Gum not healing after tooth extraction

Joined
Jun 25, 2022
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I had an upper molar tooth removed three months ago, and the gum has not healed. I have seen the dentist several times. I had dressings applied and am on the fourth course of anti-biotics (Amoxycillin, Metronidazole, Amoxycillin, and now both together). None of these have made the slightest difference, though only been on the last for just over a day, so maybe too early to say. It can be very painful at times while at other times it is barely noticeable but has got much worse over the last week. The dentist is going to make an "urgent referral" to hospital if it has not cleared hy next week, and has implied that there is the possibility of something nasty, which she didnt go into and I didn't ask at the time -I think it has taken some time for this to sink in. I assume that the concern is some sort of cancer, and given the time scale at which the NHS is operating at the moment, I would like so have some idea of what the "something nasty" could be. I have had many extractions (sadly) in the past without any such problems. Any information or advice welcome. Thank you.
 

MattKW

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When you drink water or other fluids, does it come out your nose? The most likely issue with upper molar extractions is a tear into the maxillary sinus (an oro-antral communication, OAC) which if it doesn't close over naturally, would require a surgeon to close it up.
There is absolutely no point taking repeated antibiotics unless you have an infected swelling (cellulitis) and/or a fever.
Cancer is well down the list of possibilities.
 

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Joined
Jun 25, 2022
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No, I don't have water coming out my nose. Dentist did say that my sinus is very close to extracted tooth. My maxillary sinus on the affected side has been problematic for many years (though not very badly) but hasn't got noticeably worse during this.

I was not been keen to accept antibiotics afte the first lot failed to do any good, but when you are in pain, it is difficult to refuse a possible solution. I have had more antibiotics in the last three months than I have had in the last twenty years!! This is because I have not needed them, not because I have any issues with them. I greatly respect anti-biotics, know how much they are needed and how overuse is killing them!

Thank you for the reaassurance re cancer. While no expert on this, I don't see what sort of cancer would be causing this.

Time, and one hopes the experts, will tell!!!

Thanks again.
 

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Jun 25, 2022
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I thought I should report back on this.

My dentist referred me for an urgent cancer appointment. I saw the consultant today, and he had a look, and said he didn’t think it was a cancer, but had an X-ray done, which confirmed this. He said that I should not have been referred (another genuine patient will have missed a slot). He thinks the problem is debris left behind at the extraction and commented that if he had done the extraction, he would known the score. They will open it up and clean it out next week. My dentist is in bad odour......

Thank you again for your reassurance, MattKW, though I have to confess to lots of sleepless nights and worry till today - I should have heeded you!!
 

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Joined
Jun 25, 2022
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Final report on this. They debrided the problem gum about six weeks ago - opened it up, cleared it out, removed non-healing tissue, and stitched it together. I have had absolutely no problems after that and had a final appointment today which confirmed that it is now fully healed and back to normal. The problem seems to have been caused by packing used by the dentist. This was not at the time of the extraction, but was later on when they decided I was suffereing from dry sokcet and added some sort of dressing (iodine? cloves? both?). There were remants of this which were causing infection.
 

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