Does an infected gum, probably related to an infected tooth necessarily lead to !
Question:
Does an infected gum, probably related to an infected tooth necessarily lead to a root canal job or tooth?
extraction, or could it possibly be cured with antibiotics?
Answers:
Antibiotics do not cure dental infections. All they can do is suppress the infection long enough for you to have a dentist remove the source of the infection.
If it is an infected tooth (dying pulp due to tooth decay or traumatic breakage), the only ways to remove the source of the infection would be either a root canal or an extraction, depending on the specific situation. If it is a gum problem (i.e. something caught in the gums causing the infection), then one might need scaling and root planing, periodontal surgery, etc. to remove the source of the infection there.
The only way to tell for sure? Go to a dentist and have an evaluation done.
Hope this helps.