Tooth Abscess CONSTANT draining, help?!?!

[lilly1307]

About a week ago I began having pain in the top back molars of my mouth (left side).  I had inflammation, throbbing, pressure, and after a day or so I noticed a white little dot on the gums/cheek area.  I applied pressure with a q-tip, a foul tasting pus came out.  I have been cleaning it regularly with salt water and the pain is not in tooth, but mostly in the gum/cheek area above the back molar.  I went to see the dentist (I am staying in Bahrain to visit my dad who works here, and went to a dentist here). The dentist, in my opinion, wasn't very good, and told me that I needed a root canal (Duh), and to take an anti-inflammatory, (duh again).  He said i didn't need antibiotics as the infection wasn't that big and my body would fight it off.  I asked if he could still prescribe them just in case and he finally agreed and gave me the ibprofin (after begging for that as well).  Anyways,  It has been about 3 days and it seems like the abscess is constantly leaking pus down my throat.  My throat is sore and raw, I constantly taste the foul pus, especially when i talk or put any type of pressure on the area. I can't take it being that i am a germ freak.  I have tried to pop it but it just slowly comes out (no blood) and It seems like its a small, hard, white ball that kind of moves around under the gum.  I don't know what to do??? Please help?

[Jerome Tsang, DDS]

It sounds like what you said it is, a dental abscess.  As gross as it is, its a good thing it draining out and leaking into the mouth.  If the area closed up, the pus would have no where to escape to and it would cause a larger swelling and could push into other areas of your mouth/face/eye.  

I would recommend taking a course of antibiotics to help clear the infection.  Antibiotics wouldn't be necessary if you had the root canal done but if you are awaiting to do treatment when you get back home, I would take the antibiotics and get it treated as soon as possible.  

[Jerome Tsang, DDS]

Don't double up on the antibiotics.

I would say you're getting a bad side effect from the antibiotics.  You may need to ask for a new prescription and switch it.  

I'd be surprised if it leaks from the other side.  That's a little bit odd.  Normally it stays localized and can spread in that area but doesn't really "jump" from one side of the face to another.

Do you think you may be getting a bad flu or something?  

It could be a bad sinus infection, sore throat, body aches, etc.  You may want to see a medical doctor since the symptoms are spreading but I'm not 100% sure if its related or not.

[lilly1307]

Thank you for the response.  Since I posted my toot abscess has spread i think- there are little white pimple dots leaking pus now on the other side of my mouth (top gum).  Also, my top gums are swollen (feel like a donkey), my lymph nodes are throbbing, my throat is super raw, and I feel an intense pressure in my cheek bones on both sides of my face (almost feels like pusing up to my eyes).  I am so scared.  I stopped taking the antibiotics and then this happened a day later so I have doubled up the antibiotics.  How long do they take to help and should I try to "pop" the white pus things and drain them or leave them alone.  I have been also rinsing with hot salt water quite often.  I know I shouldn't have stopped taking the antibiotics, but they were making me sooo nauseas and the dentist here in bahrain told me i didnt even really need to take them to begin with because my body would fight the infection off- yeah right lol.  Please help me know what to do.