Wisdom tooth socket infection happening YEARS after the tooth was extracted?

[zigzaggers]

I'm 24, and I had my wisdom teeth taken out about three years ago, and everything has been free of complications, until possibly now.
It started as a sore throat, swollen lymph nodes ect; and infection, and I noticed I had a small sore were my wisdom tooth used to be. Over three days the infection has gotten much worse. It's a constant ache in my jaw, and is very painful to open my mouth or chew. the area is hot, very swollen, and tastes kinda like blood. It's getting a little hard to eat because everything on that side of my mouth hurts as well, tongue, throat ect.

Here's the thing, i don't have any money to go to the doctor for this, so I'm looking for things i can do to heal it at home. Is drinking very hot tea good for it? or taking vitamins? using mouthwash? I'm pretty desperate for ideas because it's getting worse fast.

[NoahTheWise]

You need to contact the local clinic and discuss your financial state make sure you also explain what's been happening with your habits what you eat could've caused this infection by a bacteria from the food getting into a small open part of the area if the extraction wasn't good for the tooth then there might be a small opening letting that bacteria in witch is causing the pains in your mouth please call your local clinic this infection could lead to serious matters if unattended for to long even if you are financially challenged your local clinic will still be able to help in your health still inside your financial state

[Berni311]

Gum swelling sporadically over the years where wisdom tooth was extracted over twenty years ago. Also eye twitching, jaw and neck pain. An oral surgeon took a panoramic and didn't see anything. After a lot of Internet searching I believe it's TMJ that is the cause, which is also affecting the trigeminal nerve. Not too many TMJ specialist, and the ones I know of don't take insurance.

[Anychina]

My is almost similar,my wisdom tooth was remove 5 years ago, strange things are happening now. I'm suffering from jaw pain, gum pain, headache on one side of my head, loose tooth. It's like my upper canine is affected

[steffie183]

This just happened to me. Hopefully this helps someone later.

Same story. 4 years post removal and I woke up with sore and swollen gum at the extraction site. I let it go for a day. The next day it was a worse, so swollen it was beginning to cover the next molar, my throat was sore and hurt to swallow and the pain even began radiating to my ear.

I went to the dentist that day. He said I will always have a hole there and that food probably got stuck in it. He then said that since I am pregnant, I probably got lazy with brushing my teeth combined with hormones was a big cause. Great guy. I actually pay special attention to my back teeth when I brush and use a child sized toothbrush since my mouth is small. Even the night before this happened,  I gave extra attention to that molar. I also always swish water around my mouth after eating since good does get stuck behind a different wisdom tooth.

From some Internet research, I discovered that your jaw is supposed to make new bone to fill in the tooth socket. But that can only happen if they remove all of the tooth supporting ligaments. If they don't, the ligaments can rot years later and you will have recurring infections. This is called cavitation. My dentist wasn't old but it seems like he didn't go to a good university.

Anyway, he cleaned put the hole and wanted to give me antibiotics but didn't know what was okay for pregnant women. I am finding a new dentist now. I had to go to my OB to get some.

I don't suggest treating this yourself since gum infections can easily spread to your blood. I know if you don't have insurance, it seems like you have no choice but a blood infection means a stay at the hospital and IV antibiotics. I also know of a family friend who died quickly because a dental infection that spread quickly to his blood.

Also, it definitely is NOT MRSA as someone suggested. I have had MRSA. Twice. It breaks out on your skin, not in your mouth. Think of an ingrown hair. BOOM. That is now a MRSA boil. So painful.

As for cloves and garlic to treat this. Those are topical treatments. Since this is a pocket of infection IN your gum, it may help with swelling but it isn't going to get rid of the infection. It needs to be flushed out.

[steffie183]

Sorry for the autocorrect typos.

[Andoco]

Hi!

Did that work for you then? I am having similar symptoms. I can deal with it, it is not terrible pain but it is annoying.
After having hot tea the pain goes away for a while but then comes back. I can see something is swollen on top of the place where my bottom wisdom tooth was removed...
I have a similar problem as some other people mentioned before, my insurance doesn't cover dental/oral appointments....and I cannot afford to pay for that.

