrounding tissue. However, if you feel that you are not improving, then see the oral surgeon.

Let us know how you're doing!
Bryanna

After Tooth Extraction
 

Hi. My tooth was extracted 10 days ago and I am still in pain, from the gums to the jaw and ear. It happens like three times a day- the moment i wake up, during my sleep and before I go to bed. And I also have this canker sore on the gums where my tooth was pulled, I suspect it's the one that is causing the pain, however I am not sure because I've experience the same pain (but did not get canker sore) when I had a different tooth extracted a couple of months ago. I also got this white stuff inside the hole of my gums, I don't know if it's is a part of the healing process or it's an infection as well. I hope someone could help me understand what is the cause of this burden. Xx

I wouldn't be without my little bottle of Myrrh Tincture. I use Nature's Answer and it's available at most online supplement companies where I buy my supplements. iherb for one where I shop a lot.

I have a chronic issue with a molar next to a bridge with a root canal. I'm doing all to not go to major dental work. It had been quiet for about 5 yrs and flared up recently so I'm hitting it with my Myrrh. I developed some mouth ulcers in that area and they are gone now. HOPE I don't have to break down and do major work.

I use it straight from dropper a couple drops in the area probably 3 times per day.

http://www.health-care-tips.org/herb...ines/myrrh.htm

This is what I do for mouth sore issues.

Hi maiamontilla,

A canker sore can last for 3 weeks or longer if new sores develop in the same area. These sores are an auto immune reaction to irritation, trauma, infection, illness, etc. It's important to find out why "you" develop the sores so you can take healthy precautions to minimize their occurrence. You could have an autoimmune disorder, vitamin deficiency, poor dietary and/or oral habits, things like that are contributing factors to the recurrence of them and why some people are more prone to them than others. Also cigarette smoking, drinking alcohol, and using chemical laden mouthwash can all be contributing factors as well.

The white stuff in the socket may be food debris or pus. Since it is 10 days post op and you have pain along with the white secretions, it is best to have your dentist evaluate the site for infection and not assume it is normal healing.

Hope this info is helpful to you.
Bryanna




The white stuff

Hi caroline,

I know you are a big believer in certain herbs and oils.... I am too! But for those who are unfamiliar with Myrhh, I think it's helpful to provide a brief explanation of what it is.

Myrrh is actually a resin by product of the Commiphora trees that grow in the Middle East. It is processed into an essential oil or tincture product for various topical and oral applications. It has lots of therapeutic properties but it also has embalming properties as well. This means that although it has the capability to kill or mummify bacteria it may not be able to differentiate between the good and the bad bacteria. It is also a strong irritant to sensitive skin and can cause a contact dermatitis to occur. So it is not really an inert oil that is meant for everyone. Care needs to be taken when using it and it should only be used sparingly.

It's therapeutic remedies having to do with oral health are really gum related, not tooth related. In other words, if you have gum inflammation from gingivitis or from mobile teeth due to orthodontia, or new canker sores, or some other "gum" related issues myrrh may be helpful. But if you have a root canaled tooth or an infected tooth, myrrh does not have any capabilities of curing the problems associated with that tooth. It may help temporarily subside the gum pain and inflammation caused by the infected tooth, but it cannot alter the bacterial status of that tooth. So the infected tooth will remain infected and the symptoms of the infection will continue to occur as long as the tooth is present. The infection from the tooth is still able to proliferate into the bone and beyond. So although the physical symptoms may subside, the problem still exists. I think it's important for yourself and others using this to know that.

Just a suggestion..... perhaps it would be a good idea to have an xray done of that area of your mouth to see how progressive the bacteria from that root canaled tooth has become so that you would know what you are dealing with rather than assume the problem gets better because the symptoms come and go.

Bryanna

Hi, Bryanna. Thank you for the reply.

I've visited my dentist yesterday, and she told me that the gums where my tooth was extracted is actually healing and she assumed that the one causing me pain is the canker sore that I get from the injury of anesthesia. So, she told me to buy this Gumtect toothpaste which helps the canker sore to heal fast and is also good for gums.

I don't smoke and don't use mouthwash, but I eat normally, like the usual days when I do not have this pain, but of course, I avoid spicy food because I've read it could trigger the sore.

What I am concerned most is, is the pain I am having is the same amount of pain canker sore gives? Because it is excruciating and the only thing that could make it go away is pain killer. And I am worried that taking Ibuprofen could damage my kidney since I do it 2-3 times daily.

