Abscessed Tooth Complications and Dangers
June 27th, 2008
An abscessed tooth is an infected tooth. When you have tooth decay or gum disease, you can get infection deep within the tooth or gum. This infection is an abscessed tooth and can be very painful.
Alternative names of tooth abscess are periapical abscess, dental abscess, tooth infection, abscess - tooth.
Tooth Abscess Causes
The dental pulp, the only part of the tooth that’s sensitive to pain, is often well protected. The outer layers of the tooth - enamel, and dentin, the main part of the tooth - surround the fleshy, nerve-filled center. But if a tooth cracks or develops a deep cavity, the pulp can be exposed. Before long, bacteria will invade the center of the tooth and the pulp will start to die. As the tooth infection progresses, pockets of pus will form at the root of the tooth. This is called tooth abscess.
Sometimes a tooth abscess is excruciatingly painful and/or swollen, and at other times a patient will not even know it exists until he or she has a routine exam and/or x-ray.
Tooth Abscess Symptoms
- Toothache, dental pain
- Pain when chewing
- Sensitivity of the teeth to hot or cold
- Bitter taste in the mouth
- Bad breath, breath odor
- Possible fever
- Swollen glands of the neck
- General discomfort, uneasiness, or ill feeling
- Swollen area of the upper or lower jaw - a very serious symptom
Tooth Abscess Misdiagnosis
Misdiagnosis can and does occur and is reasonably common with error rates ranging from 1.4% in cancer biopsies to a high 20-40% misdiagnosis rate in emergency or ICU care. Surveys of patients also indicate the chance of experiencing a misdiagnosis to range from 8% to 40%. This makes misdiagnosis one of the most common types of medical mistakes.
With a tooth abscess diagnosis, it is important to consider whether there is an underlying condition causing tooth abscess. These are other medical conditions that may possibly cause tooth abscess. Other conditions that might have Tooth abscess as a complication might be potential underlying conditions.
Tooth abscess misdiagnosis need not be a feared outcome. There are various ways to prevent tooth abscess misdiagnosis such as seeking a second opinion or a dental specialist referral. Getting educated about the possible alternative or underlying diagnoses for a condition is useful information to discuss with your dentist.
Abscessed Tooth Complications and Dangers
Untreated tooth abscess is very dangerous. If abscessed tooth left untreated, the tooth infection can spread and you can lose your tooth or have other health problems. Left untreated, tooth abscess may compromise the immune system and in some cases may become life-threatening.
A tooth abscess complication includes tooth loss, jaw bone damage, neighboring tooth damage or loss, sinus problems, brain abscess, heart damage, hospitalization, coma, and even death.
Some more tooth abscess complications that have been very much explained already: Facial Disfigurement as it eats away the facial bones; teeth falling out as the tooth abscess destroys the jaw holding the tooth; the picture is pretty gruesome.
Here is the list of abscessed tooth complications:
- Loss of the tooth
- Spread of infection to soft tissue (facial cellulitis, Ludwig’s angina)
- Spread of infection to the jaw bone (osteomyelitis of the mandible or maxilla)
- Sinusitis, it is any infection or inflammation of the sinus cavities behind the nose and eyes. It is very common with an estimated 37 million cases annually in the USA. Symptoms vary according to which sinus cavity is infected.
- Spread of infection to other areas of the body resulting in cerebral abscess, endocarditis, pneumonia, or other disorders
A rare abscessed tooth complications - Ludwig’s angina and mediastinitis. While a life-threatening deep neck infection is an uncommon complication of tooth abscess, dentists should be able to recognize the signs and symptoms. The patient should be examined for swelling below the inferior border of the mandible, fever, excessive trismus, floor of mouth or tongue elevations, and deviation of the pharyngeal walls. In addition, the signs of an impending airway disaster, including muffled voice, inability to tolerate secretions and protruding tongue, should be carefully evaluated. Quick referral to an oral and maxillofacial surgeon and early definitive care will minimize the morbidity and mortality of these serious infections.
The Worst Abscessed Tooth Danger - Death
Tooth abscess can cause the death of the tooth and it can literally be the death of you. If a tooth abscess if left untreated it can grow and spread through the soft tissue of the face and cause dramatic outward facial swelling called cellulitis.
If a person waits until the gum is so swollen that they have difficulty breathing or opening their mouth, the situation is very dangerous. It is not the “poison” of infection that makes the tooth abscess deadly, but its growth that can choke off our ability to breathe. That is the type of tooth abscess that can kill if left untreated.
