If you have a sore and throbbing tooth and leave it untreated, it’s likely that it may become infected. When you have a toothache, in most cases, the infection has already started its destructive course. An untreated tooth infection, such as that which warrants root canal treatment, can spread to other locations of your body and cause severe health problems.
Signs and Symptoms of Infected Teeth
You know your tooth (or teeth) is infected when:
- You get pain in your tooth that throbs
- You get pain in your jaw, neck, or ear, usually on the same side as that of the infected tooth
- You have fever
- You experience a bad taste in your mouth
- You have bad breath
- Your cheek has a swelling
- You have tenderness or swelling in the neck
- You have gradually worsening pain the moment you lie down
- You feel sensitive to pressure in your mouth or experience sensitivity to cold and hot drinks and food
Tooth infection
A tooth infection occurs when bacteria enter the tooth via a cavity, a chip, or a crack. Unfilled cavities are the source of major tooth infections. Sometimes, infections occur when there are gaps between teeth. Cavities may also occur between teeth, and all cavities should be filled on time
When there’s a gaping hole in your tooth, you’re inviting infection of the tooth pulp. If you aren’t following proper dental hygiene procedures like brushing and flossing at least twice a day, you are in for an infection that will likely result in root canal treatment. People on diets containing a high level of sugar are also candidates for infections in the teeth. Side effects of certain medications cause dry mouth and this is also a possible cause for infection.
While you may want a more appealing smile by wearing teeth braces, be on the alert for gum infections. Though braces on their own don’t contribute to oral infections directly, they may come in the way of maintaining oral hygiene and preventing plaque formation.
You can still brush your teeth regularly, but plaque may still form in parts that the braces cover. This could trigger tooth infections and gum disease. Metal wires tend to get in the way, even if you floss and brush on your part.
While wearing teeth braces, if you discover that your gums are bleeding, red or swollen, especially when you brush or eat certain foods, you need to alert your dentist. These are all signals of your body’s own inflammatory response to oral infection.
Signs of Infection Spreading to the Body
The primary red flag of a tooth infection spreading to the body is that you will feel unwell and uneasy. You may get a bad headache, dizziness, and experience extreme fatigue. You will most probably run a fever that can go up to 103 degrees Fahrenheit or higher (in adults).
Flushed skin, chills, and sweating are common indicators if you have ignored a severely infected tooth. There will be a swelling in your face, and often, swelling impedes your ability to swallow or breathe.
Patients have also reported feeling dehydrated, disoriented and a reduced frequency in urination. You may report an increased heart rate and a feeling of being light-headed, or you may faint. Stomach aches and diarrhea are common signs too. Though not all tooth infections become serious, some can.
If yours ever does, it means that there is a chance of sepsis in the body, which can also have fatal consequences. The best way to prevent this is to go for timely dental check-ups, and if you don’t, at least see your dental specialist when you experience pain in your tooth that is unbearable.
Don’t put off visits to your dental specialist, even if you fear its financial implications. Instead, you can avail of multiple benefits with the Bajaj Finserv Digital Health EMI Network Card, which includes solutions to pay the hospital, diagnostic, and pharmacy bills all rolled into one, with 5,500+ healthcare partners in over 1,000 cities. The card lets you break up the costs of all your medical expenses, including dental care and cosmetic care, into affordable EMI payments.