Baton Rouge Dentist

I am taking amoxicillin and my tooth infection is worse

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Young brunette woman holding the side of her face with a toothache emergency despite amoxicillinMy dentist could not have my second molar tooth, so she removed it. I have been taking amoxicillin since the extraction, but the swelling and pain are worse. And the pain reliever barely takes an edge off. The left side of my face is hard and thick. I am afraid that my dentist did something wrong. My sister suggested calling another dentist for an emergency appointment if my tooth is not better instead of seeing my dentist again. Should I go back to my dentist or see a different one? – Thank you. Monica T. from LA

Monica,

Thank you for your question.

When infection does not improve, it does not necessarily mean that your dentist was negligent. Amoxicillin is a good choice for tooth infections, but sometimes it does not work.

Reasons Your Antibiotic Might Not Work for Your Tooth Infection

Antibiotic resistance can develop if you have a history of taking antibiotics or if a bacterial strain has developed resistance. According to the Center for Disease Control (CDC), each year about 2.8 million people experience antibiotic resistance.

  • History of taking antibiotics – Some people have medical conditions that lead their doctor to prescribe antibiotics. But taking them for an extended period might increase your risk of getting a severe infection that does not respond to certain antibiotics. Also, taking antibiotics to treat viral infections for a cold or flu can increase your resistance to antibiotics.
  • Bacterial strain resistance – Bacterial strains mutate and adapt to changing environments, including environments with antibiotics. If the bacterial infection in your tooth is amoxicillin resistant, the condition will increase and thrive.

Jaw infections can become severe, so report the problem to your dentist and get a new prescription. If your dentist is not available for some reason, schedule an emergency appointment with a dentist you can trust.

 

Ryan Perry, DD, a Baton Rouge family dentist, sponsors this post.

What Can I Do About a Tooth Infection?

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Hello there,

I am in a bit of a predicament. My job does not provide and medical or dental insurance. However, I’ve been battling with what I think is a tooth infection. My face is swollen and puffy, and it aches all the time. My job doesn’t pay a lot, so I don’t have the money to treat this. What can I do?

Christopher, from Kansas City, Kansas

 

Hello Christopher,

It does sound like you have a tooth infection. Your infection may start to drain, which would release some of the swelling you feel, but it probably will not do that without any intervention.

Many communities have low-cost or mobile dental clinics, or allow you to pay on a sliding scale. You can start calling offices to see who is willing to work with you. Universities often have low-cost clinics. However, if your pain becomes worse, you should go to see an emergency dentist. Oral infections, if left untreated, can spread to other parts of your body. If it spreads to your brain, it can become very serious.

While you are looking for a clinic, do not try to treat the infection with antibiotics on your own. Antibiotics cannot treat infections present inside of teeth, only the swelling. You will likely need a root canal or an extraction to fully rid your mouth of the infection. If you take an antibiotic without any sort of treatment plan, the infection may come back, and when it does, it will be resistant to antibiotics. This will make curing the infection even more difficult.

This blog post is brought to you by Baton Rouge emergency dentist, Dr. Ryan P. Perry.