An abscessed tooth, or simply referred to as a tooth infection, is when a tooth has become damaged and an infection–or abscess–has reached the root of the tooth as well as its nerves. Multiple causes may be related to a tooth infection. It could include not maintaining proper oral hygiene through regular brushing and flossing. It could also be caused by damage to the tooth and bacteria gaining access into the tooth. Wisdom teeth are especially prone to abscess, so it is often recommended that they be removed before an infection can occur. Speak to your dentist about recommendations on how to best handle wisdom teeth growth. For some individuals, wisdom teeth doesn’t necessarily lead to infection because they grow out completely. But most wisdom teeth get removed because they don’t have enough room to grow out. In grown teeth can definitely cause an infection.
Signs of a tooth infection include pain, throbbing, headaches, and a strong odor from the tooth. If you ever experience symptoms such as these, you should contact your dentist right away. Further signs of a tooth infection include swelling in the local area and sometimes bleeding. Sometimes an infection can even cause swelling in the face and neck. It can also cause other kinds of symptoms such as a fever or sinus infection. Some other signs of infection in the teeth can include neck pain, jaw pain, and even ear pain.
1. Severe Toothache
A severe toothache can be quite unbearably painful. If you are experiencing pain, you should definitely visit a dentist straight away. However, in order to remedy your pain for the time being, you can try swishing your mouth out with some salt water. Clove oil is also an effective numbing agent to help with the pain. Regular painkillers you can get over the counter such as ibuprofen or acetaminophen may help with the pain as well. Another way to help with tooth pain is cold compresses against the cheek nearest to your tooth ache. Try keeping ice inside your mouth as well to bring pain relief and to help with the swelling. Biting down on the fresh pulp of aloe has also been known for being helpful with pain.
2. Jaw Pain
When a tooth infection is severe, it may also lead to jaw pain. The inflammation of the tooth’s pulpitis can cause pain in your jaw area. To bring relief of your jaw pain, try cold compresses against the face. It might also help if you hold ice in your cheeks around the local pain area. Try to anesthetize the swollen area around your tooth with clove oil to help with the pain. This might bring relief to your jaw pain as well.
3. Neck Pain
If a tooth breaks and an infection occurs because of this, it could bring injury to the nerves within your tooth. This could cause all kinds of pain including neck pain. A tooth infection can cause muscle spasms in your neck and bring discomfort to your joints. It can also cause pain around your neck because your teeth and jaws are all connected to your head. Whenever you chew and swallow, your mouth, jaws and neck are at work. To help relieve your neck pain, visit a dentist to find treatment of your tooth infection right away.
4. Ear Pain
It’s possible to experience pain in your ears because of a tooth infection because your sinuses are all connected. This includes your ear, nose, throat and mouth. Sometimes an ear pain might occur after an infected tooth has been extracted. This is because your temporomandibular joint or TMJ is connected between your jaw and ears. Speak to your doctor about how to bring relief of your ear ache. Sometimes allergy medication helps but do not take anything unless you speak to your doctor about it first. If you have an ear infection that is unrelated to your toothache, it is necessary to treat your ear infection separately.
5. Sensitivity to Heat and Cold
Tooth sensitivity to cold and heat typically feels like a sharp pain to the tooth because of a cold or hot beverage or food, or even the cold or hot air. Tooth sensitivity is typically felt because the enamel of your teeth have worn down. If your tooth is infected, there is a good chance that the enamel on that tooth has also worn down due to bacterial invasion. See your local dentist right away to treat the infection and reduce this sensitivity.
6. Sensitivity to Pressure
Sensitivity to pressure in the tooth may definitely be a sign of a tooth infection. You can feel this kind of uncomfortable pressure against your tooth while you chew on tough foods such as meat, hard breads, crackers or even ice. Sometimes a sinus pressure might be the agent of your discomfort. If you experience a sinus infection, the pressure in your skull might cause pain in your teeth and jaws, along with your eyes and nose. Be sure to see your doctor about sinus pressure that affects your teeth.
7. Fever
If you’re experiencing fever due to a tooth infection, this is a serious case and you need to contact your dentist straight away. A fever that occurs because of a tooth infection means that the bacterial infection has reached your nerves. A toothache won’t necessarily kill you. However, an untreated bacterial infection can be extremely harmful to your body. It is absolutely necessary that you see a dentist and get antibiotic treatment to combat the infection.
8. Swelling
A tooth infection will show signs of swelling around the local area. It appears as an inflammation or a bubble on the gums. This is a sheer sign of an abscessed tooth. It is absolutely crucial that you see a dentist straight away when you see this in your gums. It is also important that it doesn’t spread. Be sure to see a doctor right away. Swelling of the gums is certainly a problem but a tooth infection could lead to other swelling as well. Swelling of the cheeks, jaws and face can be visible if an infection is very bad.
9. Swollen Lymph Nodes
A tooth infection will not only cause swelling in the gums and cheeks but also in the tender parts of your head including your jaws and neck. This is because the inflammation is now affecting your lymph nodes. Your lymph nodes are tender and soft. It can double in size if an infection is particularly bad. Lymph node inflammation may also occur when your health isn’t particularly good due to other illnesses. Be sure to visit your local doctor to make sure that it isn’t just a tooth infection that is causing these symptoms. If your tooth infection is causing a massive swelling in your face and neck, be sure to visit your dentist as soon as possible. Swelling of the lymph nodes must be treated, and it is absolutely necessary to get control of the infection straight away.
