Advice on home treatment for my wisdom tooth
August 31, 2015 8:38 PM
I noted that my wisdom tooth on the bottom left of my mouth has been growing two days ago. And the gum around my wisdom tooth started to get swollen and it got worse today. I accidently pressed the gum near my wisdom tooth and there is some yellow liquid with a bit blood coming out from my wisdome tooth. I do not know if the gum near my wisdom tooth is infected or not? I feel it is a little harder to open my mouth than usual. My wisdom tooth does hurt so far. But when i press the area bettween my left jaw and my neck, it hurts a little bit.
Here is a picture of my wisdom tooth. Link
Can you give me some advice of how to do home treament to my wisdom tooth? Is it an emergency to remove my wisdom tooth? I personally do not want to have it removed. And i have a all-set vacation in two days as well. So if i have to remove it, can I do it two weeks later? and if I can wait for two weeks, what should I do to help my wisdom tooth get better?
I really appreciate your time to help me!
This is an emergency; go directly to your dentist.
I'm not the best at addressing medical concerns quickly (I was just diagnosed with mono, which I've apparently had for a few months) but this would have me at the emergency room five minutes ago.
posted by punchtothehead at 8:47 PM on August 31, 2015
I'm not the best at addressing medical concerns quickly (I was just diagnosed with mono, which I've apparently had for a few months) but this would have me at the emergency room five minutes ago.
posted by punchtothehead at 8:47 PM on August 31, 2015
You may not have to cancel your vacation or get your tooth out, but you need to see a dentist right away. Antibiotics and instructions of what to do if the pain gets worse may be enough to tide you over until you get home, but only your dentist knows for sure.
Also, stop poking it. Try a warm compress on the side of your jaw to soothe the pain, and some over the counter pain medication, until you can see the dentist.
posted by Scram at 8:47 PM on August 31, 2015
Also, stop poking it. Try a warm compress on the side of your jaw to soothe the pain, and some over the counter pain medication, until you can see the dentist.
posted by Scram at 8:47 PM on August 31, 2015
I accidently pressed the gum near my wisdom tooth and there is some yellow liquid with a bit blood coming out from my wisdome tooth. I do not know if the gum near my wisdom tooth is infected or not? I feel it is a little harder to open my mouth than usual. My wisdom tooth does hurt so far.
Swelling, pain, and pus are all symptoms of an infection. Go get checked out and treated (if necessary), right now. Do not wait two weeks.
posted by His thoughts were red thoughts at 8:47 PM on August 31, 2015
Swelling, pain, and pus are all symptoms of an infection. Go get checked out and treated (if necessary), right now. Do not wait two weeks.
posted by His thoughts were red thoughts at 8:47 PM on August 31, 2015
by the way, I wrote it wrong in my post. My wisdom tooth does not hurt so far.
posted by denimchair at 8:48 PM on August 31, 2015
posted by denimchair at 8:48 PM on August 31, 2015
No dentist will remove an infected wisdom tooth. Instead, he or she will prescribe antibiotics and schedule an appointment for follow-up after the course of antibiotics is completed. Whether or not you decide to have the molar removed is a separate issue from treating the infection. I agree with handful of rain - this can't wait. Yellow liquid is pus and you absolutely need antibiotics ASAP.
You will then be able to go on your vacation (without pain) and see your dentist again after you return.
posted by citygirl at 8:49 PM on August 31, 2015
You will then be able to go on your vacation (without pain) and see your dentist again after you return.
posted by citygirl at 8:49 PM on August 31, 2015
by the way, I wrote it wrong in my post. My wisdom tooth does not hurt so far.
This doesn't mean it is not an infection. Plenty of infections not associated with mechanical injury result in swelling and pus, but not pain. The pus is a massive red flag.
Go to a dentist.
posted by His thoughts were red thoughts at 8:56 PM on August 31, 2015
This doesn't mean it is not an infection. Plenty of infections not associated with mechanical injury result in swelling and pus, but not pain. The pus is a massive red flag.
