tooth infection Archives - Susan M. Dennis, D.D.S

Dentist Can’t Figure Out Why My Tooth Hurts

Posted on July 16, 2025 by writeradmin.

I’ve had a horrible toothache for several days and was able to get an appointment with my dentist. I’d just had some radiographs done three months ago, so he used those. He told me he didn’t see any crack in the filling where I am having the pain. He did prescribe me some antibiotics and told me if the pain goes away that I do not have to worry about it. However, this has me very worried because everything I’ve read said that if a tooth is infected, antibiotics will only be a temporary solution until the meds are done. Maybe I’m wrong.

LeeAnn

Dear LeeAnn,

The very first thing I am going to say is that you need a new dentist. There is so much wrong with both his diagnostic skills as well as his treatment plan. Let’s start with the diagnostics. He went from a three month old radiograph. Three months old. You didn’t have a toothache three months ago, did you? If not, then those imagings are useless. Something has changed in the last three months.

Second, there are other tests to do in addition to the one he did. For instance: tapping the tooth to evaluate pain, hot/cold tests, even electrical tests to determine if the pulp is alive. He did none of these. He just looked at three month old imaging. That is insane.

Even worse, however, is his treatment plan.If your antibiotics do help, that is a sign of a tooth infection. As you indicated, antibiotics do not cure tooth infections. You have a better understanding of this than your dentist.

There are two ways to adequately treat a tooth infection. The first is with a root canal treatment. The second is by extracting the tooth. If the antibiotics do cause the pain to get better, then I want you to see a dentist, a different dentist, to get this tooth treated. If you don’t, you’ll end up with a dental emergency that can turn life threatening.

This blog is brought to you by Portage Dentist Dr. Susan Dennis.
Click here to learn about holistic dental care.

Misdiagnosis Caused Pain and Dental Emergency

Posted on May 19, 2025 by writeradmin.

I need advice on what to do. I went to my dentist telling him that my first molar (#19 according to an online chart) was bothering me. He felt like it was actually because of an impacted wisdom tooth. He suggested I get a filling, which I did, but it didn’t help. Then, he suggested I pull the tooth, which I did, but it didn’t help. A few weeks later, my cheek became swollen. I went to the hospital and they told me that I had a tooth infection and needed to see a dentist. The abscessed tooth is on the first molar, like I originally said. I’m not sure I trust my dentist. Should I see a specialist?

Ashley

Dear Ashley,

I’m sorry this happened to you. I’m not sure why your dentist thought a filling would fix an impacted wisdom tooth or why he didn’t check out the tooth you told him was hurting. You didn’t mention anything about him doing x-rays, but that doesn’t mean he didn’t do them. Either way, I wouldn’t trust this dentist either.

When you have an abscessed tooth it is serious. The fact that yours has spread to your cheek makes it more serious. I would consider it a dental emergency at this point. You don’t have to see your current dentist. I understand why you are having trouble trusting him. However, you do need to see a dentist soon. It doesn’t necessarily need to be a specialist, just someone able to treat you.

Most dentists leave room in their schedule for dental emergencies. Just explain to them what is going on and someone will get you in quickly. Hopefully, all you will need is a root canal treatment. That will save your tooth, but you will still likely need a dental crown on it.

If the tooth is too far gone to save, then the tooth will have to be extracted. Don’t just leave the open space once the tooth is gone. It will be important for you to replace the tooth. The ideal replacement will be a dental implant, but there are other options as well. Your first order of business is to get this tooth infection treated.

This blog is brought to you by Portage, MI Dentist Dr. Susan Dennis.

Are Tooth Infections Really Dangerous?

Posted on February 20, 2025 by writeradmin.

I had a molar break a couple of weeks ago. Now the tooth hurts a lot and my cheek has stared to swell. I’ve been taking some antibiotics I had laying around. It helped at first, but hasn’t done much recently. Now I feel pain going up to my temple. Could this be a sinus thing or is it the tooth? Someone told me this is dangerous, but I don’t have a ton of money right now. How serious are we talking?

Luke

Dear Luke,

I am very glad you wrote. This is a tooth infection, and yes, it is dangerous. If this remains untreated, it could spread to your brain and become life threatening. The situation you are in would be considered a dental emergency. Antibiotics alone will not deal with the infection. The best it can do is hold it at bay temporarily. But, it sounds like you have gotten everything you will be able to out of your antibiotics.

The only way to cure this is for a dentist to get in there and physically remove the infected pulp. This can be handled in one of two ways. First, you can have a root canal treatment. This is ideal because it means the tooth can still be saved. If that is no longer possible, then you will need to have the tooth extracted. I would not mess around with this.

