What’s a tooth infection? It’s a pocket of pus in your tooth’s pulpy inner chamber. The infection usually occurs because bacteria gets in through an opening in your tooth’s enamel surface. Yikes!
Signs of a Tooth Infection
If you have a tooth infection, how might you know? First, you’ll probably notice pus or tissue swelling at your infected tooth. This causes your tooth to hurt– a toothache. The pain could be described as a shooting, sharp or throbbing pain. Next, notice if you have tooth pain while chewing foods. Then ask yourself if you’ve got pain radiating toward your jaw. Check your gums– do you see swelling at the gum tissue for just one tooth or for more? Have you noticed increased sensitivity in a certain area of your mouth that goes beyond just the one main culprit tooth? Ask someone to smell your breath– does it smell bad? Do you notice a bitter taste in your mouth? Do you have swollen lymph nodes or perhaps a fever? These are all symptoms to look for when dealing with a tooth infection.
Infected Tooth Treatments
When a dentist or doctor knows you’ve got a tooth infection then you might be asked to take some antibiotics or pain reliever pills. The infection can be treated, and in some cases, root canal therapy is used to essentially “save” the infected tooth. Severe cases might require draining the infection and/or extracting the tooth.
A tooth infection that doesn’t drain as it needs to could end up spreading to other parts of your head and neck such as the sinus cavity, the soft tissues inside your cheek, your jawbone, etc.
When a tooth infection spreads, you might notice a metallic-tasting pus in your mouth– that means there’s been a rupture and you’ll get some pain relief. Otherwise, you might also notice facial swelling, headaches, jaw aches, earaches, feeling fatigue/unwell, dizziness, chills/high fever, feeling lightheaded, or even stomach issues/vomiting/diarrhea.
Do you suspect you’ve got a tooth infection and it might be spreading? Take care of it quickly– call Genesee Dental for an appointment. The number is 585-343-1113.