i think my tooth is about to abcess, but i dont think i have time to see a dentist to fix it. what should i do

Question

i was told by a dentist a few years back that i needed a route canal on my top right molar. i have never got it fixed. i feel the open space between my tooth and my gum and i think that it is about to abcess. can someone tell me how long i have before it abcesses until i can see a doctor to fix it? im a bit worried about it.

Answer 1

an Abcess is very painfull and can make your face swell up like a football if untreated,you will need antibiotics before a dentist will do any work,dont delay in extreme cases people have died from abcess infection.

Answer 2

More than likely the nerve has backed off from the tooth due to so much acid and bacteria from the decay being laid down on it. That's the hole or space you feel in between your teeth. So it may not hurt you right now because of this. The nerve is probably dead. There is no definite time frame for the tooth to "flare up". But when it does you will know it. You'll feel the abscess when the infection swells up at the apex or root of the tooth, like a balloon filled with pressure, where it has started to destroy the bone and ligaments holding the tooth in the socket. You may notice when you bite your teeth together that you feel that tooth first. Or that it just feels funny. That is an indication that it's destroying the bone holding the tooth and could effect the bone surrounding the other teeth on that side of your mouth. Too bad you waited, more than likely it could have been just a filling a couple of years ago. Now it's going to cost you a whole lot more to extract, or root canal and crown. So when the tooth blows up on you(which it never fails, it always happens at night or on the weekend) and you are in so much pain that you think you are going to die, or wish you would. There is going to be one person who you call, and beg for help. You'll have the time then and will think he's the best friend you've ever had in your life! You may even hug him when it's all over. I just hope your Dentist isn't on the golf coarse when you need him. Call for an appointment, they will at least get you on antibiotics to prevent the blow up, and give you something for pain just in case you need it. Good luck!

Answer 3

Call the dentist and get an a appointment. If it blows up on you on a Friday night you will have to go the whole weekend in major pain.Having a root canal on a tooth before this happens will be less painful also. The dentist usually has to inject right in the tooth of a abcess and that is not fun. Get it done before this happens. At least just get the root canal started.

Answer 4

abscesses can come up very quickly - sometimes in a matter of a couple of hours and sometimes days or even weeks. I dont quite understand what you mean by saying you feel open space between your tooth and gum. Unless there is swelling and severe pain your dentist shouldnt give you antibiotics. I suspct that your tooth has died and the dead nerves inside the roots are starting to rot away and cause a bit of irritation. This is an abscess in its earliest form so the clock is ticking. Dont waste any more time - make time to see your dentist. This problem can be fixed way before you have to suffer an abscess.

Answer 5

An abscess is an infection. It does not happen suddenly like at noon you're OK and at 1 you have an abscessed tooth. You will have discomfort that will increase, the jaw and face may swell and the skin can be hot to touch. You need to see a dentist for antibiotics and whatever procedure the tooth will still tolerate if any. And by the way, that is "root" canal as in the roots of the tooth.

Answer 6

I had what i thought was an abcess on my tooth just before christmas, so i immediately went to my dentist, he took x-rays and said that my teeth where fine. That night my whole face swelled up, and there was a white blob on the gums above the tooth, but as the dentist had given me antibiotics, everything was fine within a couple of days, so my advice is get to dentist asap

Answer 7

Ok I am the abscess queen!..I get them all the time because I grind my teeth and they are stressed!
Most dentist will give you and antibiotic to get rid of the infection before they even do a root canal. And if your afraid to go have it done...don't be...I have heard all the horror stories...there b.s.!
If you have a good dentist you will be fine...
If you are feeling pain in that general area..Call the dentist ask if you can get an antibiotic..If you do feel that one is coming on (and you will know it) Rinse with warm salt water a few times a day and do get it fixed...I waited 1 time because I was so busy and half my face swelled up (it wasn't pretty)

Answer 8

As long as you are not in pain there is no problem, brush your teeth well and often, and as soon as it starts to hurt get into the dentist. You will know it is an abcess when it really hurts and it starts to get soft (from the rotting tissue)
Some people have said you cannot have it worked on while abcessed, that is wrong, I had mine worked on while abcessed, it is just a LOT more work and a lot more expensive.
Get the work done as soon as possible!

Answer 9

Get a Dentist to look at now, before it becomes an absess. I hate dentists and i eventually had to go because of the pain of an absess. My face swoll up like a football, we were on holiday too, i went to a dentist and he 'screwed' in the tooth/gum and said it would leak the puss out, it didn't work so i went back again because i couldn't stand the pain, he 'screwed' it even more, absolute agony. About an hour later, the puss began to leak, yuk!! But as soon as the absess was empty, the pain went and my face went down. It really ruined my holiday i was like a zombie with all the painkillers i was taking, but they didn't work anyway. My advice is to make time to see a Dentist, as you will only get worse. Good Luck.

Answer 10

I wouldn't think that you have to long. You should go and see a dentist as soon as possible, leaving it will only make things worse - meaning that you may end up losing the tooth because the absess has caused to much damage to the bone surrounding it. Get help, or suffer the pain!