In November of last year, I lost a 3-1/2 year old six tooth bridge which were my front teeth. I believe the work wasn’t done right and now my husband lost his job and our dental insurance and we are living on my disability therefore I haven’t been able to afford a partial which is what I am told I now need because the nubs holding the bridge broke off, (two on one side), and either one or both is now infected and/or absessed. I cannot afford to even go to our local dental school as they charge and I know from past experience while there is an absess or bad infection (even my face is swollen and cannot fully open my mouth) no one will do an extraction. my question is, until I can afford to have these extracted, I have a prescription for cipro and one for bactrim and an old one from a dentist for clindamycin from 2007. Would it help any if I start taking one of these until I can figure out what to do??? If so, which one would be best until I can either find an emergency room that has a doctor that can treat this kind of thing? I do have a good medicare hmo. thank you, I am in god awful pain and scared and desperate.
Thanks, Tami from Texas
Tami,
You’re in kind of a difficult spot if you can’t afford even the extractions, with all that you told me is wrong with your teeth.
Your area code makes it look like you’re from the Houston area. There are a number of places in cities across the country where they have donated dental care, for serious problems like yours. You said you checked with the dental school. I would call them back and ask for help in finding a charity dental clinic. When I went to dental school we had such a clinic near the school where some of the dental students would go to get extra experience, and they provided discounted or free care. If they can’t help you, try to find the local dental society and ask them. Some local dental societies will sponsor charity clinics or have a program where dentists will rotate providing charity dental care.
About the antibiotics, you have to be very careful. I would recommend doing everything you can to find care to get the teeth taken out or otherwise treated and not rely on antibiotics. Here’s the problem. You cannot get rid of a tooth infection with antibiotics – you can only slow it down. That is because the source of the infection is inside the teeth, and the antibiotics can’t get there. What ends up happening is you will help the infection to be more resistant to the antibiotic. In other words, you won’t kill off the bacteria, you’ll only make them stronger. And then you could end up with something really serious, with an infection and no way to control it. So that’s not a good way to go.
But yes, it is okay to get the infection down before you go see a dentist. But I would time it so that you are taking the antibiotic for three to five days before your appointment. Of the antibiotics you mentioned, clindamycin is the best for tooth infections. Different antibiotics are tailored for different bacteria.
I hope you can find the help you need.
As far as your being scared, I’m not sure if you’re referring to just the situation, or if you’re scared of the dentist. If you’re scared of the dentist, look for a dentist who offers sedation dentistry.