How To Know You Have a Dental Infection?

Are you feeling a pulsating and debilitating toothache that slowly travels to your neck, ear, and jawbone? It's time to book a doctor's appointment. Tooth infections begin as a slight toothache, but if left untreated, they can become more painful with time and start to spread to other parts of the body.
An infection develops when naturally present bacteria in our mouths enter below the gum line or inside the tooth. This could be either due to tooth decay, cracked or broken teeth, or gum disease. A tooth infection can lead to pus trapped inside your tooth and called a pus pocket or abscess. If you leave it untreated for long, your only option will be an emergency extraction or root canal.   
If you notice these symptoms, it's best to get help as soon as possible! Book a doctor's appointment online to consult with our emergency dentists immediately.

Symptoms Of A Tooth Infection

Here are the symptoms of an abscess in your gum or tooth:

• Pulsating pain in the affected gum or tooth worsens when you bite down to chew.
• Pain spreading to your throat, ear, jaw, or the sides of your mouth where the affected tooth is present.
• Pain that disrupts your sleep and gets worse with lying down.
• Extreme sensitivity to hot and cold food.
• Swollen cheek or face.
• Developing a fever.
• Problems with swallowing because of the throat swelling up.
• Discolored, tender, or loose tooth.
• Red swollen gums.
• Bad breath and a bad taste in your mouth.

If you are going through any of the symptoms above, don't wait it out and seek treatment now. Tooth infections only get worse with time, posing more problems and pain. Call our emergency dental specialists today or book an online doctor's consultation to get checked.
Dental pain can look like it is manageable with home remedies, but that does not mean your tooth abscess is gone. It is important to get checked and get treatment from a dentist. A dentist will perform a checkup and clean up the infected dental pulp. The tooth will have to be resealed and covered with a crown. If the infection is severe, they will extract your infected tooth before the infection can spread to all of the other teeth.

Symptoms Your Tooth Infection Has Already Spread To Other Body Parts

If you feel persistent headaches, fatigue, fever, chills, dizziness, it is likely the infection has spread to other parts of your body. You might even be dehydrated, have darker urine, have an increased heart rate, and feel lightheaded. Some other symptoms of severe tooth infections are an increased breathing rate and stomach ache accompanied by diarrhea and vomiting.
If your fever is 103°F or higher, it indicates you need medical attention immediately. Fevers can also be accompanied by chest pains, pain while urinating, sensitivity to light, skin rash, vomiting, mental confusion, and disorientation.

Why Do Tooth Infections Occur?

There are multiple reasons for a tooth infection developing.

• There is naturally occurring bacteria in your mouths that can form a sticky film on the surface of your teeth, called plaque. If you don't maintain oral hygiene and keep your teeth clean, bacteria produce acid in the plaque. This is the main reason tooth decay, and gum disease occur.
• Having poor oral hygiene allows plaque to build upon your teeth. This is why it is super important to brush your teeth and floss regularly.
• Having a high sugar intake or eating a lot of starchy foods and drinks helps the bacteria accumulate in the plaque, which is the main reason for abscess and tooth decay.
• If you have a dry mouth – due to aging or due to the intake of certain medicines, it can be another reason for tooth infection.
• Any former tooth surgery or an injury to your teeth can also be a reason for an infection. Bacteria can reach the damaged parts of the teeth and gums and start to grow.
• Many people with certain health conditions like diabetes or going through treatments like chemotherapy or taking steroid medication can have a weak immune system. This is why their oral health can suffer because their immune system isn't strong enough to fight off infections.   

How To Prevent Dental Abscess?

Make sure you're taking all the steps to avoid suffering from a dental abscess. Here are some steps you can take.

• Floss regularly. Flossing or using an interdental brush once every day cleans all of the crevices of your teeth thoroughly. This will prevent any bacteria from accumulating and causing an infection under the gum line or inside of your teeth.
• Ensure 2 minutes of brushing your teeth using fluoride toothpaste twice a day. Research shows that using toothpaste that contains fluoride in its ingredients helps prevent any cavities or tooth infections.
• Have a healthier diet of fresh fruits and vegetables. Cutting down on starchy and sugary foods is a great way to keep your gums and teeth healthy and happy. Don't eat any sugary foods before going to bed or between any meals.
• Avoid any tobacco. People who smoke have an increased risk of dental problems like tooth decay, gum problems, teeth yellowing, and mouth cancer. Even chewing tobacco poses a lot of risks like eroding tooth enamel. Don't put your health at risk and avoid using any tobacco products.
• Have regular dental checkups. Visiting your dentist regularly is important to keep track of your dental health. Address any dental problems immediately and consult your dentist for a quick recovery.

Seeking professional dental care?

If you recognize any of the symptoms listed above and cannot ignore the throbbing pain in your tooth anymore, it's time to get help. Tooth or gum infections simply cannot just be treated by yourself at home. Abscesses need immediate attention and can lead to more complications if you leave them untreated.
At TelMDCare, our dental services are reliable, affordable, and will help you resolve any dental problems in no time. If you are unable to visit a doctor's office, you can schedule an online doctor appointment in Idaho and have an online doctor consultation and prescription with our team of expert dentists for diagnosis.
Starting from $39, you can get our affordable online healthcare and consultation services with a free online chat and a follow-up from your doctor! Contact us now and book a virtual doctor consultation for the best professional dental services and let us help you have a speedy recovery from any problems! Learn more about our services and where we are located.
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