I just bought the olive leaf extract in tea and pill form. I will chew garlic cloves too! Thank you for your advice! =)

[Kungpaoshizi]

FritzyPie, sounds similar to what I'm going through. It's hell. Ask for a culture to identify the bacteria. Could be MRSA. Otherwise start keeping a clove or half a clove of garlic in your mouth. Suck on it, bite it some, stuff it in your cheeks in all areas. Otherwise 750mg olive leaf extract is a natural antiviral/antibiotic, garlic is too, and perhaps start taking activated carbon pills.

[FritzyPie]

What ever ended up happening to you? I have been dealing with a similar problem for a year. I got my wisdom teeth removed in January of 2013. I had the top two pulled and the bottom two had to be broken apart and taken out. I was so lucky to get four dry sockets and four infections. It all went away, and then in August 2014, I got a sore throat and it turned out to be strep. But this time, it spread all through out my gums and tongue, and I had noticed that my wisdom holes had swollen up almost over my teeth and looked infected (the holes never completely closed.) I took antibiotics and it went away. Come September, the wisdom holes swelled up again. It then proceeded to spread through my throat, gums, and tongue. My throat was coated white again, and my gums and tongue were torn up and bleeding. I couldn't eat. It was strep again, so more antibiotics. October, November, and December, I got the infection in just my tooth holes, gums, and tongue. Negative for strep. No doctor could figure out what was wrong, so I was continually prescribed antibiotics. I went to my oral surgeon who removed my wisdom teeth, he really didn't believe me and took x-rays. He said everything looked fine. January and February I was infection free. Come March 2015, I once again had the infection, no strep. I was given antibiotics, and this time I had to get a second refill on the meds because the infection is becoming immune to the antibiotics. It went away and I have been good until now, August 2015. My wisdom teeth holes are swollen and infected, and I am just waiting for it to spread through my gums and tongue like it always does. I can not eat because it gets so bad. Yet now, I have been on SO MANY antibiotics this past year, that I have been instructed to stay off antibiotics because my whole body has been out of whack. I have no idea who to go to because no one can figure it out, and I refuse to take more antibiotics because I just finally got put on SUPER strong probiotics to help get my body back to balance. Any suggestions from anyone???

[Dorito1973]

It’s very likely that the root from your wisdom teeth/tooth was left behind. Only recently technology has been available to “thoroughly” X-ray the extraction sites. Leaving the root behind can cause the bone to become infected and likely start to eat away at the bone. Dental Cavitation or Jawbone Cavitation. It can lead to numerous other health concerns

[Meowyeee]

This is very serious my MD sent me to the dentist to get ozone shots the cost was very reasobable I did it for months to kill the infection forget about antibiotics this will not get deep into the tuubles and channel in the mouth in fact my oral surgeon uses a laser to disinfect the extraction sites this kills 99 percent of the infection your body will kill the 1 percent Dentist may unknowinglng shut a infected site thinking oh do not worry your body will fight it off ...so now you have a contained infection I had to have them open up a extraction site because it was making me deathly illl and they cleaned it out and then I few days later straight for ozone injection This is the deal what one dentist may believe in another one will not my holistic dentist does not want to put metals in people mouth metal conducts electricity you can become like that actor who finally figued out why everytime he laid down to go to bed it would have serious migraine it was the titanuim in his mouth it was like a thunderbolt going through his head!

[patriciat]

My husband and work with patients that are uninsured quite often. There should be a community clinic in your area. Please call your local or county health department and explain your financial situation and see if they can direct you to a healthcare professional. 

Sometimes, tooth and/or bone fragments can work itself out of an extracted area long after the initial procedure.  Not saying that is your case as you really need an X-ray to see what is happening with the extraction site. 

Warm salt water rinses may alleviate some of the pain, but please try to seek a professional to take a look at things. 

Hope you feel better soon. 
Pat

[grannienannie]

I was dealing with something like that a year ago...i had a wisdom tooth removed years before..I had a bad headache like I was hit by a truck..and I brought 4 bags of ice just to sleep..I later heard a pop at the top of my gum and I went to my new dentist and begged him to cut the gum..and pus and a piece of tooth..an infection..that still is sweelling in my face ten months now..and i been every where..you name it..You will need a hot water bottle...to place on where its bothering you..drinking tea thats good..use listerine no dye...and baking soda and peroxide toothpaste..colgate..get some ambasol and rub enough on a tissue and place it there in the area it hurts, with the hotwater bottle under your lymph node swelling...hot water bottle...it really helps...thats why Im lasting this long...hope this help you!!!