Infected Tooth - Possible Emergency

[GamerGirl2013]

Hi all.

I'm dealing with an infected tooth that will likely need a root canal treatment.  The tooth is my lower right furthest back molar, not a wisdom tooth.  I'm having the typical root canal symptoms.  The symptoms started two weeks ago, but over the last two days they've become unbearable.  I'm having hot and cold sensitivity (cold is the worst), pain with biting and chewing, constant toothache pain and now a throbbing pain.

The whole right side of my face is painful. From my neck, through my mouth and cheek and up to and into my ear. I have a bad headache too. This tooth is throbbing so bad. I get sharp pains also.

I checked my temperature and I feel really warm, but I don't have a fever. My dentist saw me yesterday and said this might be a root canal treatment, but he wants to wait and see for now. He told me that I have swollen lymph nodes in my neck and jaw on the right side.

It's official now. My pain has worsened. The whole tooth and the gums around it are all irritated and painful now. Constant, horrible, throbbing toothache.

I feel like I'm ill too. I'm guessing this tooth is infected and that's what's making me feel so awful.  Just picture the flu with a bad toothache.

I'm getting ear pain, neck pain and face pain all on the right side where the irritated tooth is. That whole right side from my neck up is sensitive and painful.

I wish I'd remembered to ask for an antibiotic and pain medicine at my appointment yesterday. I completely forgot and my dentist didn't offer.

I don't ever think I've had a toothache this bad before. It's probably infected and who knows if I have an abcess.

Should I try to get into Urgent Care or the Emergency Room over the weekend? I probably won't be able to see my dentist until Tuesday. I think the office is closed on Mondays.

Please any advice would be a life saver here.

I'm going to bed soon. I hope I can sleep.

JJ

[GamerGirl2013]

Hi.

Thanks for your reply.

I did call the office, but they don't have an emergency number.  Their answering machine just says to leave them a message and go to the ER or Urgent Care.

JJ

[ScalpMassager]

Most dental offices have an emergency / off hours number to call, have you tried that?  (typically, it's one of a several dentists who've gotten together and figured out that they really do need to have someone on call to cover all of them on off hours, for just such emergencies)

I made use of that myself a couple of years ago for a phone consultation which led to an antibiotic prescription, which greatly helped until I was properly assessed and later had the tooth extracted.