Wisdom tooth infection. More swollen after starting antibiotics.

Wheety

I have an infection on one of my lower wisdom teeth.

Started antibiotics yesterday, taken 3 doses so far. Due to start today's course around 12.

The swelling in my face is worse today than it was yesterday. Is this normal? Have the antibiotics not kicked in yet? Does it take a couple of days?

daheff

might be better to contact your dentist/doctor than ask online.

How long did the person who gave you the antibiotics say it would take to see any difference?


but generally in the past I've been told it would take about 2 days to see any noticeable difference.

Wheety

daheff wrote: »

might be better to contact your dentist/doctor than ask online.

How long did the person who gave you the antibiotics say it would take to see any difference?


but generally in the past I've been told it would take about 2 days to see any noticeable difference.

Yeah, I'll give them a call in a while. They're not fully open because of Covid-19 so I thought someone in this forum might know.

She did say it'd take a couple of days to start working. But I didn't think the swelling would get worse in that time.

Oral Surgeon

Wheety wrote: »

Yeah, I'll give them a call in a while. They're not fully open because of Covid-19 so I thought someone in this forum might know.

She did say it'd take a couple of days to start working. But I didn't think the swelling would get worse in that time.

Antibiotics can take 24-48 hours to have an effect provided that they were the correct type and dose for you and your infection.....
I would want to see some reduction with in the next 24 hours or I would reevaluate IMO....
Call your dentist now and get a contingency plan as you may have issues contacting them if really needed later....
Big warning signs are;
High temps and general systemic signs and symptoms of general illness....
Difficulty swallowing or breathing due to the swelling
Increasing swelling in the floor of mouth region...

Bottom line, call your dentist and make a plan;
This may include;
referral
new prescription to take now or in case of no improvment
dentist's mobile number
treatment

Good luck.
OS

Wheety

Oral Surgeon wrote: »

Antibiotics can take 24-48 hours to have an effect provided that they were the correct type and dose for you and your infection.....
I would want to see some reduction with in the next 24 hours or I would reevaluate IMO....
Call your dentist now and get a contingency plan as you may have issues contacting them if really needed later....
Big warning signs are;
High temps and general systemic signs and symptoms of general illness....
Difficulty swallowing or breathing due to the swelling
Increasing swelling in the floor of mouth region...

Bottom line, call your dentist and make a plan;
This may include;
referral
new prescription to take now or in case of no improvment
dentist's mobile number
treatment

Good luck.
OS

Thanks Oral Surgeon. I was kind of hoping you'd be around. My dentist rang me this morning to see how I'm getting on. I told them about the swelling. Sent them pics and they want me to come in tomorrow to have the tooth removed. I am having trouble swallowing, no issue breathing. They said to go to A&E if I deteriorate further.

logie101

I hope you are feeling better OP. For the first time in 10 years a lower wisdom tooth started playing up last Friday. Swelling and very painful. I was kept awake for nights with the pain.

I got a dentist appointment and was prescribed 2 antibiotics (amoxicillin and”flagrl”) and advised to clean out the area regularly.

I decided just to take the amoxicillin and wash out regularly with warm salty water and use mouth wash. Anyway within 48 hrs pain had subsided to just a dull ache.
I am pretty much back to normal and hoping not to need to take the “flagrl” antibiotic as it is pretty hard to take.

Good oral hygiene is important. Best of luck.

Wheety

logie101 wrote: »

I hope you are feeling better OP. For the first time in 10 years a lower wisdom tooth started playing up last Friday. Swelling and very painful. I was kept awake for nights with the pain.

I got a dentist appointment and was prescribed 2 antibiotics (amoxicillin and”flagrl”) and advised to clean out the area regularly.

I decided just to take the amoxicillin and wash out regularly with warm salty water and use mouth wash. Anyway within 48 hrs pain had subsided to just a dull ache.
I am pretty much back to normal and hoping not to need to take the “flagrl” antibiotic as it is pretty hard to take.

Good oral hygiene is important. Best of luck.

Ha, almost the same situation. Started on Friday, lower wisdom tooth and same antibiotics. You were obviously seen before me as I haven't been taken the antibiotics for 48 hours yet. Into the 2nd day now though.

You getting the tooth pulled?

logie101

Wheety wrote: »

Ha, almost the same situation. Started on Friday, lower wisdom tooth and same antibiotics. You were obviously seen before me as I haven't been taken the antibiotics for 48 hours yet. Into the 2nd day now though.

You getting the tooth pulled?

