My tooth has a sore (abscess??)on it. It’s killing me. I was going to take some antibiotics that I already have to take care of the problem. Is it possible to just clear up the sore without going to the dentist? I’m hoping to avoid the dentist altogether because I don’t want them to rope me into an unnecessary procedures.
Thanks!
–Leigh K.- Norfolk, VA
Leigh,
Sorry, you’ll need to go to the dentist.
But to answer you question: Yes, it’s possible to clear up the abscess without out going to the dentist. But clearing up the abscess is not the same as a taking care of the problem. Antibiotics are only treating the abscess. But what about the infection that caused the abscess?
Inside of your tooth there is pulp tissue. As the tissue swells, it has no place to go so it dies. But the bacteria doesn’t. It continues to live on and then eventually spill out of the tooth, which caused your abscess. The infection can also spread to your jaw and possibly affect your breathing.
The only way to truly take care of the infection is to go the dentist and have him or her clear the infection out of your tooth. And since you don’t have a regular dentist, an emergency dentist is the perfect option. You can have your necessary problem taken care of then schedule any other treatments that you might need at a later time.
This blog is sponsored by Buffalo dentist Warren M. Krutchick, DDS .