Length of Time with Antibiotics for an Infected Tooth
Posted by writeradmin
I am needing some advice for my husband. He had a sports injury which led to him having a concussion along with a cut lip and some trauma to his front teeth. We went to see the dentist as soon as possible after our trip to the ER. His dentist said the he’d like to wait for two weeks to let everything settle down. That was fine. We returned after that. The dentist said he didn’t see anything urgent and only feels dried blood. Because the tooth was discoloring by then, he fit my husband for a dental crown. Everything was fine until two months later when he ended up in horrible pain. We went to see the dentist again who decided to do a root canal treatment. He also gave him five days worth of antibiotics and then completed the root canal treatment a little over a week later. He felt better briefly, but then ended up in serious pain again. We went back, yet again, to the dentist’s office and he said it is probably the tooth next to the one which was injured that is the problem and gave a root canal to that one, which didn’t help at all. A month later he was still in pain. We went to the ER this time. They told us it was the original tooth that was the problem. Unfortunately, they don’t treat dental issues, so they referred us back to our dentist. I’m so frustrated. What do you recommend? My poor husband is in agony.
Laine
Dear Laine,
I am glad you wrote. Your dentist made a couple of mistakes here. I will say right of that you are not with the best dentist. It might be a good idea to start looking for another one. First, when the tooth began to experience discoloring and he felt dried blood, it should have been obvious then that your husband needed a root canal treatment. This would have prevented much of the agony your husband has dealt with.
The second big mistake is the antibiotics. While they are good for holding a tooth infection at bay, they will not heal the infected tooth. Giving your husband an antibiotic was completely appropriate; however, what your husband was prescribed was not enough. The dosing should have been enough to get him through the root canal treatment. It sounds like your dentist did a five day prescription, but did not do the root canal treatment until over seven days later. That would only serve to trap the infection inside the tooth.
My suggestion is that you see a root canal specialist. I would consider this a dental emergency. Reach out to an endodontist, which is the official title of a root canal specialist, and explain to him or her what you’ve just shared with me. They should get you in very quickly.
This blog is brought to you by Mount Dora Dentist Dr. Michelle Stillman.