What is this painful, swollen spot on my gum?

[AlienGirl]

I have a swollen, "squishy" spot on my gum under one of my molars. It's down below the gumline, about a centimeter long, and it almost looks like a bag of fluid there. The pain seems deep, almost in the bone, and is being referred to my neck.

Is this something that'll go away on its own? I can't really afford to see the dentist (still owe her $125 :( ). Any help would be much appreciated!

Tucker

[democrat in Tallahassee]

1. sounds like an abcessed tooth; I had one that same thing

You probably need antibiotics at the very least. Do you have a toothache?
How are you doing otherwise? I've been wondering about you.

[AlienGirl]

4. My tooth doesn't hurt, but my jawbone does!

Other than that, I'm okay. Everythinsxen made it in safe and is lodged at a friend's house for a few days, so my stress level's down a bit!

Tucker

[Mairead]

14. Yes, I'll bet it's an abscess...and if you're experiencing it in your

jawbone, then you might be getting into real trouble. If it escapes the tooth socket and gets into your jawbone, you could be looking at *lots* of really *major* reconstructive dental surgery after you get done with a hospital stay to get rid of the life-threatening infection.

So please, go get it treated now regardless!

[commander bunnypants]

2. You definetly medical attention

an abcessed tooth can be very nasty if left untreated.

Good luck.

DDQM

[AlienGirl]

5. Is there anything I can do by myself that might help?

[Loonman]

3. Abcess

Do something about it or you'll be in serious pain.

[AlienGirl]

6. I still owe my dentist money from my last visit

Do you think she'd see me anyway?

Tucker

[Mika]

8. Yes. A caring practitioner will treat you..

.. and work out a payment plan. I do.

[AlienGirl]

15. What if the person has no disposable income?

Right now, literally everything I make is going to rent, food, gas to drive to work, and back medical expenses. I couldn't afford more than maybe $50/month, and it doesn't seem fair to underpay a professional that much.

Tucker

[Mika]

17. You don't know until you ask

The billing price vs the cost will be taken into consideration by a caring DDS if you have been seeing that Dr over time. Not all of us are SOB's.

[AlienGirl]

18. I've only seen her once

I know not all medical professionals are SOB's, but no one works for free, either.

I have a total of $50 right now. I make under $1000 a month.

Tucker

[Mika]

20. Where do you live?

[AlienGirl]

22. Bellevue, WA

A suburb of Seattle.

Tucker

[Mika]

36. Try calling here

(Not an endorsement)

http://sviweb.sccd.ctc.edu/services.htm#s_clinic.htm

Dental Clinic
206-587-4930
 
The Dental Clinic at Seattle Vocational Institute offers preventive and operative dental services performed by a licensed dentist on staff. The clinic is open to the public Wednesdays and Thursdays from 9:00 a.m. - 10:00 a.m. and from 1:00 p.m. - 3:00 p.m. Also by appointment, call [phone].

[Mika]

7. Go to your dentist right away

Posts #1 & 2 are correct. Get to the dentist as soon as you can.

An infection in your head, close to your brain, isn't good.

You can't really afford to lose your teeth, can you?

[AlienGirl]

10. I've had radiation therapy; my jawbone may be weak

Will that mean that my only option is to get the tooth pulled? Also, how much would it cost, ordinarily, to get whatever procedures are normal for this done, plus nitrous oxide?

Thanks in advance!

Tucker

[Mika]

19. Depends on what is really going on

That is why you need to get to a dentist. How much it will cost depends on what needs to be done. It also depends on whether your DDS will refer you to an oral surgeon or not. DDS's usually refer a complex extraction elsewhere. I don't want to diagnose your bone condition without seeing pix of your bone. Have you had a bone density test recently?

[AlienGirl]

23. Not lately, but my oncologist said that was a side effect

He had me get my wisdom teeth pulled before starting radiation, because he said my jawbone would not heal as well afterwards.

Tucker

[Ramsey]

39. After radiation (IMPORTANT!)

I am a radiation oncologist, and I have seen the complications that occur after head and neck irradiation.

