My mum had 5 extractions,was not x-rayed first, has huge infection,pus&pain,is it normal?

Question

My mum had her last 5 teeth out on friday(now its thursday) and a plate put in straight afterwards. She was NOT x-rayed first. The teeth bled afterwards for over half an hour. One tooth hole has become massively infected, she has had pus coming out of her nose and mouth, and had hardly slept. her mouth and threoat are infected. The pus has slowed, but now her jaw is numb.
The dentist has said shes just got a cold, the doctor had given her antibiotics for an infection. Should the dentist have xrayed her first? He DID x-ray my teeth, and told me Ive got to have 5 out too. Is he just a sadist? Is he ageist, he is trying to fob my mum of with this 'cold' theory. We are worried she might get a worse infection or something. Serious answers a great help thanks.

I feel I should clarify she PAID for this treatment if you want to call it that. We went private to get better treatment....hmmm.

Answer 1

The Dentist may not have needed to x-ray your Mum if he had some recent x-rays already showing the teeth to be extracted, unless they are necessary x-rays are not aken due to exposure to radiation. But the post op infection sounds very serious. I agree that your Mum should go to A&E, most hospitals have an oral surgery department an oral surgeons, and this is who it's sounds like she should be seeing. Sometimes after exatractions, if the blood clot is lost too quickly you can get a condition called dry socket, this is very painful and must be treated by either your Dentist or an oral surgeon. The fact that she has antibiotics is great and she must complete the course. I'm unsure about the cold theory, it is possible that your Mum may have been unlucky and contrated a cold as well and a post operative infection, but your Dentist could certainly have been more sympatheic and helpful, especially if it was private treatemnt.

With regard to your x-rays and proposed extractions, I would need more details to figure out if he is simply a sadist. Are you having orthodontic treatment for overcrowding? In this case the extractions may be necessary to make room to straighten the teeth. Are your wisdom teeth causing problems? You may need them extracted to solve the problems they are causing. Or do you have teeth that are so decayed that they are beyond saving? Again, in this case it would be acceptible for extractions. I am sorry that your Mum has had these problems, and I wish her better soon, good luck to you both.

Just a thought, you could try getting a second opinion too. Another little bit of advice which may help your Mum recover. Get her to do some warm salt water mouth wash 3 times a day, very gently so that the blood clots stay in place, until healing is completed. Salt has antiseptic and healing properties and may help the open sockets to heal faster - but be gentle.

Answer 2

She probably does have a sinus infection. She won't have an abcess. She may have had one before at the roots of her teeth (because the nerve/pulp was infected, which is probably one of the reasons she had to have them out). There will likely be some discomfort and a bit of a smell which is all part of the healing process. I'm not sure how things work there, but sometimes dentists will schedule a follow up appointment a few days after the insert of a complete denture to check on the healing. If there is an infection, the antibiotics will clear it up. And I know that when your sinuses are full, since the nerves of the upper teeth run all along the floor of the sinuses, they will put pressure on the nerves and your whole jaw could ache. Try some over the counter sinus medication as well. I hope she's feeling better soon. =)

Answer 3

Please, please, please, be very careful with this infection that your Mum has in her mouth. Watch very closely that the infection is getting better. Even with the antibiotics, the infebtion can worsen. Two years ago I had a toothache, at first I didn't think much of it and took some advil, and that helped. The next morning I awoke and my jaw and face were a bit swollen so I called my Dentist, she put me on antibiotics and gave me vicodin for the pain. She set me up to have the tooth pulled after the infection had cleared, the following week. By that evening the swelling had increased greatly, and my pain was much worse, so as it was a Friday night, I went to the emergency room of the local hospital. There I was given a stronger antibiotic and a different pain reliever and sent home. Several hours later my face had swelled up so big that I looked like a MONSTER, AND THE PAIN WAS SO BAD THAT i COULDN'T STAND IT !! I returned to the hospital and was given medication by IV, IT WAS THE ONLY WAY i COULD HANDLE THE PAIN !! They also gave me IV antibiotics. I went home several hours later and went to bed, when I woke up, my face was paralyzed on one side . The Doctors told me it was Bell's Palsy, ( which is thought to be caused by a virus, and normally clears up after a few months ) anyway, here I am 2 years later, my face has permanent nerve damage, and although it has improved some, it won't get any better than it is now. I can only smile with half of my mouth, and only speak with one side. My one eye doesn't work right and I can only taste with one side of my tongue. It has been very hard to accept this as a permanent thing , Needless to say I would hate to have anybody else suffer as I have. So PLEASE, stay on top of this infection your Mum has, watch that the swelling doesn't get worse and if it does, take her to the hospital right away. Okay......

Answer 4

Please make sure your mum gets to the hospital, Guys & St Thomas have a dental department as well as Charing Cross, and Hammersmith. If your mother has such a big infection this needs to be seen to straight away.

Answer 5

please go to an emergency room ( your mum) she could develop an abcess. The infection could poison her blood and become massive. The way you've described her condition scares me. this is an emergency, go now. this does not sound like a normal course of healing after teeth extraction.

Answer 6

I would consider changing your dentisit ASAP - strikes me he's in it for the money .... he gets paid per extraction (!) .... don't have any more work done with him .... I would also get her to A&E or sometimes hospitals have emergency dentists - something line 'Dentaline' ..... seek their advice, treatement and opinion - you may have a case against this dentitst ......

Answer 7

I hope everyone in the USA who reads these complaints about the NHS will realize that "National Health Care for Everyone" is NOT the way to do things.

Answer 8

I agree with RAVEN, you need to get your mom up and into the ER right away. The infections are way beyond a dental problem now and will probably need intravenous antibiotics, quickly. Please go right away.

Answer 9

I agree with everyone else, get her to A&E now or call an ambulance.This is not normal and will not improve without treatment.

Answer 10

This really does sound like a case for the emergency room.