I have a tooth infection on one of my back teeth. I don’t have a lot of money at the moment, but I can tell it is starting to spread. Now the area underneath my eye is painful. Will a doctor prescribe antibiotics for this if I can’t afford a dentist?
Peter
Dear Peter,
Even if your doctor did agree to give you antibiotics, without a dentist doing a root canal treatment or extracting the tooth your infection will not go away. The meds will hold it back for a short time. However, it will return and stronger.
The fact that it is already spreading toward your eye is not a good sign. It won’t be too much longer until it reaches your brain. That will become life-threatening quickly. People still die from tooth infections. This is why tooth infections are considered a dental emergency.
What you can do is get the antibiotics while you find a dentist. I understand that you don’t have a lot of money right now, but believe me it is cheaper than the medical bills you’ll have if you let this spread any further.
One piece of good news is that most dentists went into their field because they wanted to help people. I doubt they’ll leave you in a life-threatening situation. You will be able to find a dentist who is willing to work with you financially. Some have in-house payment plans. Others work through Care Credit. It’s like a medical credit card.
Replacing Your Missing Tooth
You will want to replace the missing tooth. If there is just an open space, the other teeth will begin to shift. While getting a dental implant is the top of the line replacement, it is expensive. Your next best options will be a dental bridge or a removable partial denture, in that order.
This blog is brought to you by Hoffman Estates Dentist Dr. William Becker.