110% overwhelmed and discouraged

Klavanga74 · May 2014

Ugh...sorry to be a downer, but I'm so discouraged right now. I have been dealing with a dental issue since before I was pregnant. Long story short, a dentist messed up BIG TIME and drilled into the nerve of my tooth, killing it. DEntist #2 was trying to save the tooth before I got pregnant, but as soon as I was pregnant and in mega pain, he did a root canal. It has gotten infected twice. The first time the infection cleared with 7 days of antibiotics. This time, tomorrow is week 4 and the infection is out of the tooth and root canal finished as of today. There is still infection in the gum, though. It's so stubborn it just won't quit! If it doesn't go away by early enxt week, I might need gum surgery to kick the infection. I'm so frustrated. I HATE taking antibiotics under any circumstances and haven't taken them in years. Obviously, there are times when it's a necessity, and this is one of them, but it worries me.

Anyone been through a persistent infection while pregnant or known of someone who has? I have a call in to the OB/GYN just to ask their opinion on the whole situation. They haven't had any comment up until now, so I'm not sure they'll have much to say. I just needed to vent. I know people have much worse things happen during pregnancy that they have to deal with, but I'm not doing a good job digging myself out of this hole and into a better place today.

lrobi13 · May 2014

I have no advice but I hope you feel better soon. I had one root canal and the pain that lead to it was debilitating.

golfingdarwinfish · May 2014

That's frustrating!

This is most likely a time that you are going to have to take an antibiotic. Persistent infection can became an issue for both you and LO.

Hope you're able to avoid surgery!

IrishHoney123 · May 2014

Oh no, that sounds awful. I'm no help, but hope this is resolved soon

TheOtherJacobsons · May 2014

I had questions for my OB about dental work since I might need a root canal. He said not to worry about it, that there are antibiotics you can take while pregnant and it wouldn't be a problem. Don't stress so much girl!

Glas43 · May 2014

So sorry! I am dealing with a bladder infection. But nothing peraistant.

kindacrunchy · May 2014

I am not a big fan of medications generally but when pregnant it is often safer to take the antibiotic than have an infection.

As far as the dental work, I'm sorry you are having to deal with this! After three failed root canals I had to have surgery. They did an apecoectomy (sp?) Where they go in through the gum to remove the apex of the tooth. It wasn't nearly as bad as I was anticipating and really wasn't any worse than the root canals. Good luck, hope it gets resolved soon!

MissMandyD · May 2014

I am one of those lucky people who has Strep B quite a bit. I have had one course of antibiotics with this pregnancy and 2 with my last. They just have to be careful which ones they prescribe.

BBBrady · May 2014

I had an apicoectomy for a failed root canal during my second trimester with my dd. I also hated taking antibiotics but they say it's worse to have a dental infection than to take the antibiotics. The whole tooth was removed and I was left with a hillbilly hole in my mouth. I need a bone graft for an implant now, and you can't be pregnant or breastfeeding, so I will have a hole for a while now. It totally sucks and I feel for you. I'm sorry.

Lindzoid · May 2014

I'm sorry for this....ugh I hate the dentist!
Taking the antibiotics is much better than any infection in your body. Just ask for the rating on safety during pregnancy. They rank them A-being tested and proven totally safe, B- nothing reported but not widely tested and so on.
I've been on 3 rounds of antibiotics this pregnancy for various things...all of which I figured was better than letting the infection ravage my body. GL

MrsL2B · May 2014

I'm sorry you're still having trouble with this tooth and the stubborn infection. I don't like being on antibiotics for the most part, and it's frustrating that our options are limited during pregnancy.

annejulie26 · May 2014

I had to take multiple rounds of antibiotics at the end of my last pregnancy and after baby for an infected branchial cleft cyst. (A birth defect in me that didn't show up until I was 27 weeks pregnant.) Requiring major surgery that could not be done till baby was born. Make sure you eat lots if yogurt to replace the "good" bacteria so you don't end up getting yeast infections ect. Good luck. Better to heal the infection.

