Serious tooth abscess

[mlcrae]

I've had a tooth abscess since the beginning of this year sometime. I went to the ER because my jaw had become so swollen that it was completely ridiculous. They gave me penicillin which I took (28 pills, 3 times a day with food). When I finished that bottle I realized that there was still a sort of blister on my gum even though it was much smaller than it used to be. I finally went to the dentist thinking that I could get my root canal but they told me I needed more anti biotics and so I was prescribed the same exact thing, except that this time, NOTHING happened. There was no progress in the decrees of swelling in the blister. It's been at least a month and a half since then and I've started to develop fevers which makes it very difficult to sleep at night what with being so hot. Yesterday I had a great pain in my ear and down my neck, it was hard to concentrate for quite some time because it was so painful.

The blister is still there and it's still a relatively small size. I called a dentist today and he said that he would suggest I call in another dose of penicillin. Now, I've heard that taking so many of them can make you immune to their effects. In total, I've taken at least fifty six of them and since both of those doses failed, I'm starting to think another dosage will only do the same thing. I'm at a loss of what to do. I realize I can't get a root canal until the infection is gone but is there anything I could suggest to a dentist that would quicken the procedure or lessen my chances of a repeated process? I don't know if my age has anything to do with it but I'm seventeen years old, and I would very much appreciate any advise you can give. Thanks.

[Jerome Tsang, DDS]

Hope that works out for you.  Keep an eye for worsening symptoms.

[mlcrae]

I would say the swelling is mild. I'm very feverish all of the time, but I take Tylenol and I rarely experience pain unless I forget to. My dentist called in another oder of penicillin today.

[Jerome Tsang, DDS]

You can get another prescription for an antibiotic if you wish.  Call your dentist and request another antibiotic and tell him that it feels like the antibiotics aren't working for you.  I'm not sure why your dentist hasn't started the root canal.  I can understand if the infection is still present.  Are you in alot of pain or is the swelling still severe?  It sounds like you've gotten much better overall.  I think the antibiotics have done enough prior to treatment.