Hi, my second to last tooth fell out about a year ago. It broke while chewing then eventually completely fell out and I havent been to the dentist. For the past couple of days my gum where the tooth was has been swollen and hurting. Also the left side of my throat has been beginning to hurt as well. Is it related to the tooth? And what should I do? I have been rinsing it out with salt water but it still hurts
Hello, In my opinion you are explaining signs of an infection spreading and most likely related to the tooth. Your tooth broke, and you say completely fell out, but a back tooth has multiple roots and part of the tooth may still be under the gum. I would suggest you see a dentist, take an x-ray and most likely start antibiotic treatment to control the spread of infection. You would need to extract any remaining root under the gum. If you damaged the gum area, salt water rinses would help to heal and I would not expect you to explain increased discomfort with your throat.  Do you see an indent or hole in the gum? Do you feel anything hard, moving under the gum? This may be part if the tooth acting like a splinter caught under the gum. I would be happy to assist you further if you provide additional details or have more questions. Over the counter, anti-inflammatory medications may offer some relief until you can see a dentist.