Are you taking both antibiotics?
Ideally I won’t get the tooth pulled. I’m in my late 30’s and this is only the second episode of wisdom tooth pain in 20 years.
So providing it fully settles down and since there is room in my mouth I will probably leave it. I will see what my dentist says.
But he had been an advocate in the past of leaving wisdom teeth alone if they don’t bother you.

Wheety

logie101 wrote: »

Are you taking both antibiotics?
Ideally I won’t get the tooth pulled. I’m in my late 30’s and this is only the second episode of wisdom tooth pain in 20 years.
So providing it fully settles down and since there is room in my mouth I will probably leave it. I will see what my dentist says.
But he had been an advocate in the past of leaving wisdom teeth alone if they don’t bother you.

I am taking both. Difene and Paracetamol too for the pain.

I'm very late 30s and the dentist said years ago that they'll probably have to come out eventually. She must have seen something. My mouth is very crowded anyway and I think this tooth is slightly growing towards it's neighbour.

It's the first time it has caused an issue. Soft Weetabix for breakfast (that was a bit of a struggle) and soup for lunch and dinner. Tried mash last night and it took me an hour to eat most of it before I gave up.

logie101

Wheety wrote: »

I am taking both. Difene and Paracetamol too for the pain.

I'm very late 30s and the dentist said years ago that they'll probably have to come out eventually. She must have seen something. My mouth is very crowded anyway and I think this tooth is slightly growing towards it's neighbour.

It's the first time it has caused an issue. Soft Weetabix for breakfast (that was a bit of a struggle) and soup for lunch and dinner. Tried mash last night and it took me an hour to eat most of it before I gave up.

Wow you seem to be pretty bad.

I finished the amoxicillin and feel ok. Still a little sore but no swelling and I can’t eat fine.
So I will use mouthwash and warm salty water and see how it goes for a couple of weeks.

Wheety

logie101 wrote: »

Wow you seem to be pretty bad.

I finished the amoxicillin and feel ok. Still a little sore but no swelling and I can’t eat fine.
So I will use mouthwash and warm salty water and see how it goes for a couple of weeks.

Tooth was pulled by dentist yesterday so hopefully I start healing quickly.

Moody_mona

Same symptoms here, lower wisdom tooth. Or it could just be the gum around the second molar, I'm not sure. Glad to see dentists are open, hoping I can ring on Monday for advice if I need to. I'm early thirties and it's ten years since my wisdom teeth first caused any issue. This is my second day of pain, I could manage it yesterday with paracetamol and ibuprofen, so hoping that and salty water washes will get me through the weekend. Thanks for these updates, they were helpful to me.

logie101

Moody_mona wrote: »

Same symptoms here, lower wisdom tooth. Or it could just be the gum around the second molar, I'm not sure. Glad to see dentists are open, hoping I can ring on Monday for advice if I need to. I'm early thirties and it's ten years since my wisdom teeth first caused any issue. This is my second day of pain, I could manage it yesterday with paracetamol and ibuprofen, so hoping that and salty water washes will get me through the weekend. Thanks for these updates, they were helpful to me.

Some dentists are open over the weekend. If you are in Dublin 3 dental is open and would see you.

Moody_mona

logie101 wrote: »

Some dentists are open over the weekend. If you are in Dublin 3 dental is open and would see you.

Thanks for the recommendation, I've left a message. Is it an Irish thing so suffer on for a few days unnecessarily?! Appreciate the message.

pew

Must be something in the air. I'm also having awful problems with my lower wisdom teeth, yes teeth. It started on the right. My gp picked up an inflammation in my bloods and I told him I had pain so he gave me antibiotics it worked ok. Stopped for a while then last week the left side picked up rang my dentist to see if they were open. Luckily they just opened that day for emergencies only. They brought me in and they examined and said I need both taken out but I'll have to go to the Dental Hospital. I need to be referred there anyway for a gum treatment but she said to try call them and see if they can because I have a medical card.

I'll have to call this week because the pain has flared up something terrible.

Oral Surgeon

pew wrote: »

Must be something in the air. I'm also having awful problems with my lower wisdom teeth, yes teeth. It started on the right. My gp picked up an inflammation in my bloods and I told him I had pain so he gave me antibiotics it worked ok. Stopped for a while then last week the left side picked up rang my dentist to see if they were open. Luckily they just opened that day for emergencies only. They brought me in and they examined and said I need both taken out but I'll have to go to the Dental Hospital. I need to be referred there anyway for a gum treatment but she said to try call them and see if they can because I have a medical card.

I'll have to call this week because the pain has flared up something terrible.

In normal times, you would wait years to even be examined and then wait longer again for treatment. Now with Covid, you will be old and grey before they will ever see you and the wisdom teeth will have caused more trouble in the meantime.
Go get a private referral, you'll save yourself a lot of hassle....