Dental infectionsare not uncommon, but they can be painful and lead to other health problems.Some people mistake a tooth infection for a cold or the flu, so it's importantto know the signs of one before it worsens. A tooth infection can occur when bacteria enter your teeth through smallcuts, cracks, or gaps in the gums. If you're experiencing any of the followingsymptoms, you should seek medical attention immediately:
You may beexperiencing a tooth infection if your teeth are extremely sensitive to temperature. Aroot canal, for example, can cause the pulp inside of your tooth to becomeinflamed and/or infected. Dental procedures like this can also lead to gumdisease.
Teeth that have beeninjured may also become infected as well if you do not treat them properly. Forexample, if you chipped or cracked a tooth, it's important that you go see yourdentist immediately so they can clean out any debris from under the surface ofthe damaged area before bacteria can take hold and cause an infection there aswell.
If you have pain inyour jaw or ear, it could be a sign that you're suffering from a toothinfection. While it's normal to experience mild discomfort in these areas ifyou've had a filling fall out, this type of pain is usually accompanied byother symptoms such as swelling and tenderness.
If you have severeear pain that doesn't go away after taking over-the-counter medications, or ifthe pain extends beyond just one ear and into the middle of your face, getchecked out immediately! This could be an indicator of an abscessed tooth or aninfection spread throughout your sinuses; both require immediate medicalattention for treatment.
If you noticeswelling in your face, you may have an infection. This can be caused by anabscess—a collection of pus and dead tissue inside the tooth. Swelling in theface and fever, and chills are other common signs of a tooth infection.
If you'reexperiencing these symptoms, visit your dentist immediately so they can takecare of the problem before it gets worse.
If you are running afever, you should be concerned. Fever is the body's natural way of fighting aninfection—when it comes to dental infections, this is good news! A fever canindicate a bacterial or viral infection (such as strep throat) or even a parasitein your system. It's important to note that tooth infections cause not allfevers; sometimes, they're caused by colds, sinus infections, and otherillnesses that don't involve bacteria. However, if your symptoms match thoselisted above and your temperature is elevated above 100 degrees Fahrenheit (38degrees Celsius), then yes: Your tooth has probably been infected withbacteria!
Swollen gums are acommon sign of a tooth infection, but they can also be the result ofperiodontal disease. If you have swollen gums and no other symptoms, it'slikely you're experiencing periodontal disease rather than an infection.However, when swollen gums are accompanied by other signs of infection (such aspain or a fever), it's more likely that your symptoms are due to an infection.
Symptoms likeswelling and redness can often be attributed to bacteria in the mouth—andtherefore signal an onset of tooth decay or gum disease rather than beingindicative of invasive oral health issues.
If you have any of these symptoms, please visit your dentistimmediately. They are trained to diagnose and treat tooth infections in allstages, so they can help you get back to normal as soon as possible. If theinfection has progressed too far, they may need to remove the tooth or part ofit to prevent further damage.
