Signs and symptoms of a tooth abscess include: Severe, constant, throbbing toothache that can spread to your jawbone, neck or ear. Pain or discomfort with hot and cold temperatures. Pain or discomfort with the pressure of chewing or biting.
If left untreated, it may take a few more weeks or months for the infection to spread to other tissues and cause complications. However, once this has happened, death can occur quickly. Factors like older age, having diabetes, or being immunocompromised can increase your risk of complications from a dental abscess.
Symptoms of a Tooth Infection Spreading to the Body
Here are the signs of a tooth infection spreading to the rest of your body: Feeling generally sick. Extreme sensitivity to cold or hot food and drink. Severe toothache from the tooth outward.
Sepsis following a bacterial infection from a dental condition or treatment is rare. This life-threatening condition can occur if patients are not managed appropriately.
Once the cultures have identified the microorganisms responsible for the infection, antibiotics that work the best against those organisms will be used. For out-patients with sepsis, oral antibiotics may sometimes be used, but hospitalized patients will be treated with intravenous antibiotics.
If the infection has spread or you have a generalized infection, you may develop other signs and symptoms, such as fever, fatigue, pain, etc. Sometimes however, you may have an infection and not know it, and not have any symptoms.
If you have a severe tooth infection, your dentist may prescribe a course of antibiotics to prevent it from spreading. 1 Antibiotics may prevent tooth loss and other serious health complications.
Signs of bacteremia could be slight fever, nausea and distal infection. Rarely, bacteremia may resolve on its own. It also may progress into septicemia, a more serious blood infection that is always accompanied by symptoms such as chills, high fever, rapid heartbeat, severe nausea, vomiting and confusion.
Leaving an infection to spread to your facial bones may eventually necessitate surgical removal to stop it. Even in minor cases, a tooth infection can cause the bone structures of your jaw to weaken, making it hard to support your teeth.
A dental infection can lead to sepsis. Sometimes incorrectly called blood poisoning, sepsis is the body's life-threatening response to infection. Like strokes or heart attacks, sepsis is a medical emergency that requires rapid diagnosis and treatment.
If the infection spreads, you may also develop a high temperature (fever) and feel generally unwell. In severe cases, you may find it hard to fully open your mouth and have difficulty swallowing or breathing.
Amoxicillin is usually the first choice for tooth infection treatment. If your tooth infection is more serious, your dentist may prescribe a combination of amoxicillin and another drug called Clavulanate. This combination is stronger and more effective against tooth infections.
All dentists are qualified to perform emergency tooth extractions if and when necessary. Tooth extractions are a relatively common oral surgical procedure and may be necessary if your tooth is severely damaged or infected.
Usually, within 2-3 days, you'll start feeling better and see an improvement in the infection. On average, a full course of antibiotics takes 7 to 14 days to complete depending on the type used.
Unlike diseases or conditions like diabetes or kidney stones, there is no one test for sepsis testing. However, your doctor makes the diagnosis by evaluating your symptoms, your history, and other tests. This can then lead your doctor to suspect you have sepsis.
Severe breathlessness or sleepiness. It feels like you're going to die or pass out. Skin mottled or discoloured. An extremely high or a very low temperature; repeated vomiting; seizures; and a rash which doesn't fade when you press a glass against it are also possible 'red flags'.
Weakness or aching muscles. Not passing much (or any) urine. Feeling very hot or cold, chills or shivering. Feeling confused, disoriented, or slurring your speech.
Penicillin-based antibiotics remain the first line for the treatment of odontogenic infections. Metronidazole is effective against anaerobic bacteria.
blue, pale or blotchy skin, lips or tongue – on brown or black skin, blueness may be easier to see on the lips, tongue or gums, under the nails or around the eyes. a rash that does not fade when you roll a glass over it, the same as meningitis. difficulty breathing, breathlessness or breathing very fast.
The condition can arise suddenly and progress quickly, and it's often hard to recognize. Sepsis was once commonly known as “blood poisoning.” It was almost always deadly. Today, even with early treatment, sepsis kills about 1 in 5 affected people.
In conclusion, the maximum period that an untreated tooth abscess can sustain is 12 months or more. But, such longevity is associated with dangerous complications such as sepsis or even death. Schedule your appointment with a dentist today and get the treatment on time!