I am kind of freaked out about a problem I have with my teeth. One of my molars split in half about 10 days ago. It is the very last molar, right beside where my wisdom teeth used to be. Right after the tooth broke I started having some really weird pains, and they are getting worse. I have pain in my cheek and jaw area, which is not surprising. But then I started having pain in my sinuses and nose, and then in my temple, too. This morning, my neck was really tender when I woke up. That pain starts right next to my ear in the back and radiates all the way around to the front of my neck.
Can ALL of that be from one broken tooth, or is something else going on? Maybe could this be a sinus infection. I have been taking antibiotics that I got from a friend. I know you’re not supposed to do that, but I don’t have any money at all and I have been trying to make this better without going to a doctor or dentist.
Can you help? One of my friends just told me that infections in your mouth can be dangerous. The way the pain is spreading is freaking me out.
Elise in Salt Lake City
Dear Elise,
Your friend is right. Infections in your teeth and mouth can be very dangerous. They can spread to your brain and cause infections there, or endanger your throat and airway. This is not something you should fool around with and taking antibiotics without getting the tooth treated is only making the remaining bacteria resistant to treatment.
You will have to have a root canal treatment, or if the tooth is too damaged to save, an extraction. When your finances turn around, you could consider having a dental implant to replace it, but in the mean time you must address the source of the infection. One way or the other, this must be treated. It will not go away on its own.
Call the local dental society and see if they have a program or clinic where you can get this taken care of for free or a really reduced rate. If that doesn’t yield results, start calling area dentists until you find one that can help you.
This is serious. You need to get it fixed right away.
This blog produced courtesy of the office of Baton Rouge dentist Dr. Perry.