A toothache is more than an inconvenience. If you are experiencing these symptoms, then it’s a sign that you might have an untreated tooth infection. Instead of taking over-the-counter pain medication or trying to ignore the symptoms, it’s critical that you seek dental care as soon as possible. The truth is that an untreated tooth infection can lead to many complications.
Not only are there risks of severe dental issues when leaving a tooth infection untreated, but the infection can spread and cause overall health problems as well. So, the best solution is to seek timely treatment so that you can avoid some of the most common complications that can occur.
How Long Can a Dental Infection Go Untreated?
In the beginning, you might not notice the initial symptoms of a tooth infection. For example, a small amount of decay might be present on the tooth, but it hasn’t moved deeper into the tooth to cause an infection in the inner pulp.
The most common causes of tooth infections include untreated cavities, dental trauma, or gum disease. These issues can create conditions where bacteria spread in and around the tooth, forming an infection and abscess.
Can you live with a tooth infection for years? It’s possible, but not worth the risk! Instead of wondering how long you can live with a tooth infection, it’s better to seek treatment as soon as possible. The sooner you have a dental treatment for the tooth, the better chances you have of saving the tooth. Also, fast treatment is critical to help you avoid more serious health complications.
Immediate and Long-Term Dangers of an Untreated Tooth Infection
If you have a tooth infection, then you will likely notice one or more of these immediate symptoms (which will worsen over time):
- Tooth sensitivity
- Toothache
- Swelling in the gums, jaw, or face
- The formation of one or more abscesses that are filled with pus
These infections won’t resolve on their own. Talk to a dentist right away so you can avoid common tooth infection dangers. An untreated tooth infection can not only result in tooth loss, but the infection can also spread to nearby teeth.
What can an untreated tooth infection lead to? What are the symptoms of a tooth infection spreading to the body? Here are a few common signs that your infection is moving beyond the tooth and affecting different parts of the body:
- Chills and fever
- Fatigue and feeling weak or tired
- Swollen lymph nodes, especially in neck and jaw areas
- Swelling in the face and neck
- Elevated heart rate
- Sepsis symptoms: rapid breathing, increased heart rate, extreme pain, changes in body temperature, confusion
How do you know if your tooth is infected in the bloodstream? If you start experiencing any of these sepsis symptoms, then it’s critical to seek emergency medical care as soon as possible. A systemic infection can be a threat to your overall health and even cause life-threatening complications.
How is a Tooth Infection Treated?
When you seek dental care right away, it can be relatively simple to avoid tooth infection side effects. The most important thing that you need to remember is that timing matters. The faster you seek treatment, the more you can avoid complications.
Minor tooth decay can often be treated with a simple filling. If you have a more severe tooth infection that has moved into the inner pulp within the tooth, then a root canal might be recommended. When an untreated tooth infection has caused severe damage to the tooth, then the only treatment option might be tooth extraction to remove the infection.
Antibiotics can be a temporary treatment to alleviate the immediate infection. But using an antibiotic is not a substitute for dental procedures. If the infection is severe, then you might need both dental procedures and antibiotic treatment to clear up the infection and prevent health complications.
Call Us Right Away If You Have a Tooth Infection
Don’t take the risk of living with an untreated tooth infection. The most important thing you can do is schedule an appointment with our team at myDental. Contact us to learn more about treatment options and explore our restorative dentistry services.
At myDental, we offer full-service dental solutions for the entire family. Schedule an appointment at one of our convenient locations.