Sometimes patients avoid the dentist because of anxiety. If that is your case, then I would look for a sedation dentist. They can provide you with an anxiety-free appointment.

If you end up extracting the tooth, then you will need to replace it or the adjacent teeth will then shift or tip into the open space. This will throw off your bite leading to jaw pain, headaches, or even TMJ Disorder.

The best tooth replacement is a dental implant. However, those are expensive. For now, you could always get a dental flipper, which is much less expensive and will hold the space open, giving you time to save up for the implant.

This blog is brought to you by Kalamazoo Dentist Dr. Susan Dennis.

How To Get A Refund From a Dentist That Messed Up

Posted on January 6, 2025 by writeradmin.

I had a tooth that was crooked for years because I was a thumbsucker as a child. I was hoping to straighten it out, but my dentist told me the same thing could be done with a dental crown. I liked the idea of not needing braces so I agreed. It was really sore after it was placed. He told me that was normal for the first week or so. Several weeks later, I was still in pain. I called but then he said it is probably because I am not used to wearing crowns and to give it more time. A few months later and I’m in so much pain that I almost went to the emergency room. My husband told me to get a second opinion by another dentist. I did the next day. He even got me in the very next day on an emergency appointment. When I went in he did an examination and an x-ray. He told me the tooth was very infected because the dentist who placed the crown did not place it properly and there are open margins. He showed me on the x-ray and the margins are huge. I need to get a root canal treatment now on top of another crown. I called my dentist and asked for my money back. They said what happens to my crown after I have it is not their problem and they expect me to pay the balance or they will send me to collections. Now I’m mad. They gave me a faulty crown that is going to cost me even more money and I need another procedure. I wasn’t asking them to pay for the root canal just my money back on my faulty crown. Is there any way to get my money back?

Caroline

Dear Caroline,

I am very sorry this happened to you and I’m glad the second dentist got you in for an emergency dental appointment. You’re fortunate it didn’t grow worse and turn life-threatening. Your jaw is very close to your heart, lungs, and brain. You don’t want an infection spreading there.

While I haven’t examined you, but based on what you said, I do believe your dentist violated the standard of care. After placing a dental crown, it is considered standard operating procedure to run an explorer around the margins to make sure it is properly fitted and there are no open margins. It helps that you have an x-ray to back up the claim.

It may not be financially worth it to go for a full malpractice case. There are some things you can do. I’d start by letting them know that you are going to the dental board with the x-ray and second opinion from the other dentist. This is something that the dentist would like to avoid almost as much as a malpractice suit.

Another thing you can do is have the second opinion dentist talk to your original dentist. Sometimes, dentist are more willing to listen to a peer than to a patient. If you do decide to go forward with a malpractice suit you will need to have another dentist testify on your behalf. It is required to have a medical opinion.

You could ask a lawyer to write you a threatening letter on his or her official stationary. That might make your dentist more willing to take the threat seriously and will cost you less than a full law suit.

This blog is brought to you by Kalamazoo Dentist Dr. Susan Dennis.

Terrified of Getting My Wisdom Tooth Removed

Posted on September 9, 2024 by writeradmin.

I am 36 years old. I had a wisdom tooth that was partially exposed and partially under the gum and bone. It had a cavity that has now turned into an infection. My dentist says that taking this out is high risk because of the angle, the fact that it is next to a tooth with a root canal treatment, and I have risk of nerve damage. Now, I am absolutely terrified of extracting this and having something go wrong with the tooth or nerve. Because it is at the side of my cheek, I’m worried my face will look sunken in as well in that area. I’m attaching an x-ray. Can I just treat the infection with an antibiotic?

Thanks, Keri

I’m not seeing the infection, but if there is one, you do want to treat it. An antibiotic will not “cure” a tooth infection, only hold it at bay temporarily until you get the real treatment. There are two ways to treat a tooth infection. The first is with a root canal treatment. The second is with a tooth extraction.

For any tooth other than a wisdom tooth, I’d say get a root canal because this means you can save the tooth. A wisdom tooth you just want out. If the tooth is infected and you don’t extract it, you will not only end up with a dental emergency, but could end up with something that turns life threating. The infection will continue to spread to other parts of your body. Your jaw is close to your throat, heart, and lungs. If the infection spreads upward, it can even reach your brains.

Your lower left wisdom tooth does not appear to be impinging on a nerve at all. I would get your wisdom teeth out sooner rather than later. Don’t wait for all of them to develop a problem. The one exception to this is the tooth on the other side of the one bothering you now. That one looks like the roots are very close to the nerves.

