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Oral Cancer Screening Laser
Oral Surgery Resources
Question:
I got a filling about 6 weeks ago. It has pained me on and off. My dentist has told me the filling needs time to settle in. In the meantime he gave me antibiotics and it helped which gave me an idea that it was an abcess. Since finishing the antibiotic I have got a very bad sore throat only on one side.
I took Difflam spray and it eased it but now the pain is back around the tooth area. I am quite concerned as I am going on holidays next week and I would like it sorted. Hoping you can give me some advise. ...Clare in Carlow, Ireland
Answer:
Clare, what your dentist said about a new filling needing time to "settle in" is often true. After a tooth has a filling or any surgery procedure, it can take some time for things to feel better. If the tooth in question is causing severe pain (waking you up at night) or extreme lingering pain to cold and/or hot, you could have a pulpitis that may need root canal treatment.
The sore throat may have been caused by taking antibiotics since often antibiotics can disrupt our "normal" bacteria on our bodies. If you notice a swelling or this extreme pain that I mentioned, you may need to have a root canal to solve the problem. Contact your dentist and inquire about doing some pulp testing and a follow-up x-ray to see if you are possibly developing an abscess.
It is also common to have some symptoms if you have a high spot on the filling. Make sure your bite feels comfortable and if not, have your dentist adjust and test accordingly. This is what I would do in my office. I try to limit the use of antibiotics and only turn to them when a patient has an active infection. Over use could lead to resistance of the bacteria we are trying to kill. Best of
luck.
Editorial Staff
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