There is little in life that is more uncomfortable than a toothache. These can range anywhere from mildly annoying to seriously debilitating. Some tooth pain may be considered minor even though it results from a decaying tooth. Others can signal a serious situation that needs to be addressed and treated as soon as possible. An appointment with a dentist at Sacramento Emergency Dentist can determine if you have an infected tooth and provide relief from the pain.

Severe tooth pain is often an indication that the tooth may be infected. An infected tooth needs to be treated before it causes serious complications. An infection caused by a decayed tooth can lead to an abscess, and this can lead to sepsis.

An abscess is a collection of pus caused by bacterial infection. These pockets can occur at the tip of the root of a tooth. This type of abscess is called a periapical abscess. Another kind, called a periodontal abscess, forms in the gums at the side of a tooth root.

A periapical abscess will form when decay in the tooth has attacked the pulp and caused infection to develop. The pulp is the center of the tooth that contains connective tissue, nerves and blood vessels. This is what nourishes the tooth and keeps it alive.

Symptoms of an infected tooth include:

• Persistent pain, usually severe and throbbing. This can radiate to the jawbone, ear and neck.
• Sensitivity to hot and cold temperatures of food and beverages. Cool air can also cause pain.
• Pressure sensitivity. Chewing or biting causes pain and sometimes even talking is painful.
• Fever
• Foul smelling breath due to the decay
• Swelling in face and cheek
• Swollen lymph nodes under your jaw or in your neck. They will also be tender to the touch.
• Trouble breathing or swallowing

If the abscess suddenly ruptures, you may have a foul-tasting, salty fluid in your mouth with pain relief following.

Seek Dental Care for Tooth Infection

The pain of an infected tooth may cause you to want to go to the hospital emergency room, but your best choice is to go to the dentist. Hospital emergency rooms and urgent care centers are usually ill-equipped to handle dental emergencies. They will do what they can to help you and, in the end, will advise you to contact your dentist as soon as possible for follow up care.

A dental office, on the other hand, has everything needed to address your dental emergency and provide relief from the pain. Your dentist will examine your tooth and take x-rays to determine the extent of the problem. If the tooth can be saved, your dentist may recommend root canal therapy.

Root canal therapy requires the nerves and blood vessels to be removed from the center of the tooth. The infection will be completely cleaned out, and the canal will be disinfected before being filled with a substance called gutta percha. It will then be sealed off to prevent bacteria from entering.

If the tooth is badly decayed and lacks sufficient structure to make it viable and functioning, it will need to be extracted. Your dentist may prescribe antibiotics to eliminate the infection.

It is important to have your tooth examined, even if the abscess ruptures and you no longer feel any pain. If it does not rupture, it will continue to cause you pain and will not go away unless treated. An untreated abscess can cause the infection to spread, affecting your jaw and other areas of your head and neck. If bacteria gets into your bloodstream, it could cause sepsis, which is a life-threatening infection.

Sacramento Emergency Dentist provides emergency dental care for patients experiencing tooth infection. Contact us to schedule a same day appointment. We also offer weekend appointments.