How Long Can A Tooth Infection Go Untreated
A tooth infection, sometimes referred to as a dental abscess or abscessed tooth, can cause severe pain and discomfort.
While most people experiencing dental pain and infection get treated as soon as possible, some may choose to delay treatment because they have trouble getting an appointment with a dentist, or are worried about paying for ER or urgent care fees.
But untreated dental infections can lead to serious or long-standing complications over time.
In this article, Ill describe the signs and symptoms of a tooth infection and when the infection can become dangerous.
Ill also cover the possible issues caused by tooth infections, and the most common treatment and prevention options. Finally, Ill discuss when its important to reach out to a dentist or healthcare provider.
Emergency Room Or Dentist For Tooth Pain
Interviewer: All right, what about for the tooth pain? If it was just the pain could you go to emergency care?
Dr. Madsen: Sure, yes if you could get into an urgent care. A Sunday morning youre going to have a tough time obviously seeing your dentist, but at least if you can go to an urgent care they can give you everything that we would do in the ER.
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Can Emergency Room Treat Abscessed Tooth
Any person, irrespective of age, can experience an abscessed tooth. An abscess is described as a pocket containing pus that is formed around the root of an infected tooth. If you or another person within your vicinity shows signs of having an abscessed tooth, it is crucial to know that it will not get better without medical help. You will need treatment from a specialist to ensure that your health is not compromised. If it is left unattended to, the infection can even spread beyond the jaw to the neck, head, or other parts. To avert this risk, it is essential to seek emergency services. Frontline ER would be an excellent option for those with an abscessed tooth or are feeling tooth pain.
An abscessed tooth is a threat to ones body thus making it an emergency
People do not visit their dentist as is prescribed
Customarily, people are advised to see their dentist regularly. However, people do not do so. Nevertheless, regular checkups would have allowed the dentist to detect the impending condition, and the tooth could have been removed. Alternatively, a root canal could have been performed to avert the loss of the tooth. Nevertheless, people tend to be reluctant or constrained by their financial circumstances to follow the proper dental care. Experiencing an abscessed tooth means that it has reached the emergency stage, and immediate attention to it is imperative. Visiting an emergency room as soon as possible will prove beneficial.
The dentist may be unavailable
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How Dentists Treat An Abscessed Tooth
When you seek urgent care for tooth abscess, your dentist will treat it or refer you to an endodontist, a specialist whos trained to work with abscessed teeth. The goal is to drain the infection and try to save the tooth. The procedures involved are very safe and focus solely on your comfort, health, and full recovery.
- Draining the abscess: After applying anesthesia, your dentist will make a small incision to the affected area, and use suction to drain the abscess. In rare cases, dental surgery may be required.
- Root canal: The best way to save your tooth is to perform a root canal. This involves drilling into your tooth to clean the pulp and the root canals that go down into your gums. After filling the empty spaces, youll either get a tooth filling or a crown. In both cases, your restored tooth will look and feel just like all your other teeth.
- Tooth extraction: If your tooth cannot be saved, your dentist or endodontist will remove the affected tooth. They will then discuss options to replace your missing tooth and fix your smile. This may include dental implants.
After the procedure, you may be prescribed antibiotics, especially if the infection has spread beyond the jaw area. Apply a warm, moist compress to the area to help keep swelling down, and rinse your mouth with warm salt water several times per day to stimulate local blood flow and help relieve pain.
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What Are Some Other Treatments For Tooth Infection
If a mouthwash is used alone for treating a tooth infection, it will not have a permanent effect on the tooth infection. Also, mouthwash is never the first line of treatment for a tooth infection. They are almost always prescribed to be used along with dental procedures and medications. When used in combination with these things, only then the root cause of tooth infection gets eliminated and the tooth heals.
The mainstream treatment for tooth infection depends on the type and severity of the tooth infection. A simple cavity will be treated by a tooth filling. If the cavity is deep, other procedures like pulp capping and placing a medicament and the floor of the cavity before filling can be done. If the infection has reached the pulp or there is an abscess, a procedure known as root canal will be done.
