The Dangers of Letting a Toothache, Abscess, or Infection Go Untreated
When a patient experiences pain in their teeth, there is usually an underlying or root cause for their pain. The source of the pain will need to be identified and eliminated in order to permanently relieve the symptoms that the patient is experiencing.
A dental abscess may be causing a patient a great deal of pain. Most dental abscesses begin as minor cavities or toothaches. Left untreated, the infection will spread, and a pustule full of bacteria may form.
A dental abscess that is allowed to grow for months or years will spread to other parts of the mouth and body, including the heart and lungs. If left untreated, it could patients can die from a dental abscess.
There are also several risk factors that can contribute to a dental problem or exacerbate its severity. Here, our focus will be on the dangers of letting a toothache, abscess, or infection go untreated for a prolonged period of time.
What are the dangers of letting a toothache, abscess, or infection go untreated?
When the bacteria from the infected tooth is allowed to enter the bloodstream, a myriad of health problems may arise. For instance, you may experience inflammation of various bones and in the bone marrow.
A dangerous bone infection involving the jaw or other parts of the body may develop as a result. The blood vessels in your sinuses may also become infected. The end result is a blood clot that forms at the base of your brain.
Known as Cavernous Sinus Thrombosis, the infection will lead to death if not treated in time. It is also possible for a dental infection to enter the veins in your skin. Facial cellulitis will cause your cheeks, nose, and eyes to appear red and puffy.
In addition to being quite painful, untreated facial cellulitis may lead to sepsis, which is a very dangerous condition that will lead to death if not treated quickly. Oral antibiotics may need to be taken for several weeks in order to eradicate the problem.
There are many telltale signs of a dental abscess that you should be aware of. Some of the symptoms of an advanced dental abscess include swelling, intense pain, a metallic taste in the mouth, trouble breathing, difficulty swallowing, low blood pressure, sore throat, fever, and redness around the facial region.
How to Know When a Tooth Abscess Becomes an Emergency
An abscessed tooth is caused by a bacterial infection. A pocket containing pus is formed, leading to pain that can be mild, moderate, or severe depending on the progression of the infection.
When the tip of the tooth root is affected, it is known as a periapical abscess. As for abscesses that have formed in the gums, they are referred to as periodontal abscesses. If you are suffering from an abscess, then you may notice a throbbing pain in or around the affected gums and/or tooth.
The pain will appear suddenly and unexpectedly, and will only grow in severity over the upcoming days and weeks. You may also experience pain while you are eating, and may develop swelling as well as a fever.
Bad breath, dental sensitivity while eating and drinking, swollen lymph nodes, discoloured teeth, and loose teeth are also signs of a dental abscess. If the pain that you are experiencing is severe, then you should see a dentist as soon as you can.
Trouble swallowing (dysphagia), an irregular heartbeat, facial swelling, delirium, and/or a high-grade fever are also signs of a serious dental abscess that should be seen by a dentist as soon as possible.
A ruptured abscess can be treated by a dentist or an oral surgeon. The affected area will be examined and subsequently cleaned in order to prevent the infection from spreading to other parts of your body.
If you do not treat the infection in time, then it will spread inside your body and could end up costing your life.
What to Do When You Have a Dental Emergency
Some of the symptoms of a dental emergency include confusion, a high fever, intense chills, trouble swallowing, difficulty breathing, a rapid heartbeat, and intense pain.
If one of your teeth has been chipped or fractured due to an accident, then try to find the missing tooth so that you can bring it to the hospital or clinic. Hold the tooth by the crown only in order to increase the probability that the tooth can be salvaged.
You can temporarily relieve some of your swelling and pain by gently swishing some warm salt water around your mouth. Holding an ice pack to the affected region may also reduce some of the swelling, and taking ibuprofen or acetaminophen may help with pain and fever symptoms.
Regardless of whether you lost a tooth or are dealing with an oral abscess, dental emergencies need to be addressed quickly to minimize your pain, discomfort, risk of complications and costs.
The good news is that there are many state-of-the-art emergency dental procedures that can be implemented in order to quickly eliminate dental abscesses or fix chipped, broken, loose, or fractured teeth.
Help is Available
An emergency dentist is trained to handle any dental emergency that you may be experiencing. They will quickly alleviate your pain and swelling before they begin working on eliminating the root cause of your dental emergency.
Any intense pain and swelling in the mouth, gums, or facial region should be assessed and diagnosed by a dentist or an oral surgeon. Loose, fractured, or chipped teeth should also be treated by a dentist as soon as possible in order to salvage the tooth.
Moreover, if you are unable to eat, sleep, speak, and/or breathe properly, then you may be dealing with a dental emergency that can be life-threatening, such as sepsis. Please do not ignore any of the symptoms of a dental emergency.
Most dental emergencies can be treated on-site when you visit an emergency dental clinic. You will also be provided with resources that will help prevent dental emergencies from occurring in the future.