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.
If you have a fever and swelling in your face and you can't reach your dentist, go to an emergency room. Also go to the emergency room if you have trouble breathing or swallowing. These symptoms may indicate that the infection has spread deeper into your jaw, throat or neck or even to other areas of your body.
Symptoms of a dental abscess
pain that spreads to your ear, jaw and neck on the same side as the affected tooth or gum. pain that's worse when lying down, which may disturb your sleep. redness and swelling in your face.
If jawbone infections are left untreated, they lead to inflammatory diseases, autoimmune conditions, and general health problems such as ALS, cancer, chronic fatigue, Alzheimer's, etc.
Symptoms of a Tooth Abscess
A tooth abscess is identified by signs and symptoms that include: Persistent, severe, throbbing toothache that could radiate to the jawbone, ear, or neck. Sensitivity to cold and hot temperatures. Sensitivity when biting or chewing.
The patient should seek emergency help if the infection has become so painful and cannot be managed with over-the-counter medication. If the patient has developed a fever, has chills, is vomiting, or exhibiting other symptoms of having a dental abscess.
If the infection is limited to the abscessed area, you may not need antibiotics. But if the infection has spread to nearby teeth, your jaw or other areas, your dentist will likely prescribe antibiotics to stop it from spreading further.
Amoxicillin. Amoxicillin is usually prescribed for dental infections. In some cases, it is used together with other antibiotics. Amoxicillin may be prescribed for an abscessed tooth to help prevent the infection from spreading to other teeth and other parts of the body including the jaw and other facial structures.
In case a person does not treat a dental abscess in its initial stage, then the infection may last anywhere between 5 months to 12 months or even more. Moreover, if no treatment is meted out to the condition, the precious dental pulp will die away and may get another abscess.
A persistently high fever, dizziness, lightheadedness, a rapid heart rate, shortness of breath, confusion, and digestive problems are potential signs of sepsis and should be treated as a medical emergency.
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.
When a person is "infectious", it means they're able to pass their infection on to others. You're usually no longer infectious 24 hours after starting a course of antibiotics, but this time period can sometimes vary.
Although you might not notice it right away, antibiotics begin working as soon as you start taking them. Usually, within 2-3 days, you'll start feeling better and see an improvement in the infection.
Although it is not very clear, according to the literature in most cases, 2-3 days of medication is adequate. However, when the treatment is not done properly, the antibiotic coverage may be needed for up to 7 days. According to the International Dental Journal study notes, most acute infections resolve in 3-7 days.
An antibiotic alone will not heal an infected tooth. This is just one of the reasons it is considered a dental emergency. A dentist has to physically get in there and remove the infected pulp. Generally, there are two ways to do that: a root canal treatment or, if that is not possible, a tooth extraction.
Infections:
X-rays can also help dentists detect infections that may be present in the gums, jawbone, and other areas of the mouth. This is important for identifying and treating problems like abscesses before they become severe.
While it takes a long time for a tooth infection to become fatal, it's possible for a tooth infection to develop into sepsis if left untreated. Typically, this process takes a few months. And even though it may feel like your pain subsides when the abscess bursts, don't be fooled.
Go to the hospital if you have a life-threatening condition. For example, a large dental abscess can limit your ability to breathe and swallow. Likewise, you would need to visit the ER after breaking your jaw. Serious medical issues like these are best addressed by hospital staff.
An emergency room is the only facility that has the necessary equipment and personnel to handle the abscessed tooth and contain any widespread infection. Here, a CT scan can be done to establish the spread of the infection in addition to one being taken to the operating room to undergo oral incision and drainage.
If you take an antibiotic when you don't need it – for example, when you have a cold or the flu – it can make you feel worse and make your illness last longer. In fact, when used the wrong way, antibiotics can cause more severe illnesses like diarrhea, nausea and rashes.
When you are suffering from a tooth infection, you may want an easy solution, such as a course of antibiotics. However, antibiotics won't cure your tooth infection. Oral bacterial infections cause abscesses, which are small pockets of pus and dead tissue in the mouth.
Antibiotics are typically not indicated to treat an infected tooth, but a root canal can help to preserve a tooth in such cases. Call our team at Access Endodontics to schedule an evaluation and get the facts about root canal treatment.