Should I see a dentist or give it a few days?

Asked by livelaughlove21 (15724) November 17th, 2013 from iPhone

A few days ago I ate a mango and, as usual, got all of those annoying fibers between my front bottom teeth. I tried to get them out, but I knew some were still stuck in there. The next day, my gums in that area were tender when I applied pressure. I figured it was just trauma from the fibers, so I left it alone.

This morning I noticed that the gums in one small area was swollen and it was pushing up between two of my teeth. Again, I took some floss to it and I finally got a large mango fiber out of it.

Here’s the gross part. I noticed an odor similar to moth balls coming from that area. I got the fiber out, brushed my teeth, and swished some mouthwash. I also swished some warm saltwater. This is the same exact smell my husband had around his teeth when he had temporary crowns. The dentist told him it was normal and caused by bacteria that gets under the crown. The smell went away once he got his permanent crown. However, I read online that this odor could indicate an infection that requires antibiotics.

There’s no abcess that I can see. No puss or anything like that. The only time it hurts is when I press on it, like it’s just irritated. We’re broke, so I’m wondering if I should wait and see if the pain and odor goes away now that the fiber is gone or if I need to see a dentist immediately (tomorrow).

Thoughts? What would you do?