tooth infection Archives - West Seneca Dentist

Antibiotics for a Tooth Infection?

Posted on August 26, 2024 by writeradmin.

I had an infected tooth. I will be the first to admit that I avoid the dentist’s office like the plague. I’m sorry about that, but I have had horrible experiences with dentists. I have managed to not go since I got married, so it’s been a while. But, when my tooth started hurting, my wife nagged me until that was worse than the toothache. I went to see a dentist who advertised as an emergency dentist. He told me that my tooth was abscessed and gave me some antibiotics. I took them and they helped for a bit but now my tooth is hurting again and the side of my face is swelling a bit. Do I need a different antibiotic?

Dennis

Dear Dennis,

I am hoping that there has been some kind of miscommunication. Antibiotics do not cure a tooth infection. The most they can do is hold it at bay until you get the actual treatment. The only way to truly get rid of a tooth infection is by removing the infected pulp of the tooth. A dentist who advertises as treating dental emergencies should have known that.

Without one of these treatments, you put yourself of real risk. People still die from tooth infections. There are two types of treatment that actually work for tooth infections. The first, and preferred treatment for a dental infection, is a root canal treatment. This removes the infection while still saving the tooth.

If it is too late to save a tooth, then the next option is to have the tooth extracted. This will mean that you will need to replace the tooth, though. Otherwise, the other teeth will shift or tip into the empty space. This could lead to TMJ disorder, which can be quite painful. If you need to replace a tooth, the best way to do this is with a dental implant.

If this dentist did not talk to you about needing a follow up appointment, then you are not being served well.

About Dental Fear

You are not alone in having issues with going to the dentist. Many patients are nervous at the idea. Some are downright terrified. The good news is that, these days, we have a solution to give patients both anxiety-free and pain-free dental appointments. Not all dentists utilize this option, though. My suggestion is that you look for a sedation dentist.

There are different levels of sedation. Some will just relax you. Others are so strong that you can sleep through your entire appointment. Which you get is up to you. But, those who’ve lived a lifetime with dental anxiety have found that dental sedation completely changed their lives. It will prevent you from only seeing the dentist when you have a dental emergency.

You can finally have the healthy smile you deserve.

This blog is brought to you by West Seneca Dentist Dr. Carl Embury.

What Is a Pulpotomy?

Posted on May 20, 2024 by writeradmin.

Can you tell me what a pulpotomy is? My son’s pediatric dentist said that he needs one but he took off before I could ask any questions about the procedure. It sounds kind of scary and I want to know if it is really necessary.

Stacey

Dear Stacey,

I am sorry your son’s dentist did not take the time to explain to you what the procedure was and why it was necessary. Honestly, I think it is important for pediatric dentists to be available to parents. They need to explain procedures, explain why they think it is necessary, as well as explain any alternatives available. Maybe this experience was a fluke and your dentist will be available in the future. If you find it is not, then it is time to get a different dentist for your son.

Essentially, a pulpotomy is like a child’s version of a root canal treatment. I would only say it is necessary if you are dealing with an infected back tooth. This is because your child’s back teeth need to stay in place until they are about twelve years old. If they come out prematurely, then the adjacent teeth will shift or tip into the empty space. This will lead to your son needing expensive orthodontics in his teen years. That is an expense you want to avoid if at all possible.

The main benefit to a pulpotomy is that it can save an infected back tooth. If the tooth cannot be saved, then you will want to make certain that your dentist places what is known as a space maintainer in the empty spot. This will prevent the other teeth from shifting.

If you are talking about a tooth that is not a molar, then I would say that a pulpotomy is not a necessary treatment. These teeth do not have to remain in place for the same length of time so there is no problem with it being extracted if the tooth is infected.

What you do NOT want to do is leave an infected tooth. That can cause serious problems for your son. Tooth infections spread outside of the tooth and can become life threatening. I would consider an advanced tooth infection a dental emergency.

This blog is brought to you by West Seneca Dentist Dr. Carl Embury.

Pain After a White Filling

Posted on January 8, 2022 by writeradmin.

My wife and I married late in life and by the time we did, we each had our own dentists and doctors pretty well established and just stuck with them. A year or so ago, my wife got one of those white fillings and they looked great. That is why when I ended up needing a filling I asked my dentist to do one of the white fillings. He was reluctant, but I kept saying how much my wife loves them. He finally agreed but warned me about the possibility of an infection from saliva. Now I have this aching where the filling is. Will this clear up on its own? I am a little embarrassed to go back after he warned me. I’m taking Ibuprofen for the pain right now.

Adam

Dear Adam,

Most patients do not know that when a dentist deflects from a procedure, it often means they are not comfortable doing it. Placing amalgam (silver) fillings and placing composite (white) are two very different procedures. Your dentist may not understand how to do them properly. Rather than admit that, he will suggest some other procedure or warn you about problems with the procedure you want. The truth is when composite fillings are placed correctly there is no contamination from saliva. Obviously, he didn’t do them right but because he warned you about possible contamination, there is no recourse.

