I have a decaying wisdom tooth which is infected and causing me a great deal of pain. I can tell the decay is spreading to nearby teeth as well. I don’t have money for the dentist right now. Is this something I have to go to the ER for or can I just take antibiotics and wait until I have money?
Paula
Dear Paula,
Neither of these is a good solution for you.
First, an emergency room will not treat dental issues. Instead, they’ll give you some ibuprofen and then charge you a small fortune. As for antibiotics, what it can do is hold the infection at bay. However, it will only do that for the duration you are taking the medicine. Once the antibiotics run out, the infection will flare up even bigger than before.
There are only two ways to deal with a tooth infection. The first is a root canal treatment. This is the ideal because it saves your tooth. In your case, because it is a wisdom teeth and sounds like it is decayed quite a bit, I don’t think it is going to be an option for you. Instead, you will have to go with the second option, which is a tooth extraction.
Don’t wait on this. People still die from untreated tooth infections. This happens because the infection spreads outside of your teeth. Think about how close your jaw is to your brain, heart, and lungs. I would consider this a dental emergency and suggest you get in as soon as possible.
There are compassionate dentists who would be willing to work with you financially. Call around and explain your situation. The good news is because it is a wisdom tooth, you will not have to worry about an expensive tooth replacement. It can just be removed.
This blog is brought to you by Des Moines, IA Dentist Dr. Phelan Thomas.