I’m going to recommend that you get 3-dimensional scans of your mouth anyway. The dentist or oral surgeon will want to know exactly where all the nerves are in order to avoid them. Plus, he or she will need to be careful about the tooth with the root canal treatment.

I’m not too worried about the tooth that has the immediate problem being an issue. It would have been better if you had this done in your twenties before the roots are fully formed and the bone gets denser, but you’re still in a time where I don’t worry about complications. If you wait much longer, even just a few years, you will be in a danger zone for complications. That is a big reason why I do not want you to wait on the other teeth.

As for your face looking sunken in, that isn’t something to worry about. Your jawbone is more what determines the shape of your face in that area.

This blog is brought to you by Kalamazoo Dentist Dr. Susan Dennis.
Click here to learn about dental sedation.

Did I Harm My Baby By Getting Porcelain Veneers?

Posted on August 17, 2024 by writeradmin.

I did not know I was pregnant when I got porcelain veneers. It was in the first trimester of my pregnancy and I’ve heard that is the most dangerous time. Did I cause harm to my baby?

Selena

Dear Selena,

First, congratulations! How exciting that you are having a baby. I’m glad you wrote. The porcelain veneers procedure you had will not have harmed your baby. It is true that we do not recommend dental work in the first trimester. This is because during that time period, the baby is the most vulnerable to foreign substances. But, here is the good news.

The only foreign substance generally used in the porcelain veneers procedure is a local anesthetic. The most commonly used of these is Lidocaine. This is one of the few medications that has been proven safe to use in pregnancy. In fact, it is even used during labor and delivery.

One thing you don’t want to do when you are pregnant is to avoid the dentist. Keeping your oral health up is the best thing you can do for your baby. I’d plan ahead and schedule your regular cleaning. The best time for that is the second trimester. You don’t have the worries of the first trimester and you will be much more comfortable in the dental chair than you will be in the second trimester. This way you can avoid any dental emergencies.

Though, if you do end up with a tooth infection or something similar, please do get it dealt with no matter what trimester you are in. You don’t want to pass any bad bacteria on to your baby from an untreated tooth infection.

This blog is brought to you by Kalamazoo Dentist Dr. Susan Dennis.

An Infected Tooth and No Money

Posted on July 11, 2024 by writeradmin.

I have a missing tooth in the back of my mouth that I never replaced. Now, I have another tooth that is infected. It hurts so much that I cannot concentrate on anything anymore. This morning, my cheek started swelling. I don’t have any dental insurance and I was recently laid off from my job due to cutbacks. I have some Medicaid, but they don’t cover dental for adults. Is there anything I can do to help my tooth through my Medicaid, like an antibiotic that works on teeth?

Stephen

Dear Stephen,

Your situation is difficult. I am sorry you were laid off. I’ve seen so many people hurting economically these last few years. While the antibiotics can hold off an infection temporarily, once the antibiotics run out, your infection will return stronger than ever. Tooth infections are different than a bodily illness. They are more like a cancer. The only way to heal the tooth is for a dentist to get in there and physically remove the infected pulp.

There are two ways to accomplish this. The first is to have a root canal treatment done. This is where the dentist will open a hole in the tooth and remove the infected pulp, then fill the canal with dental material. This would be the preferred treatment because it will save your tooth.

If the tooth is too far gone, the next option is to extract the tooth. This ends up costing you more money in the long run because you will need to replace the tooth. If you don’t, your other teeth will eventually begin to drift or tip into the empty space. This will happen even faster for you because you already have a missing tooth in the area. Your bite is going to get thrown off and you may end up with TMJ Disorder and a lifetime of jaw pain and headaches.

Call your local dental society and see if there are any dentists who help a person in your situation. If not, there may be a dental school in your area. They have students doing the work so it is usually much less expensive. You are safe because there is an instructor there, but I would expect the appointment to take longer than your typical appointment. If none of that is available to you, I would simply call around to dentists in your area and explain your circumstances. Dentists are compassionate and are sometimes willing to work with someone financially during a dental emergency.

This blog is brought to you by Kalamazoo Dentist Dr. Susan Dennis.

This Dentist Is Not Taking Her Pain Seriously

Posted on January 17, 2024 by writeradmin.

I had a root canal treatment a few years ago. A few weeks ago, it started hurting again. I went back to the dentist and he did an x-ray that showed there is a new infection and told me I need a root canal re-treatment. I went back and had that done. He gave me a prescription for Penicillin and Vicodin. I was doing okay at first and then the pain came back something awful. I’ve been pretty much living on the Vicodin and the dentist has refilled that when it ran out. I went for a second appointment because I am convinced that something is wrong. He told me that some people take longer to heal and the fact that I started feeling better was a good sign. He did offer me a second round of antibiotics. However, I’m about two weeks out of the retreatment and still in so much pain that I cannot sleep. Is this normal? I don’t remember my first root canal treatment being like this.

