Killer Toothaches

You may think your chances of dying from an abscessed tooth are one in a million; if you had an abscess, you would be wrong. A study looked at over 60,000 hospitalizations for tooth abscesses over an eight-year period and found that about one in 1,000 died from the infection. Granted, in the greater scheme of things, if you have good oral health, your chances of having a life-threatening tooth infection drop dramatically. But what if you have a toothache?

From Mild to Severe

A cavity begins slowly when bacteria feeds on the sugars in the mouth to produce an acid. A concentration of the acid accumulates in an area of the tooth and eats away at the enamel. Once the enamel layer is breached, decay then attacks the dentin.

The dentin is still hard, but softer than the enamel. Decay spreads faster in this layer of the tooth. As it gets closer to the pulp, which is the nerve center of the tooth, you may begin to feel some sensitivity, particularly with hot or cold foods and beverages. If the tooth remains untreated, the decay will continue until it reaches the pulp.

Once bacteria attacks here, the pulp becomes irritated and begins to die. This process can cause immense pain as inflammation of the nerves increases. An abscess forms at the tip of the root and the area becomes swollen and tender. At this point the pain can be excruciating.

Go See A Dentist!

Even with excruciating pain, there are those who would tough it out rather than make a trip to the dentist. For some, this can be a deadly choice. There are several complications that can develop from an untreated abscess:

• Infection of the bone surrounding the tooth; this is called osteomyelitis
• Infection of blood vessels within the sinuses; this is cavernous sinus thrombosis
• Cellulitis, which is an infection of the fat beneath the skin and the skin
• Parapharyngeal abscess, which is an abscess at the back of the mouth
• Sepsis, which is when the infection gets into the blood system and the body’s immune system overreacts

Sepsis can affect the organs of the body and cause death. When you are in pain, your body is signaling that something is wrong. Ignoring toothache pain is never a good idea.

Regular dental checkups can keep your teeth in good condition and minimize, if not eliminate, the development of serious dental problems. When you do have a toothache, do not wait for it to get unbearable, or even worse, ignore the pain. Call Sacramento Emergency Dentist. We are open seven days a week and we are here to provide excellent emergency dental care.