And by the way, the white stuff inside the gums is just food. I just had a hard time getting it.

Xx

Hi maiamontilla,

Canker sores can be very painful but generally the pain subsides considerably after the first week. Unless you are getting additional sores or you are doing something to aggravate the one you have. Also, canker sores can look similar to a herpes virus which would also be painful and more likely to linger for a few weeks. So it's important that you get the proper diagnosis.

You are wise to be concerned about taking any OTC pain meds for any length of time as they do affect the liver and other organs. You could try taking a homeopathic remedy which can be very helpful. Here is a site that gives an excellent list of remedies for dental related issues. Scroll down the list to Herpes Lesions. http://www.icnr.com/articles/homeopa...dentistry.html

A word of caution about using Gumtech toothpaste and others with similar ingredients. It contains triclosan which is a germicide that is undeniably toxic and it carries all sorts of negative health warnings. Here is some info on that..
http://www.beyondpesticides.org/prog...ials/triclosan

The least toxic toothpaste is a home made mixture of coconut oil and baking soda. Here's a simple recipe for making it:

2 tablespoons Coconut Oil
2 tablespoons Baking Soda
10 drops of Peppermint oil (optional)

*You can make a larger or smaller batch depending on how long you would like it to last and what size container you’re storing it in.
Instructions:

1. Mix baking soda and coconut oil in a small container, until it forms a paste like consistency

2. Add several drops of peppermint oil and mix (*peppermint is optional)

I hope this information is helpful to you.
Bryanna

Thanks Bryanna on the myrrh....I'm just so NOT wanting to do dental work...I'm exhausted from so much pain from the hip surgery and my body and DREAD anymore trauma. I may see a NEW dentist soon. Thanks again.

I've kept this area going without dental work for maybe 10 yrs.

Hello, Bryanna.

Thank you so much. You've been so helpful and I am always relieved whenever I see that you've replied. And I am going to try the home remedies. Thank you again.

I actually had a worst canker sore before and it was on my tongue, it was too bad. However I could not remember if it also disturbed my sleep because of pain.
I mean, I am afraid that the pain I am having doesn't come from this sore, since I have felt the same pain when I had my tooth pulled on August. After almost two months post op the pain was like a toothache, even worse than that. So, I visited my dentist and he told me there was nothing wrong with the socket and it has already healed, but the gums around the tooth beside it was swollen and very red, and so he took it off. And that's the issue I am going through now. Still feeling the same pain like the August extraction. I am so confused. Even if my dentist would tell me that it's just because of the sore. Your thoughts, Bryanna?

Again and again, thank you!

Xx

Hi caroline,

I completely understand your concern about adding further trauma to your system and appreciate your hesitation about dealing with this root canaled tooth as that could include decisions about other teeth related to this bridge. However at the very same time I think you realize that a chronic infection anyplace in your body can not only jeopardize the integrity of your hip replacement but it can also cause other systemic health problems.

Root canaled teeth are a chronic source of bacterial infection and inflammation. The oral cavity and the jaw bone are highly vascular which means that both good and bad bacteria living in our mouths and jaw bone continuously travels throughout our bodily systems and organs. You have managed to reduce the obvious physical symptoms of your infected tooth for 10 years, but that does not in any way mean that the infection is not present all of the time.

I am not trying to convince you to seek dental care as that is your personal decision. I am just here to inform you and others reading these posts that once a tooth is root canaled it is a constant source of infection and an absence or decrease in physical symptoms of that infection should not be misunderstood as a resolution of the infection.

I hope you know that I am here to help, not hinder :)
Bryanna

Hi maiamontilla,

I am going to re post some of your thread and reply in bold type. This will make it a bit easier to follow. If you are comfortable with sharing more information, please send a reply to my questions. Thanks :)

<<I actually had a worst canker sore before and it was on my tongue, it was too bad. However I could not remember if it also disturbed my sleep because of pain.>>

ARE YOU PRONE TO CANKER SORES? DO YOU GET THEM FREQUENTLY? DO YOU HAVE A HERPES ZOSTER VIRUS? DO YOU HAVE AN AUTO IMMUNE DISORDER? ARE YOU ON MEDICATION OR ANTIHISTAMINES THAT CAUSE YOU TO HAVE A DRY MOUTH?

