Is My Tooth Infected?

Are your teeth sensitive to hot and cold foods? Does it hurt to bite down when you chew? If so, you'll want to schedule an appointment with our root canal dentist in Waterford, MI. The longer you wait to seek emergency dental care, the more the problem will grow. Continue reading to learn the signs and symptoms of an infected tooth.

WHAT IS A TOOTH INFECTION?

A tooth infection (also called an abscess) is a pocket of pus trapped within your tooth. If left untreated, the infection will spread to the tips of your tooth roots. At this point, your only option would be an emergency root canal or extraction.

You may be at higher risk for an abscessed tooth if you neglect oral hygiene. Once a cavity is deep enough to penetrate the inner chamber of your tooth, you'll develop an abscess. This means that the live tissue (pulp) inside your tooth is infected.

WHAT DOES AN ABSCESSED TOOTH FEEL LIKE?

A tooth abscess is painful. In fact, your teeth may be throbbing and keeping you awake. We always recommend our patients come to us before they're in unbearable pain. That way, we're able to catch issues when they're small and at their most treatable.

SIGNS YOU HAVE AN INFECTED TOOTH INCLUDE:

• Severe toothache
• Sensitivity to hot and cold foods
• Difficulty swallowing
• Pain when biting down
• Fever
• Swollen, tender lymph nodes in the neck or jaw
• Swollen face or cheeks

Recognize any of the above symptoms? If so, schedule an appointment with our root canal dentist. The longer you ignore an abscessed tooth, the more you jeopardize your health. Call our dental practice today to request emergency dental care.

Don't think that the abscess is gone if the pain subsides. While you can manage some of the pain from home, our dentist will need to remove the infected dental pulp. He'll then have to reseal the tooth and cover it with a crown. If our dentist can’t salvage the tooth, he’ll extract it before the infection spreads to your jaw.

DO TOOTH INFECTIONS GO AWAY ON THEIR OWN?

No, a tooth infection will not go away on its own. Instead, it'll only get worse until the abscess bursts. When this happens, the infection will spread to your jawbone, as well as the rest of your head and neck. You may even develop sepsis, which is life threatening.

Do NOT ignore the symptoms of a tooth infection! If you suspect you have an abscessed tooth, you'll need to call our emergency dentist as soon as possible. The sooner you call, the more likely we'll be able to save your tooth. For example, our emergency dentist may be able to treat a small abscess with a root canal. Otherwise, you'll need emergency tooth extraction.

WHAT SHOULD I DO FOR AN INFECTED TOOTH?

First, you'll need to schedule an appointment with our emergency dentist in Waterford, MI. Our dentist is always willing to squeeze you in for a dental emergency. 

Our root canal dentist in Waterford, MI, strives to provide you with the best possible care. To learn more about root canals or to schedule an appointment, give Dr. Taylor’s Family Dental Center a call at 248-681-8100.