- Joined
- Jul 29, 2024
- Messages
- 2
Good day everyone. I will try to keep this as short as possible.
One day in early June, I came down with a toothache. I didn't think much of it at first. Took some ibuprofen, went to bed. In the middle of the night, it got unbearably worse. Took the day off work, and since I did not currently have a dentist to call- I went to an urgent care center who gave me Augmentin and set me up with a dentist to call. Took the first pill immediately. Swelling had not really started yet- but what did happen was about 3-4 hours after leaving the urgent care and taking the antibiotic, I felt what could only be described as an explosion in my cheek. No pus was draining out of my body/mouth- it appeared to have burst into what I have now learned are called the "buccal" spaces. Then the swelling started up pretty gnarly. However, by the end of the following day it had already started to reduce, because of the antibiotic. Two or three days later I went to the dentist, who did x rays. On them, I could see what was a large periapical abscess. Whatever was going on in my cheek was obviously not visible on the regular x ray, I wouldn't think. but the classic dark circle abscess under the tooth was clear as day. By this point the swelling in my face had all but gone away. It was just very mild. The decision was made to extract the tooth right then and there, since I had already been taking the augmentin. I did mention what had happened to my cheek, and was told by dentist that now that the tooth was out, the antibiotics would clear up anything else.
The extraction went off with no problems, and healed perfectly. I finished the ten day course of augmentin. However, the very last bit of swelling (only noticeable to me, no one else notices) never really went away. and I just sort of feel a "fullness" in the area. like a little bit of pressure but no pain. I was then given a 5 day course of clindamycin after calling in with these complaints- and those gave no change at all. It's not the absolute end of the world, but the "fullness" is annoying and is affecting my sense of well being. it seems to feel different at different times of day. It has even radiated to my ear here and there.
I suppose my question is what the heck do I do now? Call the dentist again? Go to the Emergency room? Do I need IV antibiotics? a CT scan? since my swelling is so minor that even I question if it is really there or just from me poking at it. Do I need my cheek cut open and a drain put in? Why weren't those things done when I went for my appointment to begin with? or why wasn't I referred out somewhere for it? That has lead me to believe that it must be all in my head, because if I needed those things done, wouldn't a dentist have suggested it? Does something like this just have a long recovery time? Because I swear some days it feels like it is going away altogether and others it bothers me. any advice?
One day in early June, I came down with a toothache. I didn't think much of it at first. Took some ibuprofen, went to bed. In the middle of the night, it got unbearably worse. Took the day off work, and since I did not currently have a dentist to call- I went to an urgent care center who gave me Augmentin and set me up with a dentist to call. Took the first pill immediately. Swelling had not really started yet- but what did happen was about 3-4 hours after leaving the urgent care and taking the antibiotic, I felt what could only be described as an explosion in my cheek. No pus was draining out of my body/mouth- it appeared to have burst into what I have now learned are called the "buccal" spaces. Then the swelling started up pretty gnarly. However, by the end of the following day it had already started to reduce, because of the antibiotic. Two or three days later I went to the dentist, who did x rays. On them, I could see what was a large periapical abscess. Whatever was going on in my cheek was obviously not visible on the regular x ray, I wouldn't think. but the classic dark circle abscess under the tooth was clear as day. By this point the swelling in my face had all but gone away. It was just very mild. The decision was made to extract the tooth right then and there, since I had already been taking the augmentin. I did mention what had happened to my cheek, and was told by dentist that now that the tooth was out, the antibiotics would clear up anything else.
The extraction went off with no problems, and healed perfectly. I finished the ten day course of augmentin. However, the very last bit of swelling (only noticeable to me, no one else notices) never really went away. and I just sort of feel a "fullness" in the area. like a little bit of pressure but no pain. I was then given a 5 day course of clindamycin after calling in with these complaints- and those gave no change at all. It's not the absolute end of the world, but the "fullness" is annoying and is affecting my sense of well being. it seems to feel different at different times of day. It has even radiated to my ear here and there.
I suppose my question is what the heck do I do now? Call the dentist again? Go to the Emergency room? Do I need IV antibiotics? a CT scan? since my swelling is so minor that even I question if it is really there or just from me poking at it. Do I need my cheek cut open and a drain put in? Why weren't those things done when I went for my appointment to begin with? or why wasn't I referred out somewhere for it? That has lead me to believe that it must be all in my head, because if I needed those things done, wouldn't a dentist have suggested it? Does something like this just have a long recovery time? Because I swear some days it feels like it is going away altogether and others it bothers me. any advice?