Can I Get Away with Antibiotics for an Infected Tooth?

I’ve been a bit low on money since I got laid off. I recently got a new job, but it will be a month before I get paid because of how they handle payroll. Meanwhile, I have what I am pretty sure is an infected tooth. Last night, I ate something that made the tooth hurt quite a bit and now my cheek is swollen. I do have some antibiotics at home for a sinus infection that ended up clearing up on its own. I filled the prescription just in case it didn’t. Is it possible that I could just take the antibiotics and that will be enough to deal with this?

Randall

Dear Randall,

I’m glad you wrote. When a tooth infection expands into swelling on your face, then you are in a dental emergency situation. It will continue to spread and could become life threatening. Believe it or not, even in the 21st century, five to ten people die from untreated tooth infections every year.

Antibiotics will not solve your problem. The one thing they can do is temporarily hold your tooth infection at bay temporarily while you get the treatment you need.

The only way to treat a tooth infection is for a dentist to physically remove the infected pulp, because at some point the pulp dies, which no blood flow to get the medicine to the infection. By removing the infected pulp, you can stop the infection. There are two ways to do this. The first is with a root canal treatment. That is the preferred option because it saves your natural tooth. If the tooth is too far gone, then your next best option is to extract the tooth.

If that happens, bear in mind that you will need to replace the missing tooth in order to prevent the adjacent teeth from tipping or shifting into the area. That can lead to headaches, jaw pain, and even TMJ.

This blog is brought to you by San Antonio Endodontist Dr. Scott Janse.