My 85 yr. old mom with dementia has an abscess under an old root canal, can it be drained instead of removed? I am nervous about the risks.

With an abcess, it drains once the tooth is pulled and antibiotics should be given.

Personally I wouldnt put her under. But, if the doc recommends it, do it. Either way, that abscess will cause a substantial amount of danger to her health if it is not taken care of immediately. Wish you both well.

Find an oral surgeon. Difficult extractions are what they are skilled in. Prior to the procedure, contact the surgeon and explain your mother’s dementia, and can you be in the room with her. Sedation sounds like a good idea.

Yes. You should have your mother put under so the abscess can be properly dealt with. They can give her some sedation while you are with her before she's taken in also.

She may feel alone and scared for a few minutes until the drugs take effect. Then she'll be fine. Get that abscess taken care of because your mother is probably in a world of pain from it.

I had an abscessed tooth once and there is no pain like it.

Good Afternoon,

These things are tricky but I would consult with an Oral Surgeon.

A similar situation happened late last week, mother broke a tooth during dinner at the independent living. Due to age, A-fib and also on a blood thinner as well as Dementia (86-years-old) I found an "in-network" dentist/Oral Surgeon who extracts teeth (under sedation) at the hospital.

It's a tough call since you can't let these things go and you have to know what insurance will and will not cover. The placement of my mother's tooth is no easy feat to remove the remaining part but with Dementia my mother's is antsy to begin with and can't sit long. The dentist is fine for cleanings, etc. but I opted for an "Oral Surgeon" that is covered under my mother's insurance.

I also accompany my mother to the dentist and wait inside the room; but for an extraction I waited outside the office but always remain on the premises while mother was sedated.

We can share what works for us but consult your mother's primary care and perhaps an oral surgeon with regards to your mother's limitations. I know it's hard these things need to be thought out since I don't want anything to go wrong.

Also, with Dementia make sure your mother's ears are cleaned out for all the wax build up especially if she wears hearing aids.

Yes, for her sake, let them put her under.

IF your mom is really anxious, ask the dentist to please allow you to accompany her back to the procedure room. Then once they get her sedated, you can leave.

This is a tough one. I would follow the advice of the oral surgeon. The tooth needs to come out for sure, fragments and all. I don't know he will risk putting her out in office but I would let you know anything can happen to anyone and her age and debility makes his more risky from standpoint of any sedation. I had nitrous (laughing gas) and it went VERY HAPPILY for me. I wasn't out and could cooperate but I can tell you right now I was in heaven and they could have done anything to me and I wouldn't have cared. And sure wouldn't have needed you in the room. It is also something they can withdraw if monitoring shows any risk, almost at once. Discuss with the dental surgeon as an option.

So sorry. My brother, 85, died of a sepsis from a scratch on his shin that didn't heal and that he kept putting ointment on and kept hidden. So there you go. At this age, expect the unexpected, and on you go the best you can, but this infection surely WILL KILL if not addressed.

You can't be in the room. The last thing they need is more germs and an anxious family member. So that's that. There are times in life "we can't be in the room". And we just accept that and worry. The waiting room is what I always call "the worst room in the house".

Good luck. Hope you will tell us how it goes.

The root canal went bad. Just get it pulled. A oral surgeon should be able to give her a local and pull it inva few minutes. I had two wisdoms pulled in 15 min. One was impacted.

I would not put and elderly person under especially if already suffering from Dementia.

My mother had molars pulled at the oral surgeons office at 92 years old with just Novocaine, and with moderate dementia at play. She was fine. The reason you're taking her to an oral surgeon in the first place is because s/he has the experience to extract such a tooth safely and w/o pain to your mom. The main thing is to have her on antibiotics for at least a week beforehand to get that abscess under control before the tooth is pulled, thus reducing any excess pain associated with the extraction. Root canals only last so long, then the tooth is toast.

Mom also had the mobile dentist come to her room in Memory Care Assisted Living to extract a tooth with Novocaine, in her recliner, and stitches put in her gum, all without pain or incident. I did have her take an Ativan before each dentist appointment.

Good luck to you.

All the questions you are asking should be directed to her
primary care medical doctor i.e. Internist and any specialists she has on her care team… DENTAL HEALTH is very closely connected to heart health. So the concerns are weighing
treating the infection vs extraction, probably necessitating
mild pain killer possibly just for the region. Do necessary
prep work FIRST with her care team & ask for appointment on an emergency basis if the abscess is ALSO painful 🙆