When To Worry About A Tooth Infection
If you suspect you have a dental abscess, dont wait until it ruptures to seek treatment. Dental infections should be treated promptly to prevent the spread of the infection.
Common symptoms of a dental infection that requires urgent dental care include:
- Noticeable sore under the gums
- Swelling and inflammation near the affected tooth
- Bad taste in the mouth
- A severe, throbbing toothache that doesnt go away
- Swollen and painful lymph nodes in the neck
- Pain when chewing or biting down
Summary
Tooth abscesses are dental emergencies. They need to be drained by a professional quickly to prevent spreading. A noticeable sore and severe, throbbing pain are the most common symptoms.
Causes Of Tooth Infection
Different things can cause a tooth infection.
For instance, a periapical tooth abscess is an infection that occurs when bacteria invade the innermost part of the tooth called the dental pulp, which contains nerves and blood vessels.
The periodontal abscess is another type of dental abscess that can result from the accumulation of bacteria in the periodontal pockets. It causes the collection of a pocket of pus in the gum tissues.
There are billions of bacteria in the mouth, some of which play important roles in digestion. However, these bacteria produce acids that can cause damage inside of the tooth.
It also increases the chances of developing a dental abscess. This is why it is important to adopt good oral hygiene.
Some common causes of tooth infection include:
- Poor oral hygiene, e.g., not brushing twice a day and not flossing
- A previous dental work or injury that makes it easier for bacteria to penetrate
- Consuming lots of sugary foods or beverages, which encourages bacteria to form plaques that cause tooth decay and abscess
- A weak immune system which can be caused by underlying medical conditions, such as AIDs and diabetes
Are There Any Alternatives To Root Canals
When you have an East Los Angeles root canal, the central nerve which is inside a tooth is removed. This procedure is done to prevent further injury from the bacteria that is infecting the area. An East Los Angeles root canal can save a significantly injured tooth. Root canal treatment Los Angeles, CA is typically needed when infection is caused by a cavity that is deep, trauma to the tooth has happened, or tooth enamel has been cracked.
When a root canal specialist East Los Angeles performs this procedure, it involves a variety of steps. It may also be a costly procedure. Some root canal specialists East Los Angeles may recommend alternative methods before doing Los Angeles root canal treatment.
One of the most popular alternatives to an East Los Angeles root canal is to remove the tooth. The removal of the tooth by a root canal specialist East Los Angeles will eliminate the chance of the bacteria to settle into the tooth. However, tooth extraction can cause a variety of other health concerns that are not associated with root canal treatment Los Angeles, CA.
When a tooth is removed, the bone and gums around the tooth are weakened by the bacteria. Sometimes the surrounding area is so infected that removing the tooth is not enough. Many experts agree Los Angeles root canal treatment as fewer side effects to the bone and gums than extraction.
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Dos And Donts Of Root Canal Treatment
Dos:
- You should take your doctors prescribed treatment prior to actual treatment.
- Never anticipate pain during a root canal treatment. Be calm, composed and relaxed instead.
- Be ready to go for some hours without food, or alternatively, prepare accordingly and only take the treatment when you are sure you are ready for it.
- Avoid very cold beverages during the treatment
- It is important to completely keep off very hot beverages during this treatment.
- Always contact your dental office in case of a dental emergency or in the case where you need immediate assistance.
- You can use your normal brush to do your tooth canal.
- Eat healthy soft foods during the course of this treatment.
- Do ensure that you go for regular checkup of the treated teeth.
- Try seeking medical advice from time to time. Your dentists will be able to advise you accordingly from time to time every time you go to seek their help.
- Do have radiography done on fractured or discolored tooth.
- Seek medical help if you notice any of your teeth wearing out.
- Make sure you get the best radiograph before you take any of the many available teeth restorative treatment.
Donts:
The Tooth Is No Longer Viable
Traditional dentists recommend a root canal when decay extends into the dentin or soft tissue of the tooth. The anticipated goal is to save the natural tooth, but really only the outer structure is preserved. The living interior of the tooth, the part that supplies the tooth with nutrients, is removed. The tooth is now dead because that living material has been replaced with a putty-like filling and sealed with a crown or dental restoration.
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How Do You Treat A Tooth Abscess
A tooth abscess can arise from infections that develop inside the tooth. Bacteria can enter the tooth when its chipped, broken, or decaying.
Once the bacteria reach the center of the tooth and the tooth becomes infected, pus accumulates in the tooth. The pus in the tooth swells and results in a toothache.
If not treated, the infection could spread to the gums and bone of the mouth.
A tooth abscess should be treated by a dentist, but some home remedies can relieve the discomfort caused by the infection.
The following home remedies can be applied along with prescribed treatments.
Rinsing your mouth with salt water is an easy and affordable option for temporary relief of your abscessed tooth. It can also promote wound healing and healthy gums.
