My 5 y/o came up to me yesterday and showed me this "squishy" spot on her gum it is above one of her front teeth. We pushed on it and it is in fact "squishy" we asked if it hurt she said no. Today I looked again and it's more purplish and it hurts if I push on it. It is also not quite as squishy. The tooth below it is loose but not too loose, the tooth is also dead because she hit it when she fell when she was 2 1/2 the dentist then said to look for signs like this but that was 2 1/2 years ago. We are traveling for the Thanksgiving weekend so don't want to take her to someone we don't know but the earliest we can get it at home would probably be a week. HELP!
We took her into urgent care and they believed it was an abscess. I am sure I spelled that wrong bare with me from start to finish in urgent care was 4 and a half hours. They drained it and then gave her a script for antibiotics which we have already started. I also got ahold of our dentist and she really agreed too that we need to get that tooth out (she has lost her bottom two middle teeth) thanks for letting me know how serious this was, since it didn't hurt I really wasn't too concerned. I hope we caught it early enough to not have any permanent tooth damage.
That pus pocket is called an absess.
It means infection.
I just went through the whole absess thing, so trust me.
Since she is 5, the simplest thing would be to get that dead tooth out so the infection can drain. She may even need antibiotics.
Have her rinse with warm salt water. Try a warm compress. Quit pushing on it. Get her in to see a dentist.
Best wishes.
If the soonest you'll be home is a week to have her seen by her own dentist then I think you need to get over your discomfort very quickly about having her "see someone she doesn't know." It does sound like an abscessed tooth and that's serious enough to need immediate treatment. If you can't get in to see a local dentist then you need to get her in to an urgent care clinic or walk-in clinic. If there aren't any where you are then take her to the ER. You can't wait a week, and honestly I would insist that she be seen tonight. These infections spread extremely quickly.
EDIT: I came on just to check your update and I'm relieved to see you took her to urgent care. Great job, Mama!
Go to the nearest dentist!!!
I'd hit prompt care for an antibiotic, definitely sounds like an absess... I'm surprised it isnt hurting, that's the strange part. The dentist wont want to do anything till the antibiotics take affect.
Might be a good idea for her to start wiggling her loose tooth to get it ready to go.
If you dont/can't hit the doc office, I'd say the warm salt water rinse and a warm compress would be the next bet to get it to drain until you can go see the dentist.
A regular minor emergency clinic can perscribe the antibiotics for this and then you can wait fotr your dentist at home. They really cannot do anything untill the infection is taken care of and they can see the extent of the damage. But if you do not take care of it ASAP, it can spread and become VERY painful.
You definitely want to take her to the dentist! I suggest your dentist will take her in on an emergency basis. This is an infection and must be treated raw before infection spreads to other parts of her body.
You need to take her to the dentist and or doctor ASAP. That sounds like an abcess and those are very quick to spread and could cause a MASSIVE infection if it spreads. Take her today to urgent care or urgent dentist. GL and hope she feels better.
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That really sounds like an abscess and she should get some antibiotics. You can have her gargle with some salt water to draw out the infection. It is gross but it should help. I would not put off seeing a dentist since it can affect her adult teeth coming in.
If you can't get in to see the dentist I would call and ask if he can call in a prescription.
That is definitely an infection or abscess. I would not mess with it, but see if your dentist can get you in or at least prescribe antibiotics for her until he is able to see her for the procedure
That's an absess. She probably needs an antibiotic. Can you call your own doctor or dentist's urgent care and have them call in a prescription to a pharmacy where you are? I wouldn't let it go because it WILL start hurting and could end up making her feel crumby and damaging the adult tooth behind it.
PS
Unless she's already lost her bottom teeth, the wigglyness is probably due to the tooth being dead, just like the infection since top teeth aren't usually the first to go.
We went through the exact same thing, sounds like.
I would be my son had his abscess longer than a week before we realized something was "up".
She will likely have to have that tooth pulled to prevent it from getting to the point where the decay could damage the permanent tooth appearance-wise.
My son did very well at our family dentist with local anesthesia.
It will still take a long time for the 2nd tooth to come in, so prepare for that "toothless look" to be around for quite a while!
My son had his front top tooth pulled at 5 and we waited about 3 years for the new tooth!
Maybe you can get it out before you leave or at least have the dentist prescribe some antibiotics?
Good luck!
