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Suggest Treatment For Severe Pain Due To Badly Abscessed Bottom Molar
Question: I have a badly abscessed bottom molar. I've had it since last year when the dentist told me it was from grinding my teeth at night. Now, it has such stabbing pains in it that I bend over double and anything - hot, cold, etc. causes me to go through the roof. A dentist suggested that I either have the tooth pulled or have a crown put in. I'm inclined just to have it pulled. What is your suggested. Also, I seem to have come down with a fever and flu symptoms - could this be from the abscessed tooth?
Brief Answer:
Tooth extraction; fever could be; psych consult
Detailed Answer:
Hello ma'am and welcome.
Thank you for writing to us.
I have gone through your query with diligence and would like you to know that I am here to help. In my opinion, it would be better to get it pulled out as this would prevent future trouble. During the process of the tooth extraction, your doctor will clean the cavity well enough to avoid any future infections.
An abscess can easily cause fever and weakness, especially once infected. As for the flu-like symptoms, this may or may not be related to the abscess as in my opinion it is mostly unrelated.
I would also request you to visit a psychiatrist if the nocturnal tooth grinding is due to anxiety or by habit. The specialist will help you to deal with the problem, which in turn can prevent such problems in the future (if at all tooth grinding is in fact the main cause for the abscess).
I hope you find my response helpful. Please feel free to write back to me for any further clarification, I would be more than happy to help you.
Best wishes.
Tooth extraction; fever could be; psych consult
Detailed Answer:
Hello ma'am and welcome.
Thank you for writing to us.
I have gone through your query with diligence and would like you to know that I am here to help. In my opinion, it would be better to get it pulled out as this would prevent future trouble. During the process of the tooth extraction, your doctor will clean the cavity well enough to avoid any future infections.
An abscess can easily cause fever and weakness, especially once infected. As for the flu-like symptoms, this may or may not be related to the abscess as in my opinion it is mostly unrelated.
I would also request you to visit a psychiatrist if the nocturnal tooth grinding is due to anxiety or by habit. The specialist will help you to deal with the problem, which in turn can prevent such problems in the future (if at all tooth grinding is in fact the main cause for the abscess).
I hope you find my response helpful. Please feel free to write back to me for any further clarification, I would be more than happy to help you.
Best wishes.
Above answer was peer-reviewed by :
Dr. Chakravarthy Mazumdar
Thank you for your answer. The tooth has a chip in it on the inside of the tooth. I believe this would also interfere with a crown. I think you are correct that extraction is the best way to go, even though I have the second molar on the right side extracted last year (which was not abscessed). As far as the flu, I have a temperature of 100.8. Should I take something to reduce the fever or leave it alone to fight the infection? How can I tell if it viral or bacteria related? I have some amoxicillin given to me a few months for another problem - would it be helpful to take it? As far as the teeth grinding, I have been seeing a psychiatrist for about two years due to anxiety disorder, severe depression, PTSD and some symptoms of bipolar disorder. Due to medication, I have stopped grinding my teeth.
Brief Answer:
Temperature might require a physicians examination
Detailed Answer:
Hello once again ma'am.
First of all, my sincere apologies for the delay as I had a busy day at week. A temperature of 100.8 should be looked into in my opinion, and if at all the abscess is not infected then there should be another cause to it. As I cannot thoroughly examine your tooth, I will not be able to tell you whether or not to leave the fever untreated because if at all the abscess is the cause for the fever then the extraction should be planned and antibiotics prescribed after the procedure should take care of the fever. But if at all the abscess is not the cause, then it would be negligent of any doctor examining you to not find the cause for the fever.
So I would recommend a visit to your doctor (not dentist), just to make sure all is well (excluding the abscess). It is not possible to tell whether the source is bacterial or viral at this point (for either you or me). But if at all it is a bacterial infection, it would respond to amoxicillin although I would suggest against self prescribing medication and just to visit your doctor (a physician) for further management.
I am glad your anxiety, depression and PTSD is being well addressed ma'am this really puts me at ease. I hope and pray for your complete recovery, and please do not ever hesitate to write to me for any further clarifications, I am always here to help.
Best wishes.
Temperature might require a physicians examination
Detailed Answer:
Hello once again ma'am.
First of all, my sincere apologies for the delay as I had a busy day at week. A temperature of 100.8 should be looked into in my opinion, and if at all the abscess is not infected then there should be another cause to it. As I cannot thoroughly examine your tooth, I will not be able to tell you whether or not to leave the fever untreated because if at all the abscess is the cause for the fever then the extraction should be planned and antibiotics prescribed after the procedure should take care of the fever. But if at all the abscess is not the cause, then it would be negligent of any doctor examining you to not find the cause for the fever.
So I would recommend a visit to your doctor (not dentist), just to make sure all is well (excluding the abscess). It is not possible to tell whether the source is bacterial or viral at this point (for either you or me). But if at all it is a bacterial infection, it would respond to amoxicillin although I would suggest against self prescribing medication and just to visit your doctor (a physician) for further management.
I am glad your anxiety, depression and PTSD is being well addressed ma'am this really puts me at ease. I hope and pray for your complete recovery, and please do not ever hesitate to write to me for any further clarifications, I am always here to help.
Best wishes.
Note: Find out which dental treatment will work best for your teeth. Ask here.
Above answer was peer-reviewed by :
Dr. Chakravarthy Mazumdar
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