Kate

Dear Kate,

No, this is not normal and I have some real concerns here. First, while getting better is a good sign, if I understand you correctly, you said that you got worse after that. That is a particularly bad sign.

I think you need to see a root canal specialist. This should already have resolved and I don’t think your dentist understands what is going on. Not only is he not taking the fact that you are still in pain this far out seriously, but he’s also not prescribed what I would consider the best antibiotic for your situation. Additionally, he didn’t switch it to a different type of antibiotic when the first one was ineffective. I think you need Clindamycin.

If he delays getting you to a root canal specialist, find one on your own. They’re called endodontists and will be able to get you the help you need. I don’t think you’ll put this off, but for the benefit of others reading I will say this is the type of dental emergency when, if left untreated, can turn life threatening. So don’t leave it.

This blog is brought to you by Portage, MI Cosmetic Dentist Dr. Susan Dennis.

How Long Can You Safely Put Off a Root Canal Treatment?

Posted on October 24, 2023 by writeradmin.

If I need a root canal treatment but do not have a lot of money, is there a time limit for how long that I can put off the tooth infection? I will also admit that finances are not the only issue. I have some pretty severe dental anxiety, so between the two issues going to the dentist is the last thing I want to do.

Callie Anne

Dear Callie Anne,

I could not give you anything definitive without examining the tooth. However, I can give you some basic guidelines. If it is not hurting and has not hurt for some time, you could get away with waiting while you save up. Some patients can go years with what is known as an arrested infection and not notice much of a difference. However, once the root canal treatment is done, they realize they suddenly feel better.

That being said, if there are any signs of an active infection, you likely cannot afford to wait and should get it treated. Most dentists leave room in their schedule for urgent appointments.

Here are some signs that you have an active infection:

There is a pimple on your gums.
There is pain, even if it just a little.
There is drainage.

Dealing with Dental Anxiety

You are not the only person who avoids the dentist, so please do not feel bad about your anxiety. I do know something that could help you, though. My suggestion is that you see a dentist who offers dental sedation options, especially if they offer more than one level of sedation.

If you have severe anxiety, than oral conscious sedation will be the way to go. It is administered by a simple pill but is so strong that you can sleep completely through your appointment. People who use sedation find it completely changes their life and they are able to finally see the dentist without any fear.

This blog is brought to you by Kalamazoo Dentist Dr. Susan Dennis.

Same Symptoms – Different Treatments

Posted on January 3, 2023 by Dr. Dennis.

Me and a friend were recently discussing a dental emergency we both had. Both of us had pretty severe tooth pain. We both went to see the dentist within the same period of time after the symptoms started. I don’t have a dentist and went to an emergency dentist. He gave me a root canal treatment and a dental crown. My friend just received a crown. Why the different treatments if we both had the same problem? Is it because she went to a regular dentist and I went to an emergency one? Did I get the right treatment?

Lindsey

Dear Lindsey,

I’m sorry you had a dental emergency. Those are quite painful and really can keep you from getting anything done. As the author John Green put it, “Pain demands to be felt.” I want to put your mind at ease about something. If the pain is gone after treatment, it is highly unlikely you received the wrong treatment.

The same symptoms in dental care can be from completely different problems. One example is tooth pain. Maybe one patient who has tooth pain is dealing with a dental infection, while the other person dealing with pain in the exact same area is dealing with a cracked tooth.

What concerns me is your “emergency dentist” didn’t seem to talk to you about what was going on with your pain. A good dentist will always explain what the problem is, your treatment options (all of them), as well as give his recommendation for treatment along with why. It doesn’t sound like that happened for you.

What Is an Emergency Dentist?

You used the terms emergency dentist versus regular dentist. An emergency dentist is simply a general dentist who doesn’t mind seeing non-established patients during emergencies. This is especially helpful to people who are new to the area and haven’t had time to locate and decide on a new dentist.

However, they’re not the only patients who end up going to a dentist only in an emergency. Many people with dental anxiety struggle with fear keeping them out of the dental chair. This puts them in the position of needing more emergency treatment.

If that is you, there’s a way to get help. Dental emergencies are always more painful and more expensive than preventative work. I’m going to recommend you look into a sedation dentist. Getting something, like oral conscious sedation, will allow you to get your dental work caught up in an anxiety-free/pain-free environment.

I hope this helps.
This blog is brought to you by Kalamazoo Emergency Dentist Dr. Susan Dennis.