Abscessed tooth at the root, trip to ER and fever!

gobluegirl90
gobluegirl90 Member Posts: 53
edited March 2014 in Breast Cancer #1
I just had my second round of chemo AC on 6/3/10 and shot of Neulasta on 6/4/10. So I was having my normal after chemo stuff nauseous, tired and achy and then out of now where I start to get a tooth ache and my head starts hurting and then on Saturday night my right side of my face starts to swell up huge my cheek and by my nose and under my eye, I had a fever of about 100, so I called my Oncologist and they said to go to the ER, which I did and was diagnosed with an Abscessed tooth at the root. But me on strong antibiotics and pain meds and followed up with my Dentist and Oncologist on Monday morning.
It was an old root canal done in 1995, that just erupted full blown, with my weak immune system the infection won. My doctors plans are to stay on antibiotics for until Thursday and is the swelling and infection go down they are going to pull my tooth. Which is not a big deal, I can get a new tooth later. I shaved my head on Sunday, which was more emotional than I had thought it would be, but I am more concerned about this infected tooth and getting it cleared up and taken care this infection and keeping my WBC count up, so I don't miss my next chemo on 6/17/10.
Has anyone else every had anything like this happen as far as an infected tooth or having to have a tooth pulled or fixed? I am scared, but I am taking my meds and Dr.s have a plan. But I am still worried about the infection spreading after the tooth is pulled?

Comments

  • Katz77
    Katz77 Member Posts: 598
    #2
    Oh my
    I think chemo destroys teeth. Had 2 trouble teeth, but no infection. They were old repairs that never gave trouble until, CHEMO. Follow what ur onc says. There was a story on this site, I think, about it ( infection) moving to the jaw bone. Sorry. Just be careful. It's a horrible fix to be in. Do it or not. I think had mine gone full blown infected, I'd pull it and take strong antibotics. I'm sorry for ur situation. Good luck. Sorry also for ur hair. Def understand. Though I think my husband took it harder than me, he did the shaving. It will come back. Mines a tri-color. Was a strawbwrry blonde, now brown w reddish tones and and platium (not gray!lol)and blonde at the tips. All 4ins. Again I'm sorry about ur teeth. Thoughts w you
  • MyTurnNow
    MyTurnNow Member Posts: 2,686 Member
    #3
    Jen, I had exactly the same
    Jen, I had exactly the same thing happen to me during chemo. I even had my teeth cleaned prior to starting chemo. My chemo schedule was once every three weeks. I took an antibiotic and the week before the next chemo, I had the tooth pulled. I didn't have any problems other than it took a while for the bleeding to stop. I was advised to change the gauze every 30 minutes. If the bleeding didn't stop, I was told to wet a tea bag and place that in the area and bite down on it. That actually did the trick. Good luck with your procedure but don't worry because it will all be fine. Take care.
  • 2Floridiansisters
    2Floridiansisters Member Posts: 384 Member
    #4
    MyTurnNow said:

    Jen, I had exactly the same
    Jen, I had exactly the same thing happen to me during chemo. I even had my teeth cleaned prior to starting chemo. My chemo schedule was once every three weeks. I took an antibiotic and the week before the next chemo, I had the tooth pulled. I didn't have any problems other than it took a while for the bleeding to stop. I was advised to change the gauze every 30 minutes. If the bleeding didn't stop, I was told to wet a tea bag and place that in the area and bite down on it. That actually did the trick. Good luck with your procedure but don't worry because it will all be fine. Take care.

    Hi ladies
    I am so terribly sorry to hear about thatno good stinkin' tooth, how in the heck did it think it was gonna jump to the head of the line for attention........pull it indeed!!!!!!

    Crap I am sort of in the same sinking boat, I had my teeth cleaned this morning and yep sure as **** I have a stinkin' no good tooth too. So I told them I'm about to have surgery and possibly do chemo and for sure go through this really fun radiation junk and the dentist looks at me and says this tooth needs fixed right now immediatley before I have all this breast stuff going on.

    Why, I ask, well his brilliant answer is what exactly happened to you BlueGoGirl, more than likely it's gonna do to me what yours did to you. Well just swell it's too late about it now, I am seeing the surgeon at 8:45 in the morning to schedule the terrifying surgery, there's nothing I can do for this one tooth until maybe January of next year.

    I sure hope the stinkin' no good lousy tooth lasts and doesn't send me to the ER, Oh Lord I feel your pain.

    Take care ladies, love Ronda (I'm not having a very good day)

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