That toothache isn’t
going to go away by itself, and if you have been going through a bottle of
clove oil in a day or two, it’s time to schedule an appointment with your
dentist.
According to AAE.org,
leaving a toothache to its own devices can cause serious problems, and without
dental care, it could turn into a nasty abscess. An abscess isn’t much fun and can
cause other complications including a trip to the E.R. and even death.
A tooth abscess is
literally a pocket of puss caused by an infection in or around your tooth. Unfortunately,
not all people feel pain when an abscess occurs, but if you do notice an ache
in the bone that is around your tooth, you need to schedule an appointment with
your dentist, as this is probably the most common symptom when it comes to a
tooth abscess. If you have a continuous and severe throbbing or gnawing pain or
shooting and sharp pains, you could be dealing with an abscessed tooth. Other
signs that you may have a tooth abscess include, but are not limited to,
- Gum swelling
- Pain when chewing
- Fever
- Tooth sensitivity to hot and cold
- Constant bad breath
- Swollen neck glands
- Bitter taste in your mouth
- Feeling ill or uneasy
- General discomfort
- Swelling and redness of the gums
- Upper or lower jaw swelling
- An open sore that could be draining on the side of your gum
If the pulp inside
your tooth dies from the infection your toothache may suddenly stop, however,
that does not mean that you are out of the woods and magically healed. Once the
pulp dies, the infection in your tooth will remain active, spread, and continue
to destroy tissue. The only way to get rid of the infection is to see your
dentist, even if you are out of pain.
Dental abscesses are
usually treated with endodontic surgery or more commonly a root canal. Root
canals are no more painful than a filling. During a root canal, your dentist
will remove all of the bacteria and dead tissue from the canals in the roots of
your teeth before cleaning, shaping, and filling the root canals. Once
satisfied your dentist will either place a permanent or temporary filling
depending on the severity of the infection.
After your root canal
procedure, your dentist will ask you to come back for another visit to place a
dental restoration, such as a crown, over the top to restore and protect it.
Once your root canal and dental restoration are completed, your tooth will
function just as it used to.
If you have a nagging
toothache, or one that just disappeared, schedule an appointment with your
dentist today. A dental abscess really can be dangerous and should not be
overlooked. Call or click today.