You can get ulcerations on your gums or even erosion of the bone, called osteoradionecrosis. This will not heal on its own and it can erode your entire bone away to the point that you may require major surgery. Such progression may be preventable with aggressive treatment such as hyperbaric oxygen therapy and very careful dental care.

I am not saying that you definitely have this. Obviously I cannot tell from what you describe. But I say this to point out it is absolutely imperative that you seek care immediately. It cannot wait and it unlikely to get better spontaneously.

You need to see your radiation oncologist and/or dentist right away. This could be very serious. You need to be examined for any ulcerations, bone exposure or soft tissue necrosis. Even if the problem is unrelated to the radiation (like an abscessed tooth), if not treated properly it could lead to necrosis or bone exposure because your mucosal tissues do not heal normally after radiation.

On edit: Not to be alarmist, but you also need to be examined for possible cancer recurrence. Go to your doctor immediately. Do not let money be an obstacle, the doctor's office can help you with the financial issues.

[histohoney]

13. Mika is right

Plus you could be looking at blood poisoning,gingivitis, not to alarm but if you have a heart condition or a suppressed immuno system right now you could be in BIG trouble.
Call your dentist she/he will probable see you(Most are dedicated) and might even set up a very easy to follow payment plan.(My brother pays his just 10.00 a month)
In the mean time, you could try the old hot(NOT scalding)water and salt rinse, followed by a peroxide rinse(DO NOT swallow either).

[Holly]

9. This can become quite serious

left untreated you may develop a full blown infection, which can spread quickly...involving ear and sinus passages...you need an antibiotic ASAP. Not sure how it works in the US (since everyone can get health care here), if you can't afford to see the dentist, Can you afford to see a doctor? A doctor can prescribe antibiotics. You need have the infection treated before an dentist would work on it anyway.
BTW; it saddens me to think that any person would be allowed to suffer because they can't afford medical treatment. I hope that you'll get well soon.

[Mika]

16. The treating DDS should dispense the antibiotic

While I understand your good intentions, please, don't recommend dental treatments from Canada. AlienGirl needs to go to a dentist right away.

[RebelOne]

11. Yes, definitely an abcess.

Call your dentist and see if she will prescribe some tetracycline, as it will drain it. And also keep rinsing with warm salt water. That will also help drain it.

[ScreamingMeemie]

12. Abscess, abscess...please go now. If you can't go to dentist, go to

the emergency room for a script of penicillin. My grandfather lost part of his jaw to an abscessed tooth. Please don't let it get that bad. Sorry if I have panicked you, but don't mess around with it.

Hugs,Laura

[soothsayer]

21. abcess---you can try poking it with a needle

and lots of peroxide afterwards, but it sounds like it's already pretty bad if you're feeling it in your neck. Take lots of antibiotics, if you have 'em on hand.

[private_ryan]

32. yp, poking will do nothing

the problem if below the root of the tooth, deep in the bone. You poke one out, another one will take it's place. Had one too. The same dentist charged me for a root canal, crown, apiectomy (? to remove the abscess) and full price to remove the tooth after it didn't work. Nice dentist...

it's expensive but doing nothing is a lot more expensive. The brain is right there and a bone infection is very serious. Rinse with warm salt water to help the gums but it's nothing permanent.

[Mika]

33. DON'T POKE IT WITH A NEEDLE!

Soothsayer is not a DDS. I am.

Do not poke an abcess in your head with a needle.

Talk to your dentist and negotiate a payment plan.

[Raven]

24. I got blood poisoning from something like that...

almost died. GO TO THE DOC...NOW!

[AlienGirl]

25. How long did it take between noticing it, and it getting serious?

I only noticed the swollen spot last night, so I'm thinking I have some time before it gets serious, during which I can call around and stuff.

Also, ironically, if I get blood poisoning and end up in the ICU, *that* will be covered by my medical assistance--it almost makes that the cheaper option for me!

