My Mouth is a Mess and I’m Broke

I’m a bit of a mess at the moment and so is my mouth. My teeth are discolored and have a chip on the front tooth. I don’t like that, but can live with it. The bigger problem I am facing is a tooth that I’m pretty sure it is infected. I don’t have a job at the moment or dental insurance. I am sure I cannot afford to pay for all of this myself. Is there something my doctor can give me for the tooth pain? It is starting to swell my cheek.

Diamond

Dear Diamond,

I am sorry for all that you are going through. This is a tough time to be unemployed. I guess there isn’t really a good time for that to happen. What you don’t want to do is have your doctor prescribe you antibiotics for the tooth infection and think that solves it. These will not cure your problem. The absolute best it can do is hold your infection at bay until you get treatment. Once the antibiotics are gone, the infection will flare right back up.

The only way to truly cure an infected tooth is to physically remove the infected pulp. There are two ways for a dentist to do this? The first is with a root canal treatment. Because this can save your tooth, it is the prefered treatment. Sometimes a tooth is too far gone for that to happen. Then, your only option is to have the tooth extracted. In the long run this ends up being more expensive because you need to replace the missing tooth. This isn’t just about appearances. Without filling in the place of the tooth, your adjacent teeth will shift or tip into the empty space. This will throw off your bite and lead to TMJ Disorder.

Because your cheek is swelling up, this indicates that  your infection has spread, not only out of your tooth, but out of your jaw. This is quite dangerous. It will continue to spread. Even in the 21st century, people still die from untreated tooth infections. I would consider this a dental emergency.

I would call around to some dentists and explain your situation. Even though dentists tend to require payment up front, I’m confident you can find a dentist who is willing to get you the treatment you need and allow you to pay out the bill slowly as you look for work.

This blog is brought to you by Nashville Dentist Dr. David Wickness.