Post-extraction abcess and numbness

[Kimdutch]

Hi everyone, I had my 4 wisdom teeth and 2 molars extracted on Nov 22. I developed an infection that threatened my airway and was admitted to ICU for 3 nights. The pain was severe. After I was discharged the pain didn't get better and a 2nd CT scan showed than an abcess had developed under my ear/neck/jaw. It was surgically drained by my oral surgeon 1 week ago. During most of this and persisting to today I have a 1/2 numb tongue as well as the inside gums on the bottom left (same side as the abcess). I mentioned it to the ICU doc/nurses, ER docs, my surgeon and no one seems concerned except for me. I have limited jaw opening. Better now. At the worst I couldn't fit my medication between my teeth. Now with heat and stretching I can fit 2 fingers. I'm obviously getting very worried. I do have some tingling in my tongue and it feels sometimes hot and sometimes ice cold. My livelihood has been affected - I'm a teacher and talk for a living and my speech has been afftected. I'm very fortunate to have great sick benefits and am on medical leave but am supposed to go back next week. Any advice or suggestions about the numb tongue? I don't recall it being numb right after the extraction so I'm hoping it's from all the swelling. I see my surgeon again today. Thanks.

 

[Busybee]

I'm not a dentist but I do know that wisdom teeth extraction can sometimes affect the nerve which is close by. Apparently can take a couple of months to fully recover. As far as I know it's more likely to have complications if you have them extracted as an adult. Other than that any infection will have some weird symptoms. Try to focus on your recovery instead of dwelling on it because the medication could also be causing some strange sensations including anxiety. I'm really sorry you're going through this by the way you really have had a rough time. I do hope you have a speedy recovery.

 

[Kimdutch]

Thanks for your reply. The surgeon explained that the nerve has been squished by all the swelling and it would take some time for the feeling to come back fully. I hope he's right. I was scared to have my teeth extracted so I waited. I'm 41 and put it off at least 15 years becasue they weren't causing any problems. I'm still on antibiotics until the end of tomorrow - almost 2 weeks of them now. I still cannot open my jaw very far without heat at stretching. I hope that improves once the swelling goes down too. He also explained that the abscess would have left s pocket of scar tissue that my body needs to figure out what to do with. Right now it feels like a knot in my cheek.