My top right second molar broke in half ten days ago. The pain refers to my cheek, jaw, sinus, and nose. My temples began hurting today, traveling into my ear and neck. It was so bad that I called off work. I don’t have dental insurance yet, so I am taking antibiotics. My wife thinks I have a tooth infection, but I’m wondering if it’s a sinus infection unrelated to the broken tooth instead. How much time do I have to see a dentist? I get paid at the end of the month and will at least have a down payment for the dental work. Thank you. Kristoff from TX
Kristoff,
Your signs and symptoms are of a tooth infection.
How Risky Is It to Delay Seeing a Dentist for a Tooth Infection?
If you have a tooth infection, it is risky to delay seeing a dentist. Without dental care, the infection will continue to spread to other teeth, your jawbone, and possibly your bloodstream. Prompt root canal treatment can save the tooth and prevent long-term problems that develop after an extraction.
Root canal treatment helps prevent future infection
What If You Don’t Have Money for a Root Canal?
If you don’t have money for root canal treatment, contact one of the organizations and ask if they offer free or discounted dental care:
- Dental clinic – A free dental clinic can extract the tooth but may not offer root canal treatment.
- Local dental society – A local dental society may do charitable work and treat or extract the tooth.
- University dental school – Dental schools need patients as subjects to train students on specific procedures.
Although many people go to a hospital emergency room or urgent care facility for a toothache, the facility cannot treat your tooth. They may prescribe pain relievers or antibiotics, but you must see a dentist.
Can You Get Rid of a Tooth Infection with Antibiotics?
Root canal treatment is the only way to eliminate a tooth infection. Antibiotics help clear the infection from your system, but the root canal removes the infection from a tooth. According to the American Association of Endodontists, root canal treatment removes infection and bacteria, prevents reinfection, and saves the tooth.
See a dentist promptly, or call a clinic, dental society, or university dental school.
The Monroe, Louisiana, dentists at Bayou Dental Group sponsor this post. Please read how Dr. Finly and his team strive to offer some of the best dental care in Monroe.