The problem you have now is what to do about this. When they’re contaminated, bacteria will get in the little tubules of the dentin of your teeth, which can lead to a dental infection. Not only that but the filling is not sealed against continual contamination. Your only real option is to get them replaced. Having your dentist replace them will not work. He obviously can’t do the job properly. You can either switch to your wife’s dentist, who has done a better job at keeping up with the changes in his or her field, or look for another qualified dentist. Any mercury-free dentist will be able to do these correctly.

Another benefit to that is, if you decide to switch out your old amalgam fillings for the updated ones, they will know the safe procedure to do this. Unfortunately, because the main ingredient in amalgam fillings is actually mercury and not silver, you really do need a dentist who knows how to do a sanitary amalgam removal. That way they can keep you from inhaling or swallowing and mercury or mercury vapors, which is a known toxin.

This blog is brought to you by Enfield Dentist Dr. Carl Embury.

How Long Can You Put Off a Root Canal Treatment?

Posted on December 23, 2021 by writeradmin.

I have been told I need a root canal treatment. This is one of the busiest times of the year for me. How long can I put off getting a root canal treatment without it becoming a problem?

Luke

Dear Luke,

I wish I had more information here. This is sort of a tough one to answer. What I can give you are some general guidelines.

Here are things to look for which mean that you have an active infection and do not need to put this off. In any of these cases, I would consider it a dental emergency in which you need to get the root canal treatment as soon as possible.

It is hurting, even a little
It recently stopped hurting
If you have drainage in your mouth in the area
If you have a pimple on your gums – this is called an abscess

On the other hand, if the tooth has not hurt in a long time, you may be okay to wait. This is called an arrested infection. It does still affect your general well being, but it is not something that has to be dealt with right away. There have been patients who had a latent infection and didn’t even realize it. However, after they had the tooth treated, they realized their body felt better than it had in a while.

I hope this helps.
This blog is brought to you by West Seneca Dentist Dr. Carl Embury.

His Dentist Does Not Understand Tooth Infections

Posted on December 25, 2020 by writeradmin.

I had a root canal treatment a couple of years ago that started hurting. I am not fond of the dentist under the best of circumstances, but I eventually went to the dentist as it became too hard to bear. He did an x-ray and said there is a new infection and did a re-treatment along with an antibiotic. I started to feel better but then a few days ago it started to hurt again. I called the office and my dentist said it takes some people longer to get better than others. It’s been almost two weeks now. What is the longest it should take me to get better?

Paul

Dear Paul,

TMJ Disorder can cause a lot of pain

I’m not sure if the dentist you are seeing understands how tooth infections work. It sounded like you said this started to feel better and then began to get worse again. That is a particularly bad sign and means that your tooth infection has flared back up. That is serious and I would consider it a dental emergency.

I’d like you to see a root canal specialist this time. You should be aware that when a root canal treatment fails, the re-treatment will only be successful between 50-75% of the time. It sounds like your second one failed. This will continue to spread until it is treated properly. If the infection cannot be resolved, the only other option is to extract the tooth and replace it.

Please don’t put this off. When you call to schedule your appointment, let them know you are on the wrong antibiotic so they can call in a stronger prescription.

A Word about Dental Anxiety

You mentioned that you are not typically comfortable at the dentist. I want you to know that there are dentists who are especially compassionate with anxious patients and can help you. Not only do they have techniques to put patients at ease, but many of them offer medication that can completely relax you. Most of them will advertise as a sedation dentist. I’d like you to look for one who offers oral conscious sedation. This is administered by a pill. However, it is so strong you will need someone to drive you to and from your appointment.

This blog is brought to you by West Seneca Dentist Dr. Warren Krutchick.

Worst Dental Appointment Ever

Posted on August 19, 2020 by writeradmin.

I need some advice. I allowed a dental infection to spread to two teeth because I’m not always comfortable in the dental chair. I needed to get it dealt with and scheduled an “emergency appointment” with my dentist. Once he heard what was going on, he wanted me to come in right away and fit me in that day. I will admit his concern raised my trepidation. When I got into the dental chair he did no less than eight shots to try and get me numb. It didn’t work. Every time he tried to work on me, I went through the roof. It was agony. My dentist compassionately stopped the procedure. He refunded my money and said he’d do some research and get back with me as quickly as possible. He doesn’t want me to go too long because he is worried about the infection spreading even further. For my part, I am terrified of going back. Have you had this happen to a patient? Were you able to find a solution?

John

Dear John,

I am sorry for this experience, which likely did little to calm your uncomfortableness in the dental chair. Fortunately, I understand the cause of this issue and have a solution.