Go to a dentist.
posted by His thoughts were red thoughts at 8:56 PM on August 31, 2015
Don't go to emergency / hospital, go to a dentist. For whatever reason ER and doctors don't work on teeth.
posted by Nevin at 8:56 PM on August 31, 2015
posted by Nevin at 8:56 PM on August 31, 2015
You've got blood and yellow stuff coming out of your gums and it hurts to open your mouth. Is that how you want to spend your vacation? Your choice at this juncture is whether you want to go to a dentist on vacation or before you leave.
posted by good lorneing at 8:59 PM on August 31, 2015
posted by good lorneing at 8:59 PM on August 31, 2015
When I had a deep bone abscess in my jaw it didn't hurt that much either until the last few weeks when it was suddenly unbearable. Now part of my jaw is titanium and I spent enough money on that side of my mouth to put a kid through college.
go to the fucking dentist. tomorrow.
posted by poffin boffin at 9:16 PM on August 31, 2015
go to the fucking dentist. tomorrow.
posted by poffin boffin at 9:16 PM on August 31, 2015
I might even visit a 24 hour urgent care or emergency room for this if you can't easily get into the dentist pretty damn soon. They won't actually handle with the tooth part of it besides looking and going yup, that's an infection in your mouth all right! but they WILL start you on the antibiotics you will need to deal with this.
posted by charmedimsure at 9:22 PM on August 31, 2015
posted by charmedimsure at 9:22 PM on August 31, 2015
Thank you all. I just took some antibiotics and I am definitely going to a dentist tomorrow morning. thanks for all the advise.
posted by denimchair at 9:26 PM on August 31, 2015
posted by denimchair at 9:26 PM on August 31, 2015
You happened to have some antibiotics on hand? That are not expired? (Maybe because you were prescribed them for another condition and didn't finish them? Sorry to wag a finger, but you have to finish your antibiotics if you've started them, because not doing so contributes to antibiotic resistance [in you and for others...]) Anyway, these antibiotics may not be the ones you actually need for this. I really hope you make it to a dentist tomorrow a.m.
If you develop a fever, or the swelling progresses to the point that you can't swallow or breathe, that is the time to go to the ER.
posted by cotton dress sock at 10:27 PM on August 31, 2015
If you develop a fever, or the swelling progresses to the point that you can't swallow or breathe, that is the time to go to the ER.
posted by cotton dress sock at 10:27 PM on August 31, 2015
Anyway, these antibiotics may not be the ones you actually need for this. I really hope you make it to a dentist tomorrow a.m.
Don't forget to take the antibiotics that you just took to the dentist, and tell the dentist that you took them.
posted by His thoughts were red thoughts at 10:38 PM on August 31, 2015
Don't forget to take the antibiotics that you just took to the dentist, and tell the dentist that you took them.
posted by His thoughts were red thoughts at 10:38 PM on August 31, 2015
You'll want to get those wisdom teeth X-rayed while you're there, to see which direction they're growing in. If they're crowns-up, they will most likely eventually erupt normally, and deciding to leave them to do their thing might be an okay option (ask your dentist).
But if they're crowns-sideways, then not having them removed will line you up for a world of increasingly horrible pain.
I noted that my wisdom tooth on the bottom left of my mouth has been growing two days ago.
I think you'll find that they've been growing for years. What's just happened is that one of them has finally got big enough to rip a hole in your gum (which they will all do, eventually, just as all your milk teeth did when you were tiny and teething).
If you're talking about a very small amount of blood and pus, that might just be your gum's normal reaction to having that hole ripped in it two days ago (the insides of mouths are an absolute haven for all kinds of bacteria, and every internal mouth injury will get infected to some extent).
Is it an emergency to remove my wisdom tooth?
If the only pain you're currently having is as a result of poking yourself in tender places, then no. Teeth grow slowly. However, infections can develop very quickly if left untreated. Getting that gum infection under control before it burrows any deeper is definitely something you want to do before heading off on vacation.
I personally do not want to have it removed.
Having had all four of mine taken out, I can sympathise with this position. But if they're impacted (growing sideways) then your dentist will tell you that removal is the option that sucks less. Believe it.
And i have a all-set vacation in two days as well. So if i have to remove it, can I do it two weeks later? and if I can wait for two weeks, what should I do to help my wisdom tooth get better?
Your wisdom tooth itself is likely fine. The gum it's ripped a hole in, not so much. You do not want to be going on vacation with an infection burning its way into your jaw from your gum. Get that seen to. While you're waiting to get that seen to, a strong saltwater rinse every half hour will do no harm and may do some good.
posted by flabdablet at 1:23 AM on September 1, 2015
But if they're crowns-sideways, then not having them removed will line you up for a world of increasingly horrible pain.
I noted that my wisdom tooth on the bottom left of my mouth has been growing two days ago.
I think you'll find that they've been growing for years. What's just happened is that one of them has finally got big enough to rip a hole in your gum (which they will all do, eventually, just as all your milk teeth did when you were tiny and teething).
