I have an abcess tooth, is something wrong? i have had an abcess tooth for almost 3weeks now, i have been on penicillin 500mg 3times a day, that didn't help. i'm now on clindamycin 300mg every 6 hours, it got the abcess to come to a head and pop, but i st

Usually : Usually an abscess is treated by opening it up. Have you been to the dentist? Even if you did go to the dentist, it sounds like your condition may have worsened. I recommend that you let your provider know about your current symptoms.

From : From your symptoms you appear to have an extremely broken down or periodontally involved tooth. Antibiotics will not fix your dental problems, they only take care of the symptoms in the short term so that a dentist can treat the problem. Are you self medicating or were these antibiotics prescribed for you? The problem with taking the antibiotics for so long without dental treatment is that you kill off the weaker bacteria leaving yourself with a "super" infection, which is antibiotic resistant and can spread to other parts of your body. The earaches and headaches are from the pressure inside of the bone around the infection. The abcess may now have to be surgically drained to relieve the pressure and rid you of the infection so that you can be treated. Please seek dental care immediately to avoid further complications.

Dr Gallia and another doctor agreed

The : The strategy is to eliminate the infection, preserve the tooth, and prevent further complications, these are the goals of treatment for an abscessed tooth. To eliminate infection, the abscess may need to be drained. Achieving drainage may be done through the tooth by a procedure known as a root canal. Root canal surgery may also be recommended to remove any diseased root tissue after the infection has subsided. Then, a crown may be placed over the tooth. Antibiotics are prescribed to help fight the infection. To relieve the pain and discomfort associated with an abscessed tooth, warm salt-water rinses and over-the-counter pain medication like Ibuprofen (such as advil (ibuprofen) or motrin) can be used.

Dr Fowler agreed

You : You must eliminate the source of the infection, whatever it may be. The antibiotics are only treating the symptom and may control the infection for a while, but when you discontinue taking them the infection will return. It is dangerous to have an unresolved infection. You can see that the symptoms are increasing and spreading to other areas of your face. Wether you need extraction, endodontics (root canal), or something else can be determined by your dentist.