OT: Should I go to the Doctor/ER now?

thaiblue12 · #1 07/01/12, 10:33 AM

Ok look at the pictures quick snce I plan on deleting them soon.

My tooth was fine, but my dentist replaced a silver filling last year with a white one. No issues he has done it before. But something happened with this one and I had to have a root canal on Thurs. It went fine, no issues, I went to work right after.
Fri at 5:30 am it woke me up throbbing, Fri night it started swelling. I called him Sat morning and he called in antibiotics and pain meds. Took him two hours to do it since he is on vacation, grrr!
Anyway I have taken 5 doses of antibiotic so far, two of the pain meds since it contains acetomeniphin ( sp?) the Tylenol ingredient lol and last night I had a slight fever.

The swelling is not down at all, it hurts but not too bad. Some say go to the doctor now, others say wait and give the meds sometime. I have dental insurance but not medical so I hesitate to create a large bill if time is what I need.

So what do you think? Especially those who have been in this awesome boat...

Backfourty,MI. · #2 07/01/12, 10:38 AM

WoW! Georgia, I can't believe the difference in the 2 pictures! I think that's terrible. If you've been on antibiotics for 5 days & still look like that I'd go to the doctor. I think the antibiotics should kick in after about 3 days.
I don't want to give you a complex, your very pretty but I meant I can't believe how swollen you are. That's scary!

Oat Bucket Farm · #3 07/01/12, 10:39 AM

I would go to the doctor now. It really should have started responding by now to the antibiotics I would think.

thaiblue12 · #4 07/01/12, 10:41 AM

I have only been on antibiotics for 24 hours, Amoxicillian 500 mg.

No complex Katie

my one friend told me I look like the Elephant Man, I told her Thanks!! lol

Minelson · #5 07/01/12, 10:42 AM

She just started the anti-biotics yesterday....Amoxi.

Minelson · #6 07/01/12, 10:45 AM

We were typing at the same time! I don't know Thaiblue..Is there a clinic instead of the ER that you could go to?

Otter · #7 07/01/12, 10:46 AM

Yes. I'd go. Even if it's only been 24 hours, there should be some relief, unless it's an abscess, and then oral meds may not touch it.

luvzmybabz · #8 07/01/12, 11:11 AM

I do not wanna freak you out but infections that start in the teeth/mouth can move. I am talking scary moves. Really Really cloose to sinus. I am a total paranoid on infections of any sort from neck up. So see about an urgent care maybe they are a bit cheaper then ERs usually.

I will not share my paranoid links.............but.

If you are not taking the pain meds as often as indicated I would alternate with ibuprofen as it reduces swelling where the tylenol type pain med will not. And Ibuprofen is somewhat gentler with sideaffects on your overall body IMO.

Alice In TX/MO · #9 07/01/12, 11:14 AM

Does your dentist have an emergency contact number?

Post this on the Families thread. Wind in Her Hair is the tooth expert in residence.

thaiblue12 · #10 07/01/12, 11:37 AM

No do not post the scary links

I am already thinking Andy Warhol thoughts. But unlike him I go to the dentist and take meds given to me.

I have his personal cell number, I am texting him the swollen picture. At this point I do not care that he is on vacation. Something is wrong even though he told me it all went well.

I found two clinics 30 mins away, they charge around $150 for the exam which is way better then an ER. I am waiting for my son to wake up and I will ask him to drive me since the Vicodin is making me dizzy. Never had it before and I am not impressed.
My son works nights so I do not want to wake him up too early.

I took lots of Advil on Fri around 3000 mg over 18 hours, so I am giving myself a break from it for right now. Advil is my BFF but my liver and stomach might disagree

Goat Servant · #11 07/01/12, 11:38 AM

Thats one uglay swelling! Yes call your dentist ER # & get ice on it in the meantime.

Cliff · #12 07/01/12, 11:53 AM

Give the antibiotics time to work before freaking out. One day isn't enough time.

chickenista · #13 07/01/12, 12:06 PM

I would wait until Monday morning and be waiting on the doorstep of the dentist's office.
That way your insurance will cover it.
Until then.. ice it. Drink plenty of fluids. Switch your pain relievers to Ibuprofen which is a better anti-inflammatory. Keep taking your antibiotics. The face swells very easily and most of the time looks much, much worse than it really is. The cheeks are 'squishy' with no large muscles or bones to get in the way. Fluid can just fill them right up.
Oh.. and take your vitamins too!!

thaiblue12 · #14 07/01/12, 12:37 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Cliff

Give the antibiotics time to work before freaking out. One day isn't enough time.

I am not freaking out, if I was I would have gone to an ER last night when I had a slight fever of 101 and my eye was swelling shut from laying down.
Am I worried... sure, my face has swelled so much it is hard and has gone numb, so have my lips. I am also hungry, sleep deprived, annoyed and dizzy.
I cannot be slowed down by this, I do not have the time, nor do I want it to incur a medical large bill by ingnoring it if stronger antibiotics or something else is needed.

Nista he will not be in on Monday, he is on a weeks' vacation. No one as far as I know is covering for him. When I called the office Saturday morning the message tells you to use his cell number, it does not mention another dentist or office.
I took 15 Advil on Friday

no reduction in swelling.

I never want to hear the words root canal again, I might have to counter it with the word "burdizzo" lol

andabigmac · #15 07/01/12, 12:45 PM

Daaay-uuum. You have a fluffy face. Do you have comfrey? Can you get comfrey? Preferably fresh? If you can, pound it a bit, make a "wad" and stuff it around your tooth. I had the same thing happen a few years ago. I felt like a complete dork with a big ole chew but I promise it helped amazingly. You could wrap it in cloth or paper towels if it bothers you to have the green gunk on your teeth. I would leave it there until the swelling went down.

I would also wait on the dentist's door tomorrow morning. You probably need stronger anti-biotics or you could be having a reaction to the novacaine or filling material. With all of the other meds you're on I wouldn't try a benadryl.

Good luck! I hope you feel better.

chickenista · #16 07/01/12, 12:53 PM

I would be on the doorstep of ANY dentist in the morning!
All will take pity upon you!
I don't know how dental insurance works, but they should all take you in, right?
Obviously something has gone wrong with a dental procedure...

oh.. and colloidal silver does wonders on mouth issues. It has dead stopped several abscesses for me. I now use it as a mouthwash every night.

Cannon_Farms · #17 07/01/12, 01:07 PM

mine looked like that for a couple days, my hubby said I looked like a Dr Seuss character. The ER gave me benadril and told me to drink fluids and sent me home, apparently they considered it normal.
ON the other hand it can be something serous and after prompting from Wind in her Hair I went to the er.

where I want to · #18 07/01/12, 01:10 PM

I too am worried about infections in the tooth. When it comes down to it, I'm afraid of infections in the jaw too.
I would not consider it an overreaction to go and have it checked out.
Hopefully you're on the road now. Good luck.

freedomfrom4 · #19 07/01/12, 01:33 PM

I'm not one to figure out if it is infected or not, but I can tell you amoxocillin didn't touch my abcess. Keflex did. It took a shot in the rear when it first happened, now I take it orally when my teeth abcess and it works. You may need a different antibiotic and you don't want the infection to get worse. It is too close to your brain to risk. I would go to the er if it was me and get checked out. better poorer then sicker.

Steph in MT · #20 07/01/12, 01:33 PM

I was a dental assistant for 20 years. Depending on the bacteria a different antibiotic may be necessary. Any infection in the head is very dangerous. If you are seeing/feeling no improvement after 24 hrs definitely contact your dentist or go to urgent care. I hope you feel better soon! Keep us posted.