Many dentists do not realize the effect that anxiety has on a patient’s ability (or inability) to get numb. When you are nervous, it kicks up your body’s defense mechanisms. This, in turn, has the effect of burning off the numbing medication. The more anxious you are, the quicker it burns off.

The solution to this is to find something that will relax you. Now, don’t laugh. I have just the thing. For this procedure, which I do agree with your dentist is a dental emergency, you need to see a dentist who offers dental sedation options.

With mild anxiety, nitrous oxide is usually enough. However, you are not dealing with mild anxiety. I would suggest you use oral conscious sedation. You will be relieved to know this is administered with a simple pill. However, don’t let that ease cause you to underestimate its punch. This is so strong you will need someone to drive you to and from your appointment, as well as stay with you after the appointment until you are lucid again.

It will relax you so much that you will be able to sleep through your appointment if you’d like.

I hope this gives you confidence to move forward without fear. You don’t want this infection to spread any further than it already has.

This blog is brought to you by West Seneca Dentist Dr. Warren Krutchick.

Should I Get a Second Opinion or is this an Emergency?

Posted on June 15, 2019 by writeradmin.

Please help me. One of my back teeth has been hurting for a couple of weeks. I couldn’t see anything wrong with it, but my mother suggested I see a dentist. I’m away at college and am completely across the country from my parents. When I saw this dentist, he took some x-rays and said there is a cavity under a current filling. He said it is so massive he doesn’t think he’ll be able to save the tooth, though he’ll try. If he can’t, he’ll want to do a dental implant. I am absolutely terrified of every procedure he’s suggesting. When I told him I’d like to get a second opinion he got a little curt with me and said that it is an emergency and I shouldn’t wait too long. What do I do?

Mandy

Dear Mandy,

Please bear in mind I haven’t examined you and am just going off of what you mentioned. There are three things which make me skeptical of this:

1. If this has only been hurting for as long as you mentioned, it is a fairly new infection. What he is describing would have been hurting you for months.

2. Decay as extensive as he’s hinting to you would be very obvious. In fact, the filling likely would have already fallen out. At the very least it would have been so obvious he wouldn’t have needed an x-ray.

3. He’s pressuring you to make a decision hinting it’s a dental emergency. This is a scare tactic and I don’t like it. I’m going to suggest you get a second opinion.

Tips for Getting an Accurate Second Opinion

First, you have the right to the x-rays the dentist took. This will save you on diagnostic costs. While you are giving the second dentist a copy of the x-rays, please don’t tell him the name of the dentist you saw. Don’t give him the diagnosis either. There are two very good reasons for this.

First, you don’t want the previous diagnosis to sway the dentist. You want his fresh opinion. Second, if he is friends with this dentist, he may not want to contradict his peer.

Dealing with Dental Anxiety

Given your dental anxiety, if you do need some dental work that petrifies you, I have a solution. I’d like you to see a dentist who uses dental sedation. This can be something as light as nitrous oxide for patients with mild anxiety. If you have severe anxiety or a difficult procedure, you might feel more comfortable with oral conscious sedation.

Oral conscious sedation is very strong, though. You will need someone to drive you to and from your appointment as well as stay with you throughout the remainder of the day until you are lucid and steady on your feet again. Start thinking about who you trust enough to do that for you.

Best of luck to you. It’s hard when you are new to adulthood. Some less ethical people will take advantage of that.

This blog is brought to you by West Seneca Dentist Dr. Warren Krutchick.

Help! My Tooth Turned Gray

Posted on January 14, 2019 by writeradmin.

I’m trying not to panic. One of my teeth has turned gray. I googled it and the website said it means my tooth is dead. Does this mean it’s going to fall out? What do I do?

Carol

Dear Carol,

Take a deep breath. As long as timely steps are taken, your tooth should be just fine. While a gray tooth does mean that it has either died or is in the process of dying, that doesn’t automatically mean it is going to fall out.

What you do have to be careful of is it blowing up into an infection. When a tooth dies, it harbors bacteria. Until the dentist removes the bacteria with a root canal treatment, you run the risk of infection. This is a dental emergency.

When You Ignore a Dental Emergency

Two things can happen if you ignore a dental infection:

You can lose the tooth

Depending on the direction the infection goes it could cause you to lose one or more teeth. If this happens, you’ll have to look at tooth replacement options. The best option, dental implants, requires surgery. It’s much more time and cost effective for you to take care of your tooth.

The infection spreads

This puts not only your teeth at risk, but your life too. I know it sounds incomprehensible, but even in this day and age, people still die from tooth infections.

Tooth Trauma

The reason your tooth turned gray is also important. Was it from unchecked decay or tooth trauam? If it was trauma, your dentist will need to check the stability of the tooth. If it is loose at all, he’ll want to splint it while the ligaments heal.

