Gum abscess may not be life-threatening, but it can be excruciating and lead to more severe problems if not treated right away.
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.
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.
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!
However, in more serious cases, your dental abscess will require you to seek urgent medical care. If you think you have a tooth infection that has spread - especially if you're having trouble breathing or swallowing - you should go straight to the emergency department at your nearest hospital.
Plus, it is the best option to get urgent care if the swelling from your toothache has spread to different parts of your face, especially below your jawline and eye. But, in most cases, ER doctors will only prescribe medication, and then you will need to book an appointment with our dentist to get the abscess drained.
Usually, it takes quite a bit of time for a tooth infection to spread to your jaw and other areas of your head and neck. With that in mind, you can usually get treatment for a dental abscess within a few weeks or months of feeling pain and still come out without much more than a scar.
If you think you have any of the above symptoms of an abscessed tooth, never wait. Contact our office right away as this is considered a dental emergency. Typically, an abscess means you have an infection and this should be treated right away.
Periodontitis (per-e-o-don-TIE-tis), also called gum disease, is a serious gum infection that damages the soft tissue around teeth. Without treatment, periodontitis can destroy the bone that supports your teeth. This can cause teeth to loosen or lead to tooth loss. Periodontitis is common but can usually be prevented.
If a fully developed tooth infection is left untreated, it wouldn't take more than a few weeks or maybe months in some fortunate cases for the tooth infection to start spreading to the other parts and tissues of the body and lead to serious life-threatening complications – Once a tooth infection gets to such a point, ...
The Danger of Untreated Infected Teeth and Gums
If they are not treated, they can last for several months or years.
The first stage is tooth decay/cavity. This stage usually does not hurt since the decay is far from the pulp/nerve inside of the tooth. The decay is still in the enamel and Dentin (see photo below). The second stage starts when the decay extends deep enough to infect the nerve/pulp.
#1: Saltwater Rinse
Salt is known to be a natural disinfectant. Rinsing with salt water can reduce inflammation and relieve the pain. Easy to apply and affordable, the saltwater rinse can be a temporary relief, and you can use lukewarm trice a day.
Salt water can help to treat a gum infection, but this is not a cure. If you are experiencing symptoms of a gum infection you should contact our office and be seen as soon as possible. Antibiotics may have to be used to help clear up the infection and stop any further damage to your gums or jaw.
Tooth infections that have traveled to the jawbone can lead to severe dental abscesses and jawbone infections. Osteomyelitis in the jaw causes persistent pain, jaw stiffness, swelling, and tenderness. Additionally, bacterial infections of the teeth can also spread to the bloodstream and cause sepsis.
Gum disease is the most common cause. But inflamed gums can point to other health conditions too, like diabetes, hormone changes and vitamin deficiencies. If you have swollen gums that last longer than two weeks, let your healthcare provider know. They can find the cause and recommend the right treatment.
Acidic items like soda, apple cider vinegar, and limes can irritate the inflamed gums and contribute to more gum recession and irritation. Highly acidic things also erode the tooth's enamel, exposing it to tooth decay. It's best to avoid or limit acidic items.
Untreated gingivitis will progress into periodontitis, which is a more severe stage of gum disease. The infection and pockets deepen while eating away at your jaw until your teeth become loose and fall out.
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.
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.
A periodontal abscess is a pocket of pus in the tissues of the gum. It looks like a small red ball pushing out of the swollen gum. An abscess can occur with serious gum disease (periodontitis), which causes the gums to pull away from the teeth.
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. This process can take weeks or even months.
If you develop mouth pain, a toothache or a red, swollen bump on your gums, schedule an appointment with a dentist right away. The sooner you get treatment, the less likely it is that the infection will spread beyond your tooth.