Gum Boil

Over the weekend, I nailed the name of what hit me: gum boil. My gum acted up

again at the upper back on the right side and gave me a fever, chills, and body

aches Friday night. I had to skip jiu-jitsu on Sat and only got well on Sunday

after I pushed my thumb into the swell and squeezed out the pus.

 

It reminded me of a more serious attack one and a half years ago after which I

swore to better my dental hygiene and to rinse mouth with soda-water recommended

by a friend after reading my post.

 

Did I practice what I promised myself? Yes but far from enough. I still haven't

seen a dentist and never regularly rinsed. I brush teeth only once a day and

rarely before bed. Some days I even skip brushing.

 

Gum boils can be serious. According to healthline.com:

 

    A gum boil is an abscess resulting from a bacterial infection. If any

    abscess — oral or otherwise — isn’t treated, the infection can spread

    through the bones or the bloodstream to other body parts, which can be

    life-threatening.

 

The truth has to be refreshed daily to form a good habit. I can do it.

[7grizzly]

Deep cleaning cost $228.0 out of pocket (insurance covered 80%) and the dentist
wanted to see me more often from now on! I asked him if diet had anything to do
with dental health. He hesitated briefly, seemed genuinely unaware of Weston
Price's work, and said: "No. Just clean your teeth."

[7grizzly]

回复 '暖冬cool夏' 的评论 : Thank you, 暖冬, for sharing your story. Much appreciated.
I sure will look into root canal, which my doctor suggested as an option.

My teeth have suffered 50 years to bring home to me the importance of dental hygiene. It's amazing!

[暖冬cool夏]

回复 '7grizzly' 的评论 : I am reading your M-list and suddenly saw this.
Normally the specialist you are going to see (who will be endodontist I believe) will suggest saving the molar with root canal. They make the money out of it too, plus if the molar is still savable, why not? Depending on the insurance, root canal may be 100% covered (like mine), or you may need to pay some out of your own pocket. Unless the molar has crack(s), which like my dentist said would most likely crack further, root canal may be the choice.
Let's see what the specialist will say. To implant a tooth will cost around $3000 out of pocket in most case, not to mention the trouble and time you have to go through.
Good luck, my friend.

[7grizzly]

回复 '暖冬cool夏' 的评论 :

Just back from the dental office.
It was my first cleaning in six years and the doctor didn't withhold bad news.

One molar was infected and loose. He recommended root canal and specialists for even deeper cleaning. Another option is simply to, in time, extract the trouble-maker. We'll talk more on next visit.

[7grizzly]

回复 '暖冬cool夏' 的评论 : Thank you, 暖冬, for sharing your experience and your warm-hearted advices.

Sorry for the late reply. I totally agree it's time to see a dentist for a deep
clean and just made the appointment. This round, the gum boil came and went in
three days. Afterwards, I've been doing my best dental hygiene routines ever.

Well. Nothing teaches like pain :-)

Thank you again, and have a great day!

[暖冬cool夏]

Or you may need to take some antibiotics (my dentist prescribed me Amoxicillin last time).

[暖冬cool夏]

I think you need to see a dentist(a periodontist, if it is gum disease, or an endodontist, if the inflammation comes from the root) as soon as possible. Some examinations (X rays) may need to determine what went wrong. According to my experience, If your tooth does not hurt, then it is more likely only the gum inflammation.
I myself had a cracked molar tooth that was later fixed by an endodontist using the root canal. However, a year or two later, as the crack extended further, there appeared a bump on the gum surface for half a year or longer, and before long the molar had to be extracted, as the dentist said that the germs inside would eventually erode the bones around or beneath.
In your case, the dentist may suggest a deep cleaning, if you have not done it for years. Or a regular cleaning will help too.
For now, you can simply use salt water or buy Listerine mouthwash for oral care.
Good luck, my friend, and hope you will get better soon!