Without treatment, a tooth infection can spread to the face and neck. Severe infections may even reach more distant parts of the body. In some cases, they may become systemic, affecting multiple tissues and systems throughout the body.
To begin with, a tooth abscess does not go or die down on its own, and professional intervention is crucial to treat a dental abscess. 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.
Feeling Unwell and Fatigued
Once your tooth infection begins to worsen, you may start experiencing symptoms similar to a cold or flu. Along with a nagging toothache, you will have chills and sweats along with a headache. In addition, pain may travel to your jaw and ear.
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.
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.
In dental infections, a CBC count with differential is not mandatory, but a large outpouring of immature granulocytes may indicate the severity of the infection. Blood cultures in patients who are toxic may help guide management if the course is prolonged.
An untreated tooth infection can eventually lead to bacteria in the bloodstream, sometimes called blood poisoning, also known as bacteremia or septicemia. If left untreated, septicemia can cause a severe whole-body infection called sepsis, which can be life-threatening. Early signs of septicemia include: High fever.
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.
The answer from the dentist shouldn't surprise you because they routinely pull infected teeth. Dentists are aware that nothing will benefit you more than getting rid of the root cause of the problem with your tooth. The extraction relieves pain and provides a predictable resolution to the infection in your mouth.
In rare cases, the infection may become systemic, which can affect multiple tissues throughout the body. You could also be at risk for osteomyelitis, which is an infection of the bone surrounding the teeth. You could be at risk for cellulitis which is an infection of the skin and fat located directly beneath the skin.
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.
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.
If you have any of the following symptoms, you may have sepsis, and you need to go to the emergency room or call 911 right away: Severe pain. A high fever. Shivering or feeling cold.
An X-ray of the aching tooth can help identify an abscess. Your dentist may also use X-rays to determine whether the infection has spread, causing abscesses in other areas.
What's The Takeaway? To summarize, a dentist can easily pull an infected tooth out. However, to prevent the bacteria from infecting other sites, dentists prefer to either drain the abscess or reduce the infection with the help of antibiotics first. This way, there won't be any alarming results after.
This is a very serious condition. Once the infection and swelling starts, it can spread quickly. Symptoms of cellulitis may include red and swollen skin, fever, chills, and extreme tiredness (fatigue).
An abscess usually looks like a red, swollen bump, boil or pimple. It affects the involved tooth, but the infection can also spread to surrounding bone and neighboring teeth. Abscesses can occur in different places around a tooth for different reasons.
Swelling of the gum over the infected tooth, which may look like a pimple. Swollen glands of the neck. Swollen area of the upper or lower jaw, which is a very serious symptom.
As sepsis worsens or septic shock develops, an early sign, particularly in older people or the very young, may be confusion or decreased alertness. Blood pressure decreases, yet the skin is paradoxically warm. Later, extremities become cool and pale, with peripheral cyanosis and mottling.