A common belief associated with infected or abscessed teeth is that they cannot be extracted until the infection has subdued. This is not true in a large number of cases where the best option to get rid of the infection is to remove the tooth.
Infections in a tooth encourage your mouth bacteria to get to the dental pulp causing nerve damage. It is why pulling a tooth while infected is recommended by dentists to prevent additional damage to your mouth.
Dangers of Pulling an Abscessed Tooth
Extracting a tooth can lead to other issues First, bone shrinkage in the area of the missing tooth can happen. Also, the adjacent teeth will start to drift into the position of the missing one. If your teeth drift then your bite can be affected.
Is a tooth extraction painful? Not necessarily. While the extraction may hurt if you are under the effects of nitrous oxide, you should not be in excruciating pain. For more serious extractions, you will need stronger painkillers such as oral sedatives or anesthesia.
Left untreated, the infection can spread to the neck, head, and other regions of the body. In some cases, the bacteria can travel toward to heart, and settle in the heart lining, a heart valve, or a blood vessel; this can lead to a condition known as Bacterial Endocarditis.
Left untreated, a tooth abscess will eventually spread to the surrounding tissues and beyond, wreaking havoc on your oral and overall health. It can take weeks or months for the infection to spread — and it's impossible to know exactly how long that will take.
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!
What is the most difficult tooth to extract? Impacted wisdom teeth are wisdom teeth that have failed to erupt properly. They are generally considered to be the most difficult teeth to extract.
Facial Structure: The positioning of your teeth in your mouth may make it difficult for a dentist to perform the extraction without causing discomfort. Things like large sinuses, or limited jaw mobility necessitate an extraction by an oral surgeon.
The pus can usually be drained and the tooth can be saved if it is not badly broken down. If left untreated, the abscess may burst on to the skin of the face or into the mouth.
Keep Up With Dental Hygiene
Even if it hurts to brush, you need to keep your mouth as clean as possible when infection has already set in. It may be necessary to skip over flossing around the abscessed area, but don't neglect the rest of your teeth.
It depends on the severity of a dental abscess how quickly do antibiotics provide relief from the tooth infection (dental abscess). Usually, you may start observing the difference after just 2-3 days; however, many antibiotics may give you full relief from the dental abscess within 10-14 days.
Doctors will usually prescribe a 7-10 day course of antibiotics to shrink a tooth abscess. Antibiotics will reduce the abscess infection and offer temporary relief. However, they do not cure an abscess; they are a short-term solution before extraction or root canal can be performed.
The risks of Not Extracting a Tooth
You'll most likely feel significant pain. The problem will only get worse if you wait. If there's an infection present, it won't heal on its own and can damage your gums and bone. Infections also spread to other teeth, putting you at risk for sepsis.
Poisoning in the bloodstream
Although not an immediate consequence, dentists strongly advise that letting rotten teeth go unattended can lead to blood poisoning. This happens because the rot from the teeth keeps getting deposited into the mouth, and in most cases, it's swallowed along with saliva.
You may need to have a tooth extracted if: Periodontal disease has badly infected the tooth. The tooth is badly damaged and cannot be restored by a filling or a crown. You are suffering from pain even after a filling, crown, or treatment for a root canal.
Most dentists can remove teeth that are broken to the gum line. In these cases, certain instruments such as forceps and elevators will be used to remove what is left of the damaged tooth. In some situations, your dentist will need to reflect your gum tissue to gain access to the tooth.
Final Verdict: Save the Tooth if Possible
In addition, healing from an extraction takes longer and is often more painful than healing from a root canal, and pulling the tooth means even more dental procedures and healing time to replace it later. Still, pulling the tooth might be right for some situations.
Root canals are considered to be the most painful because they require removing the nerve tissue on a tooth's root. The removal of the nerve tissue is not only excruciatingly painful but also commonly leads to infection.
The presence of an acute infection characterized by severe percussion pain is not a contraindication for tooth extraction. Infected teeth should be extracted as soon as possible and the procedure should not be postponed by giving antibiotics.
In the later stages of tooth decay, after the bacteria has entered the pulp of the tooth or made its way deeper into the gums or jawbone, you may notice pain surrounding the tooth, along with gum redness and swelling. A severe abscess can also trigger a fever.
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.
an intense, throbbing pain in the affected tooth or gum that may come on suddenly and gets gradually worse. 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.
Tooth abscesses don't form overnight—there are multiple stages to formation, starting with enamel erosion and progressing to dentin decay, pulp decay, and finally abscess formation.