If the infection is too severe and left untreated for long, chances are that these treatment options might not work in such a case. Extracting the tooth may be the only option for killing the tooth infection permanently. Therefore, it is important that if you notice any signs of a tooth infection, visit your dentist immediately for proper and timely treatment.
Meet Mccarl Dental Group
The dentists at McCarl Dental Group take care of patients with dental emergencies every day at our Greenbelt, Maryland dental office. We provide same day emergency dental care to patients with pain from dental infections. Many patients who need emergency dentistry treatment are new to our dental office, and we are happy to help! If youre in need of emergency dentistry services, call our dental office in Greenbelt, MD right way.
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Can Home Remedies Help Treat A Tooth Infection
While waiting to receive treatment, you can try the following home remedies to help ease symptoms:
- Try over-the-counter pain medications like ibuprofen , naproxen , or acetaminophen .
- Eat soft foods, and try to chew on the opposite side of your mouth from where the infection is located.
- Avoid foods and drinks that may irritate the infected tooth, such as those that are:
- very hot or very cold
The home remedies above are only for use when youre awaiting medical attention for your tooth infection. They shouldnt be used as a substitute for seeking treatment.
How Long Does It Take For An Abscess To Develop
Abscesses due to tooth decay can take several months to develop. This is because the can take a while to reach and damage the pulp at the center of a tooth.
Meanwhile, injury or trauma to a tooth may allow bacteria to enter the tooth more quickly. This can happen due to injuries like a cracked or chipped tooth.
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Get Better Urgent Dental Care From Our Experienced Dentists
One of the biggest reasons people avoid going to the dentist is because of the high costs. There are also long waiting times to see your local dentist, which can make dealing with the pain of an abscess a nightmare.
There are countless benefits to putting your trust in our dental clinic to resolve your tooth abscess issue. They include:
We are changing the way the United States thinks about dental care. Stop by today and take care of that painful abscess tooth.
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Can I Go To An Emergency Room For Dental Pain Hospitality
Most health insurance plans will cover emergency room visits for dental pain. To be certain, call your health insurance company before you go to the ER. You
Likewise, if you visit an emergency room due to dental pain, they can provide you with pain relief but cannot find out what is causing the pain and work to
Jaw pain can be caused by a variety of dental problems. Oftentimes, jaw pain can be treated with a simple pain reliever. However, if you
When To Call Our Emergency Dentist
Our emergency dentist will be able to diagnose the underlying cause of your pain. For example, you may have an infected tooth if a cavity is deep enough to penetrate the pulp. Likewise, experiencing dental pain upon waking up could mean you grind your teeth at night. The only way to know for certain is to request an appointment with our emergency dentist.
Visit our dentist for these emergencies:
- Severe tooth pain
- A broken tooth or large piece of the tooth is missing
- A large chip or crack in the tooth
Dont put off seeing our emergency dentist. The sooner you seek urgent dental care, the sooner well be able to treat issues before they grow. This could mean the difference between you needing a filling and an emergency root canal. We always try to save as much natural tooth structure as possible. Yet, this can be difficult if you wait until the last minute to seek emergency dental care.
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What Is A Dental Abscess
Dental abscesses are pockets of pus that occur as the result of a bacterial infection in your tooth. Theyre often the result of an untreated cavity and can occur on different areas of the tooth.
One sign of an abscessed tooth is a small, spongy bump that has appeared on your gum. If it oozes liquid pus when you press it, thats a sure-fire sign that you have an abscessed tooth.
However, just draining the pus away doesnt cure the condition you still need to seek urgent care for tooth abscess, preferably when you first notice the signs of a tooth infection.
Why Is A Tooth Abscess So Dangerous
Regardless of where the infection began, when left untreated, it will spread.