Tooth Abscess Prevention
Prompt treatment of dental caries reduces the risk of tooth abscess. Traumatized teeth should be examined promptly by the dentist. Never leave tooth abscess to it’s own end and where-ever possible, get to a dentist as soon as possible.
Categories: Gums, Teeth
It’s really horrible to die from abscessed tooth… is there any statistic about this?
I have a swollen, infected tooth as of last night. It is pretty big, am using warm salt water. How long does it take for infection to disappear? thank you Randy
Randy, beware of tooth infection complication, rinsing with salt water has no guarantee that tooth infection will disappear. You may need more effective remedy. Try to kill your tooth infection by finding answer on this article, but best way is to consult dentist.
I have just completed my first root canal (deep filling and infection occuring after a few months). My concern is that I was informed that there is still infection in the jaw. I have a two very slight heart valve murmers and a hip replacement. Shouldn’t I be on antibiotics, and if so what is the usual protocol?
i had an abscessed tooth the did a root canal but after the pain is very bad. feels like their has been a jack hammer in my mouth-is this normal?
I have a abscecced tooth that has not a lot of pain but its in my sinus on the side of my bad tooth, its very yellow and smells.. how bad is this i have had it for over 3 weeks and no dental insurance. what is going on??
Yes this is bad. Any time you have bad smells eminating from living tissue that means there is a colony of bacteria living inside the tissue. In the case of an abcess in the mouth this infection can spread to the brain, the face or the bone and cause the loss of part of your mouth, face and death. Go to the hospital ER (YOU CAN DIE) they can give you antibiotics and drain the abcess.
my step brother is in a coma right now from what started as a tooth abcess. and it was all because he was afraid the dentist was going to have to give him a shot. i know he wishes he would have gotten it taken care of when it was a small thing. now his mother is considering taking him off of life support.
please don’t let this happen to you. see a doctor as soon as you think something is wrong.
I have several bad cavities, the most recent being in the front. My whole right side of my face is swollen, I have a black eye because of it. The absess is so large that I can not even open my mouth much. I keep going to the ER and trying to find dental clinics that will help but the dentists have refused me and the hospital keeps giving me antibiotics that are not effective? I am scarred this is much more serious, any advice on getting a dentist involved with no dental insurance?
Please advise! When my son was 3 years old, he had 5 cavities which were taken care of under sedation. Over the past 2 years (he is now 5 years old), 3 of the five former cavities have already been pulled due to abscess (2 of them within the past 2 weeks!) Is this normal? I’m not sure what to make of it, & his dentist doesn’t seem to know, either. He has had regular cleanings & checkups. Should I be concerned of underlying health problems? Is there something I can do to prevent any of the other filled teeth from abscessing?
i have been on antibiotics for 3 weeks now for an abscessed tooth…i havent been to the dentist yet due to no dental insurance..my jaw is swollen and the swelling is now going down the left side of my neck…i am miserable!!!!!!!!!!!!
We advise you go to the dentist immediately: “Left untreated, tooth abscess may compromise the immune system and in some cases may become life-threatening.”
I have had have my tooth missing down to my gums for two years now,whith the rest of my theeth filling like they may all break when I try and eat anything hard.And a painfull time trying to eat on that side. At the same time my tooth started falling apart I started having a strange filling in my fingers when I tuch certen fabrics.I am just woundering If this may have any thing to do with my exterme use of laxtive and dieting in the past. I did not have the money when my filling frist came out and caused a big whole in my tooth, due to loosing both my parents to cancer, and just trying to make a living right after high school.
hi all, i have been having alot of serious dental work for about 7 months, the pain continued after treatment was completed, was diagnosed with trigeminal neuralgia and startes tablets, pain continued, last sat pain got very bad, then my cheek began to swell from my jaw, i felt so ill but put it down to t neuralgia, but had high fever could not swallow any food or drink and my cheek from jaw swollen, decided that vthis could not possibly be neuralgia, went back to dentist who immediately put me on amoxillin 500mg 3x day for 5 days and have to go back to dentist to sort out tooth, is this enough antibiotic? how long untill swelling goes down? how much rest do i need? when will pain go away? please help me out.