To use this remedy:
Baking soda is another affordable option for treating an abscessed tooth. You may even already have some in your kitchen cabinet.
Baking soda is excellent for removing plaque in the mouth. It also has antibacterial properties.
To use this remedy:
You can repeat this up to two times per day.
What Are The Root Canal Treatment Alternatives
The root canal treatment alternative is to extract the tooth and thoroughly curette the extraction site . When a tooth is extracted, it should be replaced to maintain the harmony and balance of the teeth and jaw. The alternatives have their own potential problems and often involve more extensive and expensive treatments.
These include:
- These need to be removed and cleaned after every meal
- Increases risk of periodontal disease
- Increase wear and tear on adjacent teeth and gums that support the denture
- Not as comfortable as your own teeth
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Herbal Tea Or Fenugreek
Herbal teas or medicinal grade teas contain high concentrations of these herbs and enhance their anti-inflammatory and healing properties. Additionally, there is the Fenugreek tea commonly known to alleviate symptoms of dental infection. Another tea is the so-called goldenseal associated with turmeric and has anti-inflammatory, antibacterial, and antibiotic properties that could be managed in a dental infection.
Root Canal Homeopathic Remedies
Homeopathic remedies are non-toxic natural medicines safe for everyone including infants and pregnant or nursing women. You may use 6X, 30X, 6C or 30C potencies.
Hekla lava toothaches that are sensitive to pressure with swelling of jaws. Dental abscess with swelling. Tooth decay. Nerve pain on tooth extraction. Jaw abscess. Chronic gingivitis, boils of gums, fistulas. Delayed dentition.
Baryta carb gums receded, rapid decay of teeth. Sensitive gums, with pain of toothache. Tendency to tonsillitis and sore throats.
Hepar sulph gums and mouth sensitive and painful. Bleeds easily.
Hydrofluoricum acid decay of roots, especially upper jaw, sensitivity. Teeth feel warm, heavy, rough. Worse from cold drinks.
Lycopodium yellow, loose teeth and very painful from chewing. Gum boils, grinding of teeth. Right-sided problems. Tired 4 pm to 8 pm. Liver weakness with gas.
Merc solubis loose teeth, tender and elongated, inflammation of roots, which ulcerate and fall out. Swelling spongy gums. Worse heat cold, night.
Pyrogenium for infections. Offensive breath. Abscess of teeth and roots with fevers.
Silicea teeth root infection or abscess, gum boils, sensitive to cold. Person feels cold. Week connective tissues of the body. Weak fingernails.
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Natural Remedies For Dental Pain And Root Canals
Quick Fixes for Tooth Pain
Clove oil applied directly to the tooth is a traditional remedy for toothaches .
Chamomilla, the top homeopathic remedy for excruciating pain during teething, works for adults too, especially if theyre unbearably cranky from the pain.
Coffea is a backup plan for these excruciating toothaches, more likely to be used for people who tend to be nervous and hypersensitive and suffer from insomnia.
Mercurius is a great remedy for any problem in the mouth with typical symptoms of excessive salivation, mouth sores, bleeding gums, bad breath, scalloped edges of the tongue, and a possible recent exposure to mercury such as from a filling being replaced.
To use a homeopathic remedy, take the best-matching one in a 30c potency , the potency most commonly available in health food stores, and dissolve two pellets or tablets in your mouth as one dose. Repeat as needed: typically twice a day for mild symptoms and four times a day for intense symptoms. However, if the tooth pain is just unbearable, repeat every 15 minutes until it eases off, then repeat again when it comes back. If you do this for an hour with no relief, its time to try something else.
Avoiding a Root Canal
If you have a toothache but the dentist cant find any signs of infection, she may say, Theres nothing wrong, but if it still hurts, we can do a root canal. If youre like most people and dread getting a root canal more than anything, even public speaking, these tips are for you.
Healing Teeth To Avoid Root Canals
Can I Avoid Root Canals?
In the effort to provide the least amount of dentistry needed to our clients in Arizona, I am on a constant search for materials and technology which can reach this goal.
Biological Dentistry In Phoenix, Arizona
My natural dentistry practice in Phoenix, Arizona is dedicated to the wellness of our clients on a systemic level as well as an oral level. Finding holistic dental options is a challenge. Finding ways to remove toxic materials and microbes from the mouth and teeth which often improves overall health is exciting and satisfying to me. One of these recent inclusions into our patient care protocol is the use of bioactive filling materials, including medicaments to encourage the tooth to repair itself when assaulted by deep decay. Im encouraged by the results we have achieved thus far.
Holistic dentistry. 3D image of missing teeth
What Is A Root Canal
When faced with tooth pain and infection, I provide different options for every client, regardless of ones individual stance on the safety of root canals. While I personally strive for a biological-based dentistry practice, I do not limit information for my clients nor do I decide for them what healthcare is best for them. I am amazed at the high dental intelligence of the clientele who seek me out.
