Help - I have an abcess (and I'm pregnant)

A painful abcess leads this pregnant patient to seek advice from Dr Mani Bhardwaj 

Dear Mani, I am pregnant (due tomorrow) and I have an abscess which is causing lots of pain. I've already had two courses of antibiotics but it is not clearing the infection. My dentist is reluctant to do anything more but because it is causing so much pain he has given a small amount of anaesthetic and drained it but it has filled again. I've been told that I will need root canal when the baby is born but I'm in so much pain and wondering if there is anything else I can do? 

Dr Mani's response:

'The best thing here would be save the tooth. If you do go to a proper endodontist (which I recommend), you can get the tooth drained and opened up to start the initial process this will also relieve a lot of pain. 

But if you are in that much pain and your baby is due tomorrow the only other option is to extract the tooth. (this can cause the onset of labour)
This may seem very drastic but you'll have to make a decision to either wait with the pain until the baby is here and have root canal treatment or have an extraction now. I wish you all the best!'

Dr Mani Bhardwaj 

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