Hi. I hAd a root canal done. then 6 months later, my mouth blew up on me while visiting another state. I went to a dentist who x-rayed me and said an abcess formed under my crown- probably because the dentist didn’t clean all the infection out. he preferred not fix someone else’s work so I left. that was about a year ago. now the abcess is moving my crown around, headaches, sometimes my face will have something like hot/cold flashes & numb toe
s/fingers. is all that possably from that? i’m in ca now and can’t go see that dentist. should I just get the $1400 crown pulled? thank you for your time.
-Steve
Steve~ DO NOT HAVE YOUR TOOTH PULLED! I did and it was one of the worst mistakes!! A Dentist worth his salt would help you regardless of who did the work! (I was married to one)
Hurry up and make your appointment on MONDAY ASAP!!
Feel better!
2 days ago I noticed my lower right cheek was swollen so I went to the dentist yesterday.He said I had an absessed tooth.So he prescribed me penicillin.I have been taking them as he prescribed but today the swelling has went down to the front of my throat!Is this normal as the medication is killing the infection?Will it go away as long as I keep taking my penicillin?Thank you
My husband had 2 teeth pulled last night. He is really sick and throwing up. I am very worried about him. He got them pulled because they were hurting him very badly. What do i need to do???
I have had a tooth abscess for awhile now, i take antibiotics for it and it helps but it keeps coming back. When i take antibiotics it forms a head and i can drain it. Recently ive started getting a burning sensation in my throat, is there any way this could be related? I dont think its normal acid reflux, antacids dont really help.
Thursday around Noon i started to aquire a toothache in my right upper wisdom tooth which has been impacted for over a year (or so I suspect, i have no official medical prognosis). The pain got very bad, so I purchased some maximum strength oragel and it did help to a point. I then took two 200 MG Ibuprofen pills in the evening. Friday I awoke and I experienced virtually no pain (albeit the right side of my mouth was a tad sore because of the throbbing toothache the day prior.)
Saturday I awoke to the worst of the toothaches I’ve had in this case, it was in my tooth, jaw, back of my neck, head, and ear. It was extremely severe and I took it upon myself to dope up on the Ibuprofen all day, which did cause relief. Sunday I experienced less sever toothaches but the BOTTOM right side of my face began to swell.
Somehow, the bottom wisdom tooth had begun causing pain, and the top wisdom tooth ceased. Again, more Ibuprofen and Oragel. Around the evening I decided to take some leftover Pennicillin 500 Antibiotics. I took two between 6 pm and 4 am (I barely slept due to the pain.) Monday the swelling had gotten much, much worse. The toothache pains were about the same as the day prior though. I continued with the Ibuprofen, Oragel and of course Pennicillin, I took 3 that day.
Yesterday the swelling went down a great deal, but it was still rather swollen and very noticable. I went from a chipmunk to the guy with a pouch of smokeless Tobacco tucked in his cheek ;) I took roughly 14 Ibuprofen pills and I took 4 Pennicillin throughout the day and evening (a very, very sleepless night.) Today the swelling has went down a bit more, I maybe have spit out almost half of the Tobacco pouch ;) The toothache is still persistent, albeit less severe.
All in all, for 3 and 1/2 days I have been taking the antibiotics, I’m wondering how much longer it will take until the swelling has subsided completely? I am aware that in many cases, the swelling is usually gone by that time, but in other cases (including one i dealt with years ago), the swelling can persist for a week or even longer.
I know I should have been to a Dentist or atleast the E.R. by now, but I already know they cannot drain the abcess until the infection/swelling is gone, so I render it pointless. I have pain relief and an assortment of antibiotics, so there isn’t much they can do. If the infection has not dwindled to nearly non-existent by Friday, I plan to make a trip to the E.R.
So, there is my description of my bout with an Abcessed tooth, as descriptive as possible. For home remedies, try swishing warm salt water, sticking a teabag or sliced potato in your mouth, near or on the infection. Also ice bags help to numb and reduce swelling.
Good luck to all and don’t let it get out of hand. If you do not have readily available antibiotics, you must aquire them, otherwise the infection will just not heal.
I have had a few abscesses in my life. This time however, the dentist pulled the tooth the first day he saw me. He said it had an abscess and asked me if I wanted a root canal or if I wanted it pulled. I said I wanted it pulled, and he did it, right then and right there. I had not been on any kind of antibiotics or anything before I saw him. I am on antibiotics now, but I am having a tough time with pain and swelling a full week after the extraction. Is there something wrong with what the dentist did? Do I need to see my regular doctor? Help, please!
