Infected Wisdom tooth?

Question

The gum over my wisdom tooth is infected. I will have it removed once the infection clears. My doctor prescribed Chlorhexidine gluconate to swish around in my mouth to treat it. Is this enough? Should he have prescribed an antibiotic pill as well? For anyone who has used it, how many doses did you need before the pain and swelling went down a bit? I've had 3 doses and it feels no different. I'm afraid it's not working properly.

Answer 1

Wow....you really do not trust this dentist, you need to get a second opinion, otherwise you will never be able to trust anything this practitioner does!

Answer 2

Depends on how bad the infected tissue is. If your whole face is swelling out you may require antibiotics, or if you are running a fever. The rinse should help if used properly. You need to avoid using toothpaste right before using the rinse or it will bind to the toothpaste instead of helping. Usually, I simply recommend not using toothpaste when brushing at night and then swishing and spit. You cannot rinse/eat/drink for at least 30 minutes after using this. Just be sure you brush really well b/c the rinse can stain any plaque left on your teeth. Just like regular antibiotics, the rinse can take 3-5 days to help much.