Whatever you do, don’t wiggle it until the dentist has it splinted (or even after). You risk snapping them which can cause problems long-term for you.

Many people are afraid to go to the dentist in situations like this because they fear the appointment will hurt. If you are feeling that way, try seeing a sedation dentist. It will help you have an anxiety-free appointment.

This blog is brought to you by West Seneca Dentist Dr. Warren Krutchick.

When is a Toothache a Dental Emergency?

Posted on October 28, 2018 by writeradmin.

I have a tooth which is really hurting. I don’t know when it’s an emergency and when it can just wait until I get an appointment. But, it’s starting to seem like my face is swelling. I’m thinking it may be an emergency but don’t know for sure.

Kelly

Dear Kelly,

It sounds like you don’t want to bother your dentist unnecessarily. However, when it comes to any type of tooth pain, it’s a dental emergency. Don’t hesitate to call your dentist in cases like that. If he’s a decent caregiver, he’d much rather you call him than lose a tooth.

Pain is generally a sign of an infection. The fact that the side of your face is starting to swell indicates it’s spreading. Dental infections can become life-threatening quickly. Think about how close your jaw is to your heart and brain. You definitely don’t want the infection to spread that far.

If you have an infection, your dentist will do a root canal treatment and possibly a porcelain crown.

When Your Tooth Can’t Be Saved

Sometimes, when you don’t get to the dentist soon enough, there is no way to save your tooth. In that case, your two best choices in replacing it are a dental implant or a dental bridge.

A Dental Implant

This uses a titanium implant to stand in place of your tooth root. Then, after healing, a dental crown is placed on top. Getting a tooth implant is the top of the line treatment and just like having a healthy, natural tooth back in your mouth. However, there are times when a dental bridge makes more sense.

A Dental Bridge

This suspends a false tooth between two crowns. It’s less expensive than an implant and doesn’t require surgery. However, it does require crowning the two adjacent teeth. If they’re in need of dental work that makes sense. But, if they don’t, you’d be grinding down healthy teeth.

Time is of the essence in these cases, so please take care of this sooner rather than later.

This blog is brought to you by West Seneca Dentist Dr. Warren Krutchick.

Did I Really Need a Root Canal Treatment?

Posted on August 22, 2018 by iowasmiles.

I don’t usually go to the dentist because I rarely have problems with my teeth. But, one day I had a weird pimple like thing on my upper gum. My husband said that’s a dental emergency so I hauled myself off to the emergency dentist thinking he was overreacting. Then, when I got there the dentist insisted on doing a root canal treatment and dental crown. Now I’m out a bunch of money and think I’ve been duped. Shouldn’t I have been hurting if I needed such a drastic treatment?

Lorene

Dear Lorene,

There are some things going on here which worry me. First, no dentist can insist on a treatment. Not even an emergency dentist, which is really just a general dentist willing to see people for urgent needs. If you didn’t want to have the root canal treatment, just saying no should have been enough for him. Insisting is unethical.

However, I am glad you had the treatment done. It could save your life. I can’t make any money off you, so you’ll know I’m not being overly dramatic in order to talk you into treatment. A pimple on your gums means you have an abscessed (infected) tooth. You weren’t in pain which can mean several things.

One is you have an extraordinarily high tolerance for pain. While that might seem like a great thing, it’s actually dangerous because you can get in deep trouble before you recognize you need help. Think about how close your jaw is to your brain and heart. The infection will spread. If it reaches one of those areas it can turn life-threatening quickly.

Another possibility is it hurt while the infection was forming but you pushed past it and as the tooth died the pain subsided. The infection would start up again, this time spreading away from your jaw area.

The root canal treatment gets in there and removes all the infected pulp in your tooth preventing the infection from flaring back up. So, yes, it was a necessary treatment. He wasn’t taking advantage of you, with the exception of making you think you had no choice.

Why You Should See a Dentist

While you don’t seem to feel your teeth bothering you, it’s obvious you do have problems pop up without you realizing it. This infection is a prime example. Decay doesn’t usually show pain, so you wouldn’t know you had a cavity unless it reached the pulp of your tooth.

With your seeming high tolerance for pain, you may not even notice it then. That makes it all the more dangerous for you. Seeing a dentist regularly cannot only catch these type of things early, meaning a much less invasive and affordable treatment, but it can prevent them altogether.

The regular cleanings can get areas you may not be able to reach, plus you’ll get the additional fluoride treatments, which are like vitamins for your teeth. The x-rays and exams will show the dentists any decay popping up quickly. That means you can get a simple white filling instead of an invasive dental crown.

Another benefit is the dentist will do regular oral health checks for things like mouth cancer. Another disease which pops up without announcing itself with pain.

I’m glad you received the care you needed. Please don’t worry you spent the money unnecessarily. It was the right treatment for an infection.

This blog is brought to you by Buffalo Dentist Dr. Warren Krutchick.