# Infected Teeth/Gums **URL:** \ **Category:** Miscellaneous and Personal Stuff I Must Share\ **Created:** [November 22, 2017, 11:24pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/infected-teeth-gums/802452 "2017-11-22T23:24:27Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 15\ **Page:** 1
**Author:** ![Bosda\_Di\_Chi\_of\_Tricor](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/bosda_di_chi_of_tricor/32/16845_2.png) [@Bosda\_Di\_Chi\_of\_Tricor](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Bosda_Di_Chi_of_Tricor)\ **Post date:** [November 22, 2017, 11:24pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/infected-teeth-gums/802452/1 "2017-11-22T23:24:27Z")
I’m on antibiotics. I may need root canal, from an endodontist. Dammit. This hurts. ---
**Author:** ![HurricaneDitka](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/h/96bed5/32.png) [@HurricaneDitka](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/HurricaneDitka)\ **Post date:** [November 22, 2017, 11:25pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/infected-teeth-gums/802452/2 "2017-11-22T23:25:11Z")
antibiotics usually make it feel better … in a few days. Good luck! ---
**Author:** ![Guinastasia](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/guinastasia/32/5751_2.png) [@Guinastasia](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Guinastasia)\ **Post date:** [November 23, 2017, 12:52am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/infected-teeth-gums/802452/3 "2017-11-23T00:52:47Z")
Didn’t the dentist give you anything for the pain? That sucks. Toothaches are the worst. My sympathies. (Seriously, I’d rather have a migraine than a toothache) ---
**Author:** ![RivkahChaya](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/rivkahchaya/32/8919_2.png) [@RivkahChaya](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/RivkahChaya)\ **Post date:** [November 23, 2017, 12:59am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/infected-teeth-gums/802452/4 "2017-11-23T00:59:29Z")
I’ve had good luck with Tylenol for toothaches. ---
**Author:** ![not\_what\_you\_d\_expect](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/not_what_you_d_expect/32/3246_2.png) [@not\_what\_you\_d\_expect](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/not_what_you_d_expect)\ **Post date:** [November 23, 2017, 1:08am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/infected-teeth-gums/802452/5 "2017-11-23T01:08:50Z")
You have my sympathy Bosca, I just had a root canal myself a couple of weeks ago. It wasn’t terribly uncomfortable for me. Keeping my mouth open for so long was the worst part. I took a xanax before the procedure and I think that helped too. Good Luck. ---
**Author:** ![Bosda\_Di\_Chi\_of\_Tricor](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/bosda_di_chi_of_tricor/32/16845_2.png) [@Bosda\_Di\_Chi\_of\_Tricor](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Bosda_Di_Chi_of_Tricor)\ **Post date:** [November 23, 2017, 1:25am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/infected-teeth-gums/802452/6 "2017-11-23T01:25:40Z")
> [@Guinastasia](#): > > Didn’t the dentist give you anything for the pain? That sucks. Toothaches are the worst. My sympathies. (Seriously, I’d rather have a migraine than a toothache) Sure–but it’s Codeine. And you need to be careful with that. It bad enough for cold water to make me cry out, & then whimper. Alone at the Holidays, then this. I feel like Hell. ---
**Author:** ![Sunny\_Daze](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/sunny_daze/32/438_2.png) [@Sunny\_Daze](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Sunny_Daze)\ **Post date:** [November 23, 2017, 1:48am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/infected-teeth-gums/802452/7 "2017-11-23T01:48:23Z")
Seriously, take the pain meds. There is no need to be miserable while you wait for the anti-biotics to work. Codeine is pretty low key as far as prescription narcotics go. You should be able to alternate with Advil to help boost painkilling power. Something like: take Codeine now, in 3 hours take 600mg Advil, in another 3 hours take your next dose of Codeine, and so on. You don’t want to mix Codeine with Tylenol, because usually Codeine already has Tylenol in it and you shouldn’t be taking Tylenol from multiple sources. It can really screw you up. How long have you been taking the anti-biotics? If you have a history of narcotics abuse, or of bad reactions to codeine, then, of course, don’t take it. You can still alternate Tylenol and Advil to boost pain fighting. ---
