Life, Death and the Infected Tooth

Annual visits to your dentist should minimize any problems with dental decay. In fact, your dentist has tools available to stop tooth decay in its tracks and in some cases, he or she may be able to prevent decay altogether, or at least help you fight against it. When you do have a decayed tooth, getting it taken care of right away is important. Putting it off can have dire consequences.

Living With an Infected Tooth

It may surprise you that not everyone experiences pain when a tooth becomes infected. Unrelenting pain may be the norm, but there are instances when an individual has a tooth so badly decayed that an abscess forms, but no pain is felt. Some individuals have such a high pain threshold that they virtually ignore the pain until it eventually goes away.

By the time the pain of an infected tooth is no longer an issue, the tooth is dead. The acids created by bad bacteria have killed the nerves and blood vessels in the pulp and the tooth is no longer viable. The pain may be gone; however, the problem of infection remains.

Two Types of Dental Abscesses

Infection of a tooth can lead to one of two main types of dental abscesses:

• Periapical abscess: This type of abscess usually occurs within the tooth. In most instances, it is caused by untreated dental decay, although it can also be the result of a broken or injured tooth. Occasionally, a periapical abscess may be caused by previous dental work. With this type, a pocket of pus forms at the apex of the root or roots of the tooth.
• Periodontal abscess: The periodontal abscess forms between the gum and the tooth. With this type of abscess, food trapped between the gum and the tooth is usually the culprit. Harmful bacteria begin to proliferate underneath the gum and in the bone.

Both types of abscesses have similar symptoms. Swelling is usually present in the gums. The facial area near the abscess may also become swollen and warm to the touch.

Dying to Get Healed

Ideally, a decayed or damaged tooth would be restored before an abscess forms. Even if one does develop, if there is still a good amount of healthy tooth structure left, a root canal procedure can be performed to save the tooth and remove the infection.

If the infection is not treated, the harmful bacteria can cause a variety of serious health issues such as spreading to other parts of the head and neck, causing irritation in the sinuses or infecting the jaw area. At its worst, such an infection can trigger meningitis, which is an inflammation of the membranes near the spinal cord and brain.

Sacramento Emergency Dentist can help make sure your infected tooth does not get worse. Call us to make an appointment to have your tooth diagnosed and treated.