<<I mean, I am afraid that the pain I am having doesn't come from this sore, since I have felt the same pain when I had my tooth pulled on August. After almost two months post op the pain was like a toothache, even worse than that. So, I visited my dentist and he told me there was nothing wrong with the socket and it has already healed, but the gums around the tooth beside it was swollen and very red, and so he took it off.>>

WERE THESE TWO TEETH ROOT CANALED PRIOR TO THE EXTRACTIONS?
WHAT IS THE GENERAL HEALTH OF YOUR TEETH AND GUMS? DO YOU HAVE REGULAR DENTAL CARE OR JUST WHEN SOMETHING HURTS?
I ASSUME WHEN YOU SAY "HE TOOK IT OFF" YOU MEAN THE DENTIST EXTRACTED THE TOOTH AND THAT THE RECENT EXTRACTIONS WERE TEETH NEXT TO EACH OTHER. IS THAT CORRECT?

Bryanna, thanks for your comments, I know what you are saying, but I'm just having a huge problem going to get all these teeth and bridge next to it removed. I've kept it under control for about 10 yrs I think.

This recent flare up about 2 weeks ago hit me with pain and I WAS considering going to a dentist, but yesterday I started with 70/30 DMSO, added some collodial silver and clove oil and have had no pain for going on two days. Have this solution in a 1 oz dark dropper bottle and add drops to that area 3 times a day or so. I've been working with DMSO for some yrs as I'm on a DMSO group and they are so helpful. Many want to save trips to dentist and some would go directly to dentist for what I'm dealing with.

I have root canaled front upper teeth with crowns and they are about 40 yrs old...never a problem....but this last job over 10 yrs ago, not the same outcome.

http://dmsobenefits.blogspot.com/201...m-disease.html

I'm not suggesting this for anyone else but what feels right for me at this point.

A friend who also had a hip replacement the same year I did and she's 10 yrs older than me, had a tooth issue a couple yrs ago and went and did all the work the dentist did and she got a crown and says she has pain there to this day.

So thanks for all your good advice and I may end up yet getting the molar dug out and whatever they need to do. Right now, no pain, all is quiet with the treatment I'm doing.

caroline,

I think it's important to clarify the issue of chronic oral infection so that anyone reading these posts gets an accurate understanding of the subject and does not assume if they apply a topical medicament that their infected tooth or their gum disease will be cured.

The article on DMSO is very informative and I can see how a lay person would think that the author was making reference to various tooth and gum infections. However from a professional viewpoint, this article is referencing dental problems associated with gum disease called periodontal disease, not root canaled teeth. DMSO, like any other medicament cannot penetrate the dentin tubules of the tooth. In all root canaled teeth, the bacteria initially resides in the microscopic dentin tubules and proliferates from there. So when you use an oral, topical or inject able anti bacterial/antiseptic medicament in your mouth it can only reach the colonies of bacteria that partially surround the tooth. It does not go into the tooth at all. Acute symptoms may subside as the bacteria is reduced in those localized areas but the source of the infection is still the tooth and it is still filtering through the blood.

Symptoms are just a clinical sign that something is wrong. They are not an indication of the severity of a problem. This is true for various physical disorders such as heart disease, cancer, diabetes, etc and not just tooth related problems.

Forty years ago the root canal procedure was similar to what it is today with a few exceptions. One is fancier, sharper instruments and another is the usage of formocresol. That toxin was used 100% of the time during the rc procedure up until about 15-18 years ago. It is still used today, but with much less frequency because the toxicity of it has become well known to cause health problems. I mention this because I assume from your posts here that you are concerned about your health and put a lot of time into seeking to become better informed on your health.

It is always a personal decision to choose extraction or retention of root canaled teeth and no one here is trying to convince you either way. You can only do what you feel is best for you.

Bryanna

Hi, Bryanna.

Thank you again for the reply. Here are the answers to your questions.

No, I am not prone to canker sore. The one that I had on my tongue was the only sore that I could remember (or maybe because it hit me too bad) and it happened a couple of years ago, but I'm pretty sure I'm not prone and don't get it frequently. And I don't have Herpes Zepros Virus, it's actually my first time to hear that, so I googled it and yes, negative. Also, I am not going thru Auto Immune Disorder and the only medication I am having is the antibiotic which my dentist told me to continue and it's my last day of taking those.

