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I have a tooth abcess and get get to a Dentist for a few ...
Sent to Dental Experts December 10 05:34 PM

I have a tooth abcess and get get to a Dentist for a few days. What can I do to relieve the pain and swelling?

 

Customer (name blocked for privacy)
Status:  Closed   Value: $9
Answer
December 10 5:46 PM (11 minutes and 59 seconds later)
         
ACCEPTEDCheck Mark
Dear Customer (name blocked for privacy),

There are two strategies for dealing with the pain of a dental abscess:

1. Use oral pain medication as needed. A particularly effective regimen is to alternate between 1000 milligrams of acetaminophen and 200 milligrams of ibuprofen every three hours. Caveat: do not use this drug regimen if you have either liver disease or a history of peptic ulcers or gastritis.

2. Facilitate localization and drainage of the abscess by frequent rinsing with hot saline solution: dissolve ½-teaspoon of salt in an 8-ounce glass of hot water-- as hot as you can tolerate without burning the sensitive oral tissues-- and rinse vigorously for two minutes; repeat every four hours.

Make sure you see your dentist as soon as he can accommodate you. Be sure to convey the urgency of the situation to his receptionist so that you may be given priority in allotting time in his schedule. If he cannot see you within a day or two at most, request an emergency referral to an oral surgeon for more prompt service.

Good luck!

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Mark Bornfeld DDS
PictureMark Bornfeld DDS -- Dentist -- 100% Positive Feedback on 262 Dental Accepts
32 years private practice experience in general dentistry, member Academy of General Dentistry, ADA
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