My daughter (15) was complaining of a very bad tooth- ache on Sat. night. Couldn't get her into a dentist until Mon. Took her to dentist, he said he could not find anything, but it could be a abscess just begining. On Tue. morn. I awoke to find my daughters face (right side) so swollen that she could not see out of her right eye. Took her to emergency room and was given antibiotics and pain meds. Today her face is still just as swollen as it was on Tue. Is this normal for an abscess? How long should it take for swelling to go down? She goes for follow up on Mon.
2007-01-11 05:00:51 · 6 answers · asked by littlemomma 4 in Health ➔ Dental
The swelling will not go away by antibiotics alone and there is a definite cause for the infection. Sometimes the swelling can subside, but she will still need to have treatment of some sort done. The dentist should be able to track the infection to a specific site now to determine which tooth it is that is the source of the infection.
2007-01-18 04:34:39 · answer #1 · answered by docwilliammunny 2 · 0⤊ 0⤋
Her problem is not unusual, it quiet possibly is an abscess tooth. An examination alone would not diagnosis the problem. X rays however would. The swelling, not to mention the pain that accompanies it all point to an abscess. With the swelling affecting her up to her eye, I would say it's an upper molar. Sometimes decay on teeth with deep pits and fissures are not noticed as decay until they are past the enamel and into the dentin causing pain, usually when eating something sweet. In your daughters case, it seems to have gotten deeper, into the pulp chamber. If this is the case she needs to be seen at the dentists office again, and let them know she went to the er and the med's prescribed. He/She will need to perform a root canal on the tooth. Be sure to ask if it will be completed in one visit or two and also about needing a crown on the tooth after the RCT. The antibiotics should start to work in two days and help to reduce the swelling too. The root canal will eliminate the problem permanently. Hope I have been of some help and good luck!
2007-01-11 13:32:14 · answer #2 · answered by HeatherS 6 · 0⤊ 0⤋
With oral antibiotics, it takes as long as 24 hours to build a sufficient blood level of antibiotics to begin really fighting off an infection. However, swelling that approaches the eye is very serious - intravenous antibioitics may be required. If the swelling is truly no better and is affecting the eye - go back to the emergency room as soon as possible.
Without seeing the extent of the swelling, this is the best advice I can give you. They may not do anything at the ER, but you're best off playing it safe when the swelling is that bad.
2007-01-11 13:19:50 · answer #3 · answered by jisdds 2 · 1⤊ 0⤋
OK. first thing i would do is report your dentist to the dental association of USA . And tell them that you dentist failed to carry out the right examination on your daughter . You daughter should have been sent to the hospital if he did not have to right x-ray thing . I hope this helps . And i can't really say how long it will take sorry . Because of the side and how much does it go down ever day . Sorry about this . And don't go to that dentist anymore .I hope this helps you .
2007-01-11 13:18:48 · answer #4 · answered by Anonymous · 1⤊ 0⤋
Yes I have had this several times. My face usually goes down within a day or two, if she puts ice on it it will go down quicker.
If you put a heating pad on her face it will return to a balloon face! In our little town the cops would be called if someone sees me with it for it looks like some one hit me real hard on which ever side (I have had this on both sides of my face at one point or another). Ibuprofen I take daily and I am sure this helped the swelling some?
Tell her to get feeling better!
2007-01-11 13:52:11 · answer #5 · answered by Anonymous · 0⤊ 0⤋
You are doing thr right things NOW and all willbe wll.
2007-01-11 13:45:42 · answer #6 · answered by Anonymous · 0⤊ 0⤋