Sorry, I forgot to tell you that the first tooth pulled on August has undergone Root Canal, last 2012. And on July, this year, it has been aching everyday. So, I visited my dentist and have it extracted. There was pus all over the tooth and he said, it was the cause of my suffering. He even told me that the Root Canal was not succesfully done because there should be a certain "stuff" (sorry, I forgot the word) inserted in
the tooth. After the op, I thought my agony was over, but still and all, I continue feeling the burden. Until, it affects the tooth next to it (yes, the one that I first consulted with you and the one with canker sore)

The general health of my teeth and gums, I may say, is pretty fine. My gums are somewhat pinkish and other teeth are not giving me pain and I have no "black tooth". But, my bad, I don't go and have regular dental check up, not unless I am hurting. Though, I just had prophylaxis, but I don't do it every after 6 months. And I really regret that I did not take so much care of my dental health cos if I did, assumably, I am not going thru this burden.

I hope I clearly answered everything.

And by the way, Bryanna, I've noticed yesterday that my gums on the side of the socket (near the cheek) is swollen and it has a white dot on the middle. Is it just normal?

I guess everyday the amount of pain is increasing, instead of subsiding. And I am honestly tired. My dentist told me to avoid stress, but this is causing me too much of it. I also apologize if I have a lot of concerns, Bryanna, but I'm more comfortable opening up my burden with you than my dentist who loves to give me "maybe" answers.

Endless thanks.

Xx

Hi maiamontilla,

Thank you for answering the questions :)

When you had your dental cleaning, did the hygienist do a full mouth series of xrays? That would be 18-20 xrays. I ask that because the only way to help diagnose cavities, infection, bone loss, etc is to take xrays of all of the teeth. Without them, the visual oral examination is limited. Our teeth can look really healthy visually, but radio graphically have problems.

I think you may have something going on in that area of your mouth where the teeth have been extracted that may be related to the root canaled tooth that you had removed in August. Based on your description, that rc tooth was severely infected and it is very possible that it had infected the tooth next to it, the recently extracted one. I also think the dentist may not have cleaned out the extractions sites very well when he removed the teeth. It is imperative that a thorough debridement (scraping) of the bone be done with every tooth extraction. If it is not done, then infection will continue to linger irrelevant of taking antibiotics. Unfortunately, many general dentists do not take the time to debride the bone. The lingering pain, the swelling, the sores and now the formation of a white dot on the gums are indicative of an ongoing problem. I would recommend that you consult with an oral surgeon to evaluate that area of your mouth.

If you have not had it done already, ideally you should have a full mouth series of xrays done to help establish the health of your teeth, bone and gums. All of those xrays along with any previous xrays of the problem area of your mouth should be shown to the oral surgeon for proper and thorough evaluation.

Bryanna

Hi, Bryanna.

You are totally right. After the tooth was extracted (the one that was root canaled), he just showed me the pus and then we're done. He did not conduct xrays, too.

So, if there's something going on inside the gums, am I going to undergo gum surgery?

I am going to visit an oral surgeon today and hopefully, she is as best as you.

Thank you so much, Bryanna.

Xx

Hello, Bryanna.

I visited an oral surgeon this morning and she said, I might have an abscess and it seems that she has seen pus in my gum socket. I told her that I wanted to get an x ray since none of my medicine could heal the problem and I am too worried cos I've been taking meds for almost 3 months already and I also shared your thoughts regarding the tooth with a lot of pus, that was root canaled. So, she asked for the brand of antibiotics that I've been taking and assumed that they give no effect (since the med that was prescribed by my previous dentist was generic) and she then recommended Dalacin C. If it still won't work after 3 days, then that's the time that I would get an x ray.

Did she do the right thing, Bryanna? And if nothing changes after 3 days, what is she going to do? Is she going to open my gums? That thought pretty scares me. -_-

Xx

Hi Maiamontilla,

The fact that these dentists have not done xrays is totally unacceptable. Please do not allow any more dentists to treat you without xrays. They cannot see the extent of the problem without xrays and you cannot keep taking antibiotics without knowing why they are prescribed. Antibiotics disrupt your intestinal bacteria which can make you very ill. So they should not be prescribed so carelessly as your dentists have done.

The infection that you have is most likely in the jaw bone, not just the gum tissue. Typically the infection from the root canaled tooth spreads into the bone and causes an abscess. Based on your description the dentist that extracted the teeth did not scrape the bone clean, therefore, the abscess would still present.

Can you see a different oral surgeon and make sure that he takes a full mouth series of xrays? You have the right to be treated properly. All dentists know better than to treat a patient without xrays. Please seek help from someone else.

Bryanna

Hello, Bryanna.

Thank you so much for your concern. I would find a new surgeon as soon as I could get a vacant time. It's somewhat hard to get a good one, since all of them here don't have the practice that you got and that's disappointing for patients like me.

