Are you experiencing swelling or extreme pain around your tooth? Do you have a bad taste in your mouth that won’t go away or just feel generally unwell and feverish? These could all be signs of a serious tooth infection. Because there are so many nerves around your teeth, sometimes it’s difficult to tell if you have an infection or your symptoms have another underlying cause. Your emergency dentist in Addison can share the signs that your tooth may be infected and the different ways it can be treated.
What Are the Signs of an Infected Tooth?
- Pain: If you feel pain while you’re eating, that is a sign that your tooth could be infected. You may also experience a pulsating and throbbing pain that even pain medication cannot relieve. If the infection is spreading, there will be more pressure on the gums and bones, causing extreme discomfort.
- Change of Color: If your tooth has turned a darker color than the rest of your teeth, there’s a possibility that it could be infected.
- Swelling of Face: If your jaw, face, and lymph nodes are swelling, this indicates that there may be an abscess or infection.
- Swollen Gums: It may appear as a pimple on your gums. If it is open and releasing pus, this is a sure sign of infection.
- Bad Taste: Having particularly bad breath or a bad taste in your mouth can point to an infected tooth.
- Difficulty Moving: If you’re having a hard time opening your mouth as a result of pain and swelling, this is a huge red flag.
- General Unwellness: If your infection is severe, you can develop and fever as your body is trying to fight it off. This ca make you feel generally unwell.
What Should I Do If My Tooth is Infected?
If you are experiencing these symptoms, you should seek help from your emergency dentist immediately. Infections and abscesses can be extremely serious if left untreated and you should not attempt to manage it alone. If it spreads to another part of your body, you could develop an entire new range of problems.How Are Tooth Infections Treated?
There are several ways that your dentist can treat an infected tooth, depending on the severity of the infection. Here are the options:- Antibiotics: If the infection is limited to the abscessed area and your tooth is otherwise healthy, your dentist may opt to give you a prescription of antibiotics. This can fight off an infection.
- Root Canal: This helps to eliminate the infection while saving the affected tooth. Your dentist will drill down into the tooth, remove the diseased central tissue (pulp) and drain the abscess. He will then fill and seal the pulp chamber and root canal.
- Extraction: If it’s determined that the affected tooth cannot be saved, your dentist will extract it and drain the abscess to get rid of the infection.
About the Author
Dr. Sara Saremi and Dr. Adrian De Vincenzo are family and emergency dentists located in Addison, TX. They have extensive training and experience treating dental emergencies and can even schedule same-day appointments so you aren’t left to deal with your pain and discomfort. For more information or to schedule an emergency appointment, visit their website or call 972 243 3948.