Tucker

[Raven]

28. I walked around with it for about three days.

Then I woke up with a raging fever. When I wnet to the dentist he said that he would have to drill some holes in my jaw bone to get the poison out and that he could not give me any anesthesia because of the blood infection. Two orderlies had to hold me down. It was the most painful experience of my life. ICU might be covered by insurance but the pain and the danger isn't. GO!

[creativelcro]

31. Man, that does sound painful

[private_ryan]

34. try that route first

a few years back I was told that dental surgeries were covered by the health insurance I had then. This is health issue so you might get lucky. Make a phone call or two.

[Ramsey]

40. If you have medical assistance

Surely you qualify for coverage of post-treatment follow-up for your cancer. Make an appointment with your radiation oncologist, let them ascertain whether this is a radiation complication and then they can justify the dental treatment for coverage as well.

[creativelcro]

26. It's a fistula, most likely. I'm not a dentist,

but probably you need a root canal on that tooth (or the tooth removed, I guess). If you press on the fistula it breaks and some blood and pus will come out. The fistula goes away but then it reforms a few days later. You have an infection, if it hurts it means the nerve is getting infected. If it is an old fistula, in some cases you need a bit of surgery to remove some tissue as well. At times it can go on for years. It's not good for you though, since it's an ongoing infection. Again, I'm not a dentist.

[noonwitch]

27. It's an abcess and it needs to be treated right away

I had one of those and I didn't want to go to the dentist, but it started to hurt so badly that I couldn't put it off any longer. The pain is awful It can spread the infection to your jaw or your sinus'. Until you can get to the dentist, keep it clean, use an antiseptic mouthwash and ambusol pm.
The dentist will do a root canal, and then prescribe antibiotics and either tylenol 3s or vicodin. You will definitely feel better once the dentist gets the dead root out of your gums.

[SheilaT]

29. Okay, so you can't afford to see a dentist.

Presumably you can afford to lose your teeth? Or be really, really sick and in the hospital for a period of time? Are you well insured so that if you die all your medical bills will then get paid?

I didn't think so.

It's truly criminal that we don't have universal health care in this country, but you need to get this looked at.

It's possible antibiotics will make it go away. It's also possible that you need a lot of other work, but only a dentist can tell you.

Post again and let us know.

Also, if your income is very low, perhaps you qualify for reduced price or even free care. Your dentist may herself work once a month in such a clinic and can tell you about it. The down side is that such clinics aren't good at providing the emergency kind of care you probably need.

When I was young and we were very poor I had a great deal of dental work done through a Catholic charity (the St. Elizabeth of Hungary clinic) in Tucson, Arizona, and for years I sent them money when I finally could afford it.

[AlienGirl]

30. Hey, if I die

...the medical companies can just take the expenses as tax write-offs, *and* my Student Loan debt goes away! :-)

Tucker

[Mika]

35. Not all DDS's see every procedure as a profit center

-

Part of building a good dental practice is to build trustworthy relationships with patients. Part of having a DDS that will treat your ills is to build a trustworthy relationship with her/his practice. Many young dentists have school loans to pay off too.. they can appreciate the squeeze.

Convey your situation to your dentist. I can't imagine that she would leave you to go untreated.

[beanball]

37. The swelling

I know the feeling,right now I am taking Amoxicillin and on the 12th it will be endo-time,a three rooter,upper(max)first molar.

[VOX]

38. With an untreated abcess, you will start to lose the bone in your jaw!

Do *not* screw around with this! Get to a dentist, pronto!

Worry about the $$$ later -- any decent dentist will let you pay over the long haul.

If you have an infection, which it sounds like you might, please get this looked at right away.

I have been there -- a few years ago, I got hit in my #5 bicuspid (upper) playing touch football; in a few days the gum was like you described: swollen, painful, throbbing. I let it go for a few days more; when I finally got to the dentist, I lost the tooth, and was losing *bone* around it! I now have a bridge, which cannot be noticed, but I often wonder what might have been if I'd gotten to my dentist quicker.

Good luck with this!!