Anyway, you've been such a great help, Bryanna and I'd really want to thank you over and over again. Could I still get back to you and send my x ray?

Thank you and more power! :)

Xx

Maiamontilla,

May I ask, what country do you live in?
Are there privately owned dental practices?

Bryanna

I'm from the Philippines. Particularly in Tacloban, if you're familiar, the one that has been hit by Typhoon Haiyan/Yolanda. Yes, we have private dental clinics here and it's where I'm more comfortable to go whenever I'm pained. And we also have dentist in Public Hospitals, where you pay much lesser, no dentist's fee and payment is just for the anesthesia. But, so far, those private clinics nor the public hosp. that I've visited, none of them owns an X Ray machine. They would have to reffer a certain lab and maybe, that's the reason why their first choice is to prescribe antibiotics than to let me get an X Ray.

Feels like the new antibiotic prescribed yesterday, still has no effect. I just took pain reliever cos I am in deep ache at the moment.

Wish I could find a good Oral Surgeon tomorrow or would it be better if I would just get an X Ray and look for a new dentist to let him read it?

Xx

Hi Maiamontilla,

Oh my goodness.... I assume you are referencing the typhoon that occurred in 2013? I hope you and your family were able to flee the area quickly to a safe place. What a frightening event to live through. I cannot even imagine what that would be like. I hope you are okay!

My suggestion about finding a dentist or preferably an oral surgeon would be to get a listing of all of them, perhaps you could do a google search for someone within a reasonable distance from you. Then call their offices and ask if they have an xray machine or if they will refer you to someplace else to have xrays as you need to have them done. Also take a look at this link...
http://www.whatclinic.com/dentists/philippines/x-ray.

Please let me know when you find someone and in the mean time I would recommend that you keep rinsing with warm salt water 3 times a day and make sure to brush all of your teeth thoroughly 2 times a day.
Bryanna

Hi, Bryanna.

Yes, you're right. The strongest typhoon, i bet. We're just lucky that we are located in a higher area, though the water caused by the storm surge reached us, I am thankful that we live in a two level house and we were able to save our life by staying upstairs. Though our roof gave up and we were all wet, we're still more fortunate than the other victims. I did not lost any member of my family, but I have friends who died and it's so sad. Tacloban has already moved forward and it's gonna be Yolanda's 2nd Anniversary this coming Nov. 8, maybe the pain and trauma would always stay, but at least we are back. And we will always be thankful to all who prayed and helped us stand again. Especially the other countries, including yours. :)

By the way, I already had an x ray and there was abscess found in the last molar (the tooth beside the recently extracted). The dentist said that there was no more problem in my gums (the one that has history of root canal and the one next to it). She extracted the last molar and God, it was the most painful thing that has ever happened to me. Anesthesia did not work, even if she did it for many times. I really wanted to cry, but I told her to end the agony, so she forcely pulled the tooth. And there, I've seen that there was something black in the tooth. It wasn't that clear so I asked her, she said the black stuff is inside the tooth. She also saw another decayed tooth and pulled it out, too. And I now understand when you said that the health of the teeth and gums could not just be seen through our eyes. But, if only they recommend x ray right away, the burden should've not stayed for almost three months.

Thanks again, Bryanna. Thank you so much!

Xx

Hi Maiamontilla,

I am so very sorry for the loss of your friends during that horrific event. But at the same time so relieved to hear that you and your family are okay and how very fortunate you all were to be able to stay reasonably safe during the storm. I have experienced a few earth quakes, hurricanes and tornadoes but nothing near the magnitude of that typhoon. The trauma and devastation of that experience will remain with you but so will the positivism from the out pour of love and help from around the world. I pray you never have to experience anything like that again ~'.'~

The reason the extraction of that molar was painful was because of the infection. Infectious bacteria is very acidic whereas the local anesthetic is very alkaline. So irrelevant of how many injections the dentist gave you, the bacteria would over ride the anesthetic. Generally when a tooth is very infected, an antibiotic will be prescribed to be taken for 3 days prior to the extraction to lower the bacterial count so that the anesthetic becomes more effective. The meds would then be continued for another 7-10 days after the extraction. I'm sorry if she did not follow that protocol.

Because you do not have routine dental care and because you still have pain, it would be wise to have a full mouth series of xrays. There is no other way to help determine the health of your teeth and bone because a clinical view is limited and just not good enough.

