I have been to several dentists and doctors that may be negligent, so I would appreciate some advice/guidance.
So here goes.... I started having a tooth infection in February or March 2021, and I took an antibiotic for it (amoxicillin and then clindamycin because I was allergic), which successfully alleviated the pain. I neglected seeing the dentist until it came back two times over the summer, both times I took clindamycin for. The dentist told me I needed to have all four of my wisdom teeth extracted. I got them out as soon as possible, in late August.
The extraction other than the fact that my infection came back in full force afterwards. My lymph nodes were swollen and the pain was radiating throughout my jaw. I received another antibiotic (clindamycin), and then moved away for school, and had to wait a while before I had dental insurance in my state. As soon as the antibiotic wore off, the infection came back. I found a dental clinic that would take me at a lower cost before my insurance was sorted out, and they told me my bottom left tooth, #19, would need a root canal. I also was told I'd need 6-7 fillings. I bit the bullet and bought the insurance, but in the meantime before I was able to get the work done, the infection came back so bad I went to urgent care one night and they gave me another course of clindamycin (and at this point I was convinced I'm resistant to clindamycin because of all the times I've had it).
Fast forward a few weeks and my dental insurance was sorted out, so I went to an endodontist to have my root canal procedure done. I also got those fillings done (which, by the way, were probably done wrong because I can no longer floss in between those teeth). A few days later, the infection was still there. I had gone to urgent care a second time, and they gave me a shot of Rocephin, but it did not relieve me much. I went in to the endodontist to get my tooth retreated. Going in for the root canal retreatment, I had a sneaking suspicion that the tooth was cracked anyway and would need to be extracted... but they insisted retreatment was the way to go. I got retreated, and they gave me a new antibiotic, Azithromycin, as well as some Medrol for the pain radiating into my ear.
A few nights later, I heard a popping sound and had an intense throbbing in my jaw. My tooth had cracked to the root. And at this point, the infection was so bad that it was keeping me up at night, with pain in my jaw, neck, lymph nodes, ear, head, and chest. I got referred to an oral surgeon to get the tooth extracted as soon as possible.
I received the tooth extraction on October 20th, and they sent me home with another course of clindamycin. That night was the worst I've ever felt the infection. I was coughing all night, and the pain seemed to radiate throughout my whole left side and chest (and a little on the right). I tried the Hydrocodone they gave me and was alternating it with Ibuprofen, but I was fatigued, heart was beating fast, and felt short of breath and dizzy at night. The highest my fever got was 99.1.
A few days ago, I went back to the oral surgeon because I have a bump underneath the skin on my jaw next to the extraction site. I also went to another dentist to get a second opinion. They both told me that I should stop taking courses of antibiotics because at this point they aren't helping. They said the bump is probably a "hematoma" from the trauma of the surgery, and the extraction site looked good and healthy. The second dentist did also tell me I have a lot of cracks on my teeth and should get an occlusal guard to avoid clenching.
My question is this: are they correct that I don't need antibiotics anymore? I've always heard that infections do not go away on their own. I still feel infected, and there is still a bump under my jaw. Are the cracks causing infection in my mouth as well? Or am I just resistant to all antibiotics now and have no hope?
I just don't know what to do anymore and it's literally so hard to get through the day when I feel this sick, and it's not like I've been neglecting professional care..
So here goes.... I started having a tooth infection in February or March 2021, and I took an antibiotic for it (amoxicillin and then clindamycin because I was allergic), which successfully alleviated the pain. I neglected seeing the dentist until it came back two times over the summer, both times I took clindamycin for. The dentist told me I needed to have all four of my wisdom teeth extracted. I got them out as soon as possible, in late August.
The extraction other than the fact that my infection came back in full force afterwards. My lymph nodes were swollen and the pain was radiating throughout my jaw. I received another antibiotic (clindamycin), and then moved away for school, and had to wait a while before I had dental insurance in my state. As soon as the antibiotic wore off, the infection came back. I found a dental clinic that would take me at a lower cost before my insurance was sorted out, and they told me my bottom left tooth, #19, would need a root canal. I also was told I'd need 6-7 fillings. I bit the bullet and bought the insurance, but in the meantime before I was able to get the work done, the infection came back so bad I went to urgent care one night and they gave me another course of clindamycin (and at this point I was convinced I'm resistant to clindamycin because of all the times I've had it).
Fast forward a few weeks and my dental insurance was sorted out, so I went to an endodontist to have my root canal procedure done. I also got those fillings done (which, by the way, were probably done wrong because I can no longer floss in between those teeth). A few days later, the infection was still there. I had gone to urgent care a second time, and they gave me a shot of Rocephin, but it did not relieve me much. I went in to the endodontist to get my tooth retreated. Going in for the root canal retreatment, I had a sneaking suspicion that the tooth was cracked anyway and would need to be extracted... but they insisted retreatment was the way to go. I got retreated, and they gave me a new antibiotic, Azithromycin, as well as some Medrol for the pain radiating into my ear.
A few nights later, I heard a popping sound and had an intense throbbing in my jaw. My tooth had cracked to the root. And at this point, the infection was so bad that it was keeping me up at night, with pain in my jaw, neck, lymph nodes, ear, head, and chest. I got referred to an oral surgeon to get the tooth extracted as soon as possible.
I received the tooth extraction on October 20th, and they sent me home with another course of clindamycin. That night was the worst I've ever felt the infection. I was coughing all night, and the pain seemed to radiate throughout my whole left side and chest (and a little on the right). I tried the Hydrocodone they gave me and was alternating it with Ibuprofen, but I was fatigued, heart was beating fast, and felt short of breath and dizzy at night. The highest my fever got was 99.1.
A few days ago, I went back to the oral surgeon because I have a bump underneath the skin on my jaw next to the extraction site. I also went to another dentist to get a second opinion. They both told me that I should stop taking courses of antibiotics because at this point they aren't helping. They said the bump is probably a "hematoma" from the trauma of the surgery, and the extraction site looked good and healthy. The second dentist did also tell me I have a lot of cracks on my teeth and should get an occlusal guard to avoid clenching.
My question is this: are they correct that I don't need antibiotics anymore? I've always heard that infections do not go away on their own. I still feel infected, and there is still a bump under my jaw. Are the cracks causing infection in my mouth as well? Or am I just resistant to all antibiotics now and have no hope?
I just don't know what to do anymore and it's literally so hard to get through the day when I feel this sick, and it's not like I've been neglecting professional care..