Dennis~
An assortment of antibiotics is not going to help you. You need to be on a regimen of PENICILLIN! PLEASE go to a DENTIST ASAP!! Let us know what happened!
I have a tooth that had an old silver colored filling that just broke off one day when I was chewing gum. I have had an abscess twice on the tooth. I have no dental insurance, so I looked online for a home remedy. The best one I have found that worked in less than 30 minutes: Put some warm to hot water in a cup and mix in 1/2 table salt & 1/2 baking soda, dip cotton ball in mixture and stick on abscess for about 5 - 10 minutes, than repeat with new cotton balls until abscess drains. Hope this helps!!!
Hi..on thursday I had root canal on an absessed tooth. I am on amoxicillin 500mgs 4 times a day. It is Sunday morning and I still have swelling. I am controlling the pain with advil. I called the dentist this morning and he told me if it has not come down by the morning he will have to drain it again. I am going on vacation on Tuesday and I’m a nervous wreck.
When I bite on my tooth (left upper molar), I have the most dreadful taste in my mouth (like pig-slurry): it is awful. I noticed some gum tenderness yesterday and again this morning and I wonder whether I have a small tooth abscess.
I have some penicillin at home: should I take it now?
I have a cracked wisdom tooth on the top right side I guess it got infected the pain got so bad had to go to e.r I am now on antibiotics and have been for 4 days, now the pain is much worse jaw bone hurts, shooting pains under my jaw. Don’t know what to do vicodin not working pain is to much to bear.
I had a dentist whom I often used who was a family friend. As a result of a very painful tooth abscess he performed a root cannal and crowned the effected tooth. Some five years later I started having problems with that same tooth again.
Because I had moved to the other side of town I decided to try another local dentist who made a horrifying discovery.
During the root cannal procedure my previous dentist (the so called family friend)had accidently broken off a tiny file inside the root cannal and just left it there.
This foreign material caused a major infection, one that went unrealized because it relitively painless. Eventually the infection ate a hole in my facial bones and was slow dripping staph infection into my sinus.
That tooth ended up costing me more than four grand before it was eventually removed. Since that time I have had one root cannal after another, over six thousand bucks worth. I now experience significant muscle, joint pain and a reoccurring rash on my face.
Is it possible I have developed osteomeylitis or a similar infection? My current dentist seems oblivious to what is happeneing in my mouth or perhaps has merely put his profits ahead of my health. Please advise.
I have an abcessed tooth, bottom right last 2 teeth-both have had root canals and crowns, the pain came on suddely but wasn’t unbearable-2 days later the pain became known as the “worst pain of my life”–My mother in law gave me antibiotics, Cephalexin from her dentist (40 500 mg capsules) this was on a Fri and I was 700 miles from home. I have an appt tomorrow to have it looked at–the dentist said that I should continue taking the antibiotics and they would be helpful–
Anyways 3 days of taking them & many “remedies” what I have found that actually will relieve some of the pain is:
Rinsing w/ hydrogen peroxide & warm water 50/50 mix
Take a dry teabag and roll it up like snuff & place between gum & cheek
Ibuprofen for swelling-
alternate w/ ice/heat packs….
The teabag reduces swelling & is supposed to drain the in
I have a chipped tooth. It is in the upper jaw the very back tooth on the left side. The tissue around this area is very swollen and tender. There is a bump right beside my ear on the left side also that is very tender to the touch. For about a week now off and on I have been experiencing excruciating pain that just radiates all down the left side of my face. Rinsing with mouth wash helped to dull the pain for just a little bit, Orajel is a joke and if I take an Excedrin I am pain free for about an hour then it comes back with a vengence. I have also been really sick for the past week I have had a fever I am really tired and there is a bad taste in my mouth that I just can not get rid of. What is going on? I have no health insurance and I don’t know what I should do. Please someone help me.
I went to this free clinic and they have real doctors. To get my back tooth pulled this tooth was half way decade. So they nummed me up adn tried to pull it. Well afet 6 whole tubes they could not get me nummeb up enough cause i could still feel it. So they sent me home with some anti and with half of my tooth there and told to take Advil and tylone every four hours. This sucks after reading all of this i am very scard many people told me tho that the reason i would not num all the way was because i had a infection and that taking the anti would help and when i went back i woulc num but i am so scared to go threw that again. They also think that my wisdom tooth might be holdlin it in still. I dont want to die this scares me how long doese a tooth have to be like this to really get sick. I had it like this for 2 years then i went to the dentist last night to get it pulled but they only got half of it