(Tooth) Pain & Death: How Ignoring a Toothache Can Be Fatal

As you’d expect, most toothaches don’t point to anything that serious. They often stem from things like minor decay or a slight exposure of your dentin – the list goes on. However, the fact remains that a toothache can be fatal; you should quickly have it checked by your emergency dentist. Failing to get it examined and treated could cause a trip to your local ER. To learn the details, here’s a primer on toothaches, tooth infections, and how a dentist can help.

An Aching Tooth May be Infected

While your toothache may be harmless, it could indicate your tooth is infected. An infection of your pearly whites would cause a lot of pain.

A tooth infection occurs when harmful bacteria reach your tooth’s pulp. Once the microbes get to this area, they irritate the dental nerves enough to send pain signals to your brain. The resulting ache is often severe and persists until you receive treatment or the tooth “dies.”

Tooth Infections Can be Fatal

The bad news about a tooth infection is that it’s more than just painful. If left without treatment, its bacteria can spread to the rest of your body and cause problems like:

Meningitis

Tooth infections are known to trigger meningitis in some people. This latter condition – a harsh swelling of the brain and spinal cord – is dangerous if you have a weak immune system. According to the CDC, its death rate is as high as 70% of its cases.

Breathing & Respiratory Issues

If an infected tooth sticks around, its infection could eventually reach your lungs. That’d