In many cases, the infection spreads outward in a small pimple-like swelling that can drain and release pressure . This type of abscess may not hurt at all.
In other cases, the infection spreads inward to some deadly areas. If a dental infection spreads to the bloodstream, it leads to a condition called septicemia.
An infection that spreads to the soft tissues under the tongue can block the airway. If an infection from the upper teeth spreads, it can reach the brain. All of these situations can be deadly.
Summary
Untreated abscesses can spread to other areas of the body, leading to life-threatening conditions like septicemia or a brain abscess. Prompt treatment is necessary to prevent spreading.
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Stages Of A Tooth Abscess
What does an abscessed tooth look like? Paying attention to changes in the appearance of your teeth can help you spot an abscess before it gets too bad. Sometimes its just not possible to stop the formation of an abscess, especially if its due to an injury. But making sure that youre practicing good oral hygiene including brushing regularly and flossing daily is a good start to protect your teeth. You should also watch for any of these signs of the formation of an abscess to prevent a painful dental emergency.
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Signs And Symptoms Of An Infected Tooth
You may have an infected or abscessed tooth if youre experiencing any of the following symptoms:
- Painful throbbing in your tooth, jawbone or near your neck
- Sensitivity to hot and cold temperatures
- Sensitivity to the pressure
- Swollen lymph nodes under your jaw or neck
- A salty fluid taste in your mouth
- Difficulty breathing or swallowing
Contact your dentist if you think you may have an infection, and consider the below home remedies to soothe your symptoms until then.
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Should I Go To An Urgent Care Dental Clinic
When a tooth crisis happens, you might not just have the time to Google-search urgent care dental near me! What do you do? How do you know when its serious enough that you should go to an urgent dental care clinic, the emergency room, wait it out, or schedule an appointment with your dentist for next week?
Prevention is key. Our team at Penn Dental Medicine wants to help prepare you in case something serious does happen to you or a family member. It is important to know what comprises a dental emergency, how you can take care of yourself on the way to the emergency dental care clinic, and where your nearest urgent care dental center is located.
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How To Cure Tooth Infection Without Root Canal Surgery
A tooth infection is one of the most painful sensations most of us will ever experience. The best way to get over the discomfort is to go to a walk-in dentist as soon as possible. If, by any chance, you live in Palatine, IL, you could handle any dental emergency at Clock Tower Dentistry, or any of the nearest dental offices that offer a range of infection treatment methods. That being said, we are also aware that most people are apprehensive at the thought of seeking emergency dental services.
Too often, we see patients who are deathly afraid of simple procedures like root canals. But is there a way to avoid having to remove the pulpy core of an infected tooth? The answer to that question is: sure but only in some cases. Still, if you want to know how to cure tooth infection without root canal treatment, youve come to the right place.
Now, before we talk about root canal procedures, we should explain how people get tooth infections. Usually, it has to do with improper dental hygiene, which encourages bacteria to eat through the hard surface of our teeth. Once that happens, getting past the dentine, the soft material under the enamel, into the root of the tooth is only a matter of time.
Thats also why we need to address issues like an occasional cracked or broken tooth as they occur. Not treating a chipped tooth is basically an invitation for bacteria to get through the porous dentine and to the sensitive pulpy core it surrounds.
The Life Cycle of a Tooth Infection
Speak To An Emergency Dentist In Lombard Il
Suppose you suffer from a possible broken jaw, an oral infection that causes a high fever, or other similar issues. In that case, its appropriate to visit the emergency room or call 911 immediately.
Conversely, dental emergencies are defined as:
- Bleeding that doesnt stop
- A gum infection causing swelling and discomfort
- Pain from a broken filling, tooth loss, or other dental trauma
- Uncomfortable swelling in or around the mouth
In case of a dental emergency, type emergency dentist near me in your favorite search engine, and book an appointment for the next available appointment.
Book an emergency dental appointment in Lombard, IL, by calling 629-5700 or contacting us online.
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