Lindy1724 · May 2014

I would research some good probiotics to take to replace all the good bacteria that antibiotics destroy. I agree that you don't want infections happening in your body while pregnant but I do believe that antibiotics are not as safe to take while pregnant as we are led to believe so I would be careful. I got strep while I was 8 months pregnant with my first and it affected her down the road.

MagentaMouse · May 2014

Oh hunnie, that sounds awful! I'm so sorry you're dealing with that. I definitely agree with PPs to take probiotics.

I have to ask, are you suing the pants off that terrible dentist? I hate to be litigious, but yeesh!

Klavanga74 · May 2014

@kindacrunchy and @BBBrady...thanks for th info on gum procedure. Good to know it's not a huge deal. It seems like the tooth is looking ok for now, no indication it would have to be removed...I was also worried about the hill billy hole. To everyone else, thanks for th support and info. I've been pretty religious with probiotic supps. No dairy for me, so yogurt isn't an option. Fun fun!

Klavanga74 · May 2014

@MagentaMouse...I could totally sue this original dentist. The filling as done on a tooth without a cavity and I specifically asked him before he did it if it was necessary. The gum was receding, but it didn't hurt me one bit...until he insisted he had to do it or I might need a root canal someday (very funny), so I trusted him. I did write a letter detailing the whole thing and demanding he pay all my expenses, which he did, and then some. All the while not admitting any guilt. Dumb ass...giving me money was admitting guilt. My DH is actually a lawyer and wanted to walk away at that point. This dentist knows nothing of the trouble I've had subsequently but I'm totally tempted to call him up and fill him in...

hecklet · May 2014

Klavanga74 said:

@MagentaMouse...I could totally sue this original dentist. The filling as done on a tooth without a cavity and I specifically asked him before he did it if it was necessary. The gum was receding, but it didn't hurt me one bit...until he insisted he had to do it or I might need a root canal someday (very funny), so I trusted him. I did write a letter detailing the whole thing and demanding he pay all my expenses, which he did, and then some. All the while not admitting any guilt. Dumb ass...giving me money was admitting guilt. My DH is actually a lawyer and wanted to walk away at that point. This dentist knows nothing of the trouble I've had subsequently but I'm totally tempted to call him up and fill him in...

@klavanga74 how do you know for sure you didn't have a cavity to begin with?

I agree with everyone else that being on the antibiotics is a far better option than letting an infection go on. This whole situation sounds like a mess, but I hope it gets resolved soon. Being pregnant often time exacerbates the immune response leading to longer healing times with the gums and greater chances for periodontal infections.

mrs.vanderwall · May 2014

That sucks big time! I'm having problems with a crown/cavity I had filled right before I got pregnant. The teeth have been sensitive since the work was done and is getting worse. I have to go Wednesday to see what they need to do...they said it may just be that the bite is wrong? Hopefully that's it and it's an easy fix...I hate the dentist, but the pain is terrible! FX it gets better for you soon!

kindacrunchy · May 2014

Klavanga74 said:
@kindacrunchy and @BBBrady...thanks for th info on gum procedure. Good to know it's not a huge deal. It seems like the tooth is looking ok for now, no indication it would have to be removed...I was also worried about the hill billy hole.

To everyone else, thanks for th support and info. I've been pretty religious with probiotic supps. No dairy for me, so yogurt isn't an option. Fun fun!

I didn't lose my tooth, I still have it with a crown. I had a really good surgeon! There is hope that you might not have to lose the tooth.

Klavanga74 · May 2014

@hecklet...the original dentist told me there was no cavity. He filled the tooth from the front because the gum was receding. He explained that while there was no cavity there, if the gum recession continued, bacteria could get in more easily and the possibility of a root canal sometime down the road was much higher.

hecklet · May 2014

@klavanga74 okay that makes sense, what a mess. I hope everything is resolved soon!

raynes · May 2014

Oh man that's brutal. Tooth pain is just the worst. I hope things get better quickly.

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