I hope you can find the dental help you deserve. Please keep us posted :)
Bryanna

Hello, Bryanna.

Thank you so much for everything- for answering all of my concerns; for the endless advice; for never getting tired on listening and for the knowledge you've shared with me. I learned a lot and I'm very blessed I've found you. And I would always keep every learning that I earned- I promise to take care of my dental health from now on.

Thank you so much, Bryanna! You are an angel.

Thank you! Xoxo

Maiamontilla,

Thank you for the kinds words ;)
Sometimes it's just nice to have someone to reach out to and I'm glad I could be of some help to you. I hope you will pursue getting a dentist and find someone who will serve you well. Don't give up!

I came across this dentist in the Philippines... have no idea if she would be near you or not. Please take a look.. https://www.practo.com/metro-manila/...-ebuen-dentist

Bryanna

[Hi Bryanna,

I'm new around here so excuse me if I got something wrong. I had my upper left wisdom tooth extracted more than 3 weeks ago. I didn't take any antibiotics because I'd had this kind of surgery 3 times already and I'd been fine without antibiotics. After the first week the swelling hadn't subsided so I went to see my oral surgeon. He told me I've got an infection, prescribed me one course of antibiotics and I went to see him a few more times to drain the pus. After the swelling came down I had a hard lump left in my cheek and he told me that it would take time for the tissue to get back to normal. That was a week ago and so far the lump hasn't changed at all, except that it started to move down slightly. Last couple of days I had a fever and pus started draining in my mouth again when I apply pressure. I don't panic easily but it's been almost a month now and I'm not sure if I should give it more time or seek a second opinion. Any advice would be helpful, thanks.

Hi maverickk,

Welcome to our forum! You did not get anything wrong as you can post or comment on any thread that is already started. In the future what you can do to make sure that your post is easily seen, just start a new thread with your particular topic of concern. Otherwise, you did good :)

You should definitely go back to see the oral surgeon. However, a couple of things come to mind that could be contributing factors:

1) Was the wisdom tooth infected prior to extraction? If not, what was the reason for extracting this tooth? What is the general health of your teeth and gums?

2)The fact that this was an upper tooth makes me wonder if you have a sinus perforation. Did the surgeon mention anything to you about that? Have you had or do you have any sinus pain or pressure on that side of your face? Any unusual drainage from that nostril or any post nasal drip going down your throat?

3) Is the molar next to this extraction root canaled? If it is, then this molar could be contributing to the infection.

4) Do you smoke or drink alcohol? Both of those things can reduce your ability to heal well which can result in a lingering infection.

5) What are you using to rinse with and how often are you rinsing?

The fact that it is 3 weeks post op and you still have pus exuding and now have developed a fever all indicate an active infection. So it is best to see the oral surgeon asap to have an xray to check on the status of the sinus and to see if there is any bony fragments or pieces of tooth still in the socket. The oral surgeon may say you don't need an xray..... however it would behoove you to insist on having one because it is the only way for him to visually see the sinus membrane and check the socket for other remnants of tooth, etc.

In the meantime, rinse your mouth 3-4 times a day with warm salt water to encourage the area to drain on its own. In one cup of warm water add a 1/2 tsp of salt and stir. Rinse, do not swallow it. I would not touch that area to express the pus as that could result in bacteria entering the site that could cause further infection to develop.

Also, be sure to drink lots of water, not soda or any sugary drink, throughout the day to keep hydrated and to help flush out the toxins from the infection. The correct amount of water to drink each day = your weight divided x 2. Example weight 100 lbs = 50 ounces of water per day.

Please keep in touch and let us know how you are doing.
Bryanna




QUOTE=maverickk;1179660][Hi Bryanna,

I'm new around here so excuse me if I got something wrong. I had my upper left wisdom tooth extracted more than 3 weeks ago. I didn't take any antibiotics because I'd had this kind of surgery 3 times already and I'd been fine without antibiotics. After the first week the swelling hadn't subsided so I went to see my oral surgeon. He told me I've got an infection, prescribed me one course of antibiotics and I went to see him a few more times to drain the pus. After the swelling came down I had a hard lump left in my cheek and he told me that it would take time for the tissue to get back to normal. That was a week ago and so far the lump hasn't changed at all, except that it started to move down slightly. Last couple of days I had a fever and pus started draining in my mouth again when I apply pressure. I don't panic easily but it's been almost a month now and I'm not sure if I should give it more time or seek a second opinion. Any advice would be helpful, thanks.[/QUOTE]