**Author:** ![Bosda\_Di\_Chi\_of\_Tricor](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/bosda_di_chi_of_tricor/32/16845_2.png) [@Bosda\_Di\_Chi\_of\_Tricor](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Bosda_Di_Chi_of_Tricor)\ **Post date:** [November 23, 2017, 1:59am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/infected-teeth-gums/802452/8 "2017-11-23T01:59:32Z")
> [@Sunny\_Daze](#): > > Seriously, take the pain meds. There is no need to be miserable while you wait for the anti-biotics to work. Codeine is pretty low key as far as prescription narcotics go. You should be able to alternate with Advil to help boost painkilling power. Something like: take Codeine now, in 3 hours take 600mg Advil, in another 3 hours take your next dose of Codeine, and so on. > > You don’t want to mix Codeine with Tylenol, because usually Codeine already has Tylenol in it and you shouldn’t be taking Tylenol from multiple sources. It can really screw you up. > > How long have you been taking the anti-biotics? > > If you have a history of narcotics abuse, or of bad reactions to codeine, then, of course, don’t take it. You can still alternate Tylenol and Advil to boost pain fighting. Just short of a week on Penicillin. Got a new srip today, for something different. And I’ll take the advice on the codeine. ---
**Author:** ![Beckdawrek](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/beckdawrek/32/3647_2.png) [@Beckdawrek](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Beckdawrek)\ **Post date:** [November 23, 2017, 1:59am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/infected-teeth-gums/802452/9 "2017-11-23T01:59:37Z")
Don’t drink alcohol and don’t be afraid to use pills. I bet you they didn’t give you enough to start a life long drug habit. And you’ll see I bet in 24 hrs the antibiotic will start working. Good luck! And you’re not alone, you’ve got us. Chime in when you feel lonely. ---
**Author:** ![Qadgop\_the\_Mercotan](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/qadgop_the_mercotan/32/83_2.png) [@Qadgop\_the\_Mercotan](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Qadgop_the_Mercotan)\ **Post date:** [November 23, 2017, 2:08am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/infected-teeth-gums/802452/10 "2017-11-23T02:08:43Z")
For severe gum rot, antibiotics alone are often not sufficient; gum surgery may be called for. So be ready for that possibility. Those anaerobic gum infections is nasty!! Good luck! ---
**Author:** ![Bosda\_Di\_Chi\_of\_Tricor](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/bosda_di_chi_of_tricor/32/16845_2.png) [@Bosda\_Di\_Chi\_of\_Tricor](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Bosda_Di_Chi_of_Tricor)\ **Post date:** [November 23, 2017, 2:11am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/infected-teeth-gums/802452/11 "2017-11-23T02:11:40Z")
🙂 Goodnight, my friends. ---
**Author:** ![Guinastasia](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/guinastasia/32/5751_2.png) [@Guinastasia](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Guinastasia)\ **Post date:** [November 23, 2017, 2:22am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/infected-teeth-gums/802452/12 "2017-11-23T02:22:33Z")
> [@Bosda\_Di\_Chi\_of\_Tricor](#): > > Sure–but it’s Codeine. > And you need to be careful with that. > > It bad enough for cold water to make me cry out, & then whimper. > Alone at the Holidays, then this. > I feel like Hell. Don’t make yourself miserable – if your doctor gave it to you, take it. Don’t be a martyr. It’ll make you sleepy as hell though, so don’t plan on driving anywhere. ---
**Author:** ![Bosda\_Di\_Chi\_of\_Tricor](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/bosda_di_chi_of_tricor/32/16845_2.png) [@Bosda\_Di\_Chi\_of\_Tricor](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Bosda_Di_Chi_of_Tricor)\ **Post date:** [November 23, 2017, 11:28am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/infected-teeth-gums/802452/13 "2017-11-23T11:28:07Z")
> [@Guinastasia](#): > > Don’t make yourself miserable – if your doctor gave it to you, take it. Don’t be a martyr. It’ll make you sleepy as hell though, so don’t plan on driving anywhere. Home I’ll stay. ---
**Author:** ![Guinastasia](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/guinastasia/32/5751_2.png) [@Guinastasia](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Guinastasia)\ **Post date:** [November 24, 2017, 2:16am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/infected-teeth-gums/802452/14 "2017-11-24T02:16:06Z")
Feeling any better today, **Bosda**? ---
**Author:** ![Bosda\_Di\_Chi\_of\_Tricor](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/bosda_di_chi_of_tricor/32/16845_2.png) [@Bosda\_Di\_Chi\_of\_Tricor](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Bosda_Di_Chi_of_Tricor)\ **Post date:** [November 24, 2017, 12:50pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/infected-teeth-gums/802452/15 "2017-11-24T12:50:34Z")
> [@Guinastasia](#): > > Feeling any better today, **Bosda**? Rather. But I’m still avoiding cold foods & liquids.