If you're talking about a very small amount of blood and pus, that might just be your gum's normal reaction to having that hole ripped in it two days ago (the insides of mouths are an absolute haven for all kinds of bacteria, and every internal mouth injury will get infected to some extent).
Is it an emergency to remove my wisdom tooth?
If the only pain you're currently having is as a result of poking yourself in tender places, then no. Teeth grow slowly. However, infections can develop very quickly if left untreated. Getting that gum infection under control before it burrows any deeper is definitely something you want to do before heading off on vacation.
I personally do not want to have it removed.
Having had all four of mine taken out, I can sympathise with this position. But if they're impacted (growing sideways) then your dentist will tell you that removal is the option that sucks less. Believe it.
And i have a all-set vacation in two days as well. So if i have to remove it, can I do it two weeks later? and if I can wait for two weeks, what should I do to help my wisdom tooth get better?
Your wisdom tooth itself is likely fine. The gum it's ripped a hole in, not so much. You do not want to be going on vacation with an infection burning its way into your jaw from your gum. Get that seen to. While you're waiting to get that seen to, a strong saltwater rinse every half hour will do no harm and may do some good.
posted by flabdablet at 1:23 AM on September 1, 2015
The only home treatment I'd recommend for an abscessed wisdom tooth is to move in with the dentist.
Get it checked out today. Leaving this for any amount of time could result in the sort of pain that makes you consider taking a ball-peen hammer to your face to make it stop, and medical expenses in the kid-through-college range, as poffin boffin hinted at.
Your work, your vacation can wait.
posted by scruss at 5:29 AM on September 1, 2015
Get it checked out today. Leaving this for any amount of time could result in the sort of pain that makes you consider taking a ball-peen hammer to your face to make it stop, and medical expenses in the kid-through-college range, as poffin boffin hinted at.
Your work, your vacation can wait.
posted by scruss at 5:29 AM on September 1, 2015
Are you going to fly to your upcoming vacation? Because if you're flying that can really exacerbate an infected tooth. It turned a mild toothache into an incredibly painful abscess for me once. My dentist told me the prolonged altitude triggered it most likely, while she wrote my referral to an oral surgeon for a root canal (mine was in a molar).
Get to a dentist asap and plan on a course of antibiotics now and an extraction in the near future.
posted by RichardHenryYarbo at 8:04 AM on September 1, 2015
Get to a dentist asap and plan on a course of antibiotics now and an extraction in the near future.
posted by RichardHenryYarbo at 8:04 AM on September 1, 2015
I had this happen to me when I was cutting my wisdom teeth. The tooth erupted just enough to create a pocket between it and the gum line. Food decided to get in there and cause some bacterial issues then infection. I had to go to the dentist to get the area irrigated(washed out) then put on antibiotics. Good luck and hope you feel better soon.
posted by PJMoore at 9:06 AM on September 1, 2015
posted by PJMoore at 9:06 AM on September 1, 2015
I had an infection related to a wisdom tooth. I saw the dentist and he prescribed antibiotics for two weeks, then removal of the tooth. I called him on a Friday and saw him on Monday morning. I could barely eat over the weekend. This thing can escalate painfully pretty quickly. And my infection wasn't as bad as yours sounds.
Regarding the idea of not having your wisdom teeth removed, a friend of mine saw one dentist who said he didn't need his removed while another said he did. The third dentist he saw said, look, maybe they'll be fine and never cause you any problems. Or maybe they'll be fine then totally ruin a week of your life, possibly while you're on vacation and medical care is inaccessible. Take your pick.
posted by kat518 at 9:19 AM on September 1, 2015
Regarding the idea of not having your wisdom teeth removed, a friend of mine saw one dentist who said he didn't need his removed while another said he did. The third dentist he saw said, look, maybe they'll be fine and never cause you any problems. Or maybe they'll be fine then totally ruin a week of your life, possibly while you're on vacation and medical care is inaccessible. Take your pick.
posted by kat518 at 9:19 AM on September 1, 2015
FWIW extraction of a non-impacted wisdom tooth is painless with just novocain. I had three removed recently and although none were infected they weren't impacted either. I was prescribed Oxys but didn't even need them.
posted by Gungho at 1:46 PM on September 1, 2015
posted by Gungho at 1:46 PM on September 1, 2015
This thread is closed to new comments.
posted by handful of rain at 8:42 PM on August 31, 2015