Healing Technology and Materials
Filling with a cavity that needs to be replaced. This small cavity wasn’t hurting the patient at all.
Science Behind Helping the Tooth Heal
Timing Is Of the Essence
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How A Dentist Will Treat A Tooth Infection
Once a dentist has determined that you have an infection, the dentist can work to treat the infection, clear out any abscesses that have formed, and assess the damage. You will usually be given a prescription for antibiotics too. If there are abscesses in the tooth or in the gums near the tooth the dentist will go in and clean those pockets out to get rid of the bacteria. Often that can provide immediate relief from the pain of an infected tooth. The dentist will also check your teeth to see if you will need a root canal in order to save the tooth.
Natural Remedies By Dentist Near Me
You can go natural and prevent root canal treatment. If your tooth does not hurt, then you have time to look for natural ways to treat it instead of going for a root canal treatment. Most people think that the only alternative to root canal treatment is tooth extraction and that is true. Sometimes all you need is safer diet to heal possible infections. In this case, you have to be disciplined enough to follow a strict diet. A good diet is a highly recommended form of natural healing. However, you should know that not all tooth infections can be healed with a good diet. Visit your Best Houston dentist near me to determine whether natural remedies can work for you. Natural remedies include
- Eliminate sugary food intake both processed and natural
- Drink milk from pasture-raised animals/ certified raw milk
- Eat high-quality protein such as raw fish
- Eat raw butter, plenty of it
- Avoid carbs, especially grains and flour products
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Stages Of A Tooth Abscess
1. It starts off as an abscess in the bone of the tooth.
2. Then a small pimple forms on the gums, which we call a parulis or a gum boil.
3. If the pimple on the gums is left untreated, your face may start swelling.
Symptoms of a tooth abscess
The symptoms of a tooth abscess are easy to recognize because it will show up as a pimple on your gums or your face will swell up. Whether or not you can use a home remedy for the tooth infection will depend on which stage it is at.
Signs & Symptoms Relevant To Root Canals
Some of the following symptoms are associated with infection:
- Severe toothache pain upon chewing or application of pressure
- Prolonged sensitivity or pain to hot or cold temperatures
- Discolouration of the tooth
- Swelling and tenderness in nearby gums
It is worth noting that pain is a very poor gauge of whether there is a problem. It often surprises us that one patient may only have a small cavity and be in a lot of pain while another may have extensive decay and infections and yet never have any pain.
This is why we take dental x-rays to see whether there are any underlying infections.
Below shows a healthy and diseased tooth:
Root Canal Treatment Options
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The Root Canal Therapy Procedure
Root canal therapy requires one or more office visits and can be performed by a dentist or endodontist. An endodontist is a dentist who specializes in the causes, diagnosis, prevention, and treatment of diseases and injuries of the teeths dental pulp. The choice of which type of dentist to use depends to some degree on the difficulty of the root canal procedure needed in your particular tooth and the general dentists comfort level in working on your tooth. Your dentist will discuss who might be best suited to perform the work in your particular case.
The first step in the procedure is to take an X-ray to see the shape of the root canals and determine if there are any signs of infection in the surrounding bone. Your dentist or endodontist will then use local anesthesia to numb the area near the tooth. Actually, anesthesia may not be necessary, since the nerve is dead, but most dentists still anesthetize the area to make the patient more relaxed and at ease.
Next, to keep the area dry and free of saliva during treatment, your dentist will place a rubber dam around the tooth.
At the next appointment, to fill the interior of the tooth, a sealer paste and a rubber compound called gutta-percha are placed into the tooths root canal. To fill the exterior access hole created at the beginning of treatment, a filling is placed.
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Ancient Remedies: Some Healing Secrets For Dental Pain Have Withstood The Test Of Time
Editor’s note: Originally posted in 2016 updated August 2022
Interest in natural, organic, and green products is growing in many industries, including dentistry, and alternative health is a booming business.1 Having once been a vegetarian , I am curious about natural remedies. What did people in earlier times use to relieve dental pain? What merits do herbs have in relieving or treating oral conditions? What natural remedies are still used?
I began my education in ancient healing secrets when I had the great fortune of discovering Dian Dincin Buchman, an author who has written extensively on historical medicinal practices.2 Through Buchman’s and others’ research, I learned of some amazing natural remedies, many of which are still used today.
Natural antimicrobials
Honey: One of the most common natural remedies used today is pure honey, which lasts indefinitely. The inherent peroxide in honey makes it one of the best antibacterial and antiviral natural products.3 Honey helps heal wounds, both inside and outside of the mouth, and it can act as a barrier, contributing to the prevention of infection and keeping wounds moist while healing. As early as 1201, there are records of honey being traded in Riga, Latvia, and used for healing.2 Today, the use of honey as a salve helps heal canker sores or minor gum and tongue sores.4
Related content:
Toothaches
Swelling and bleeding
Inflamed gums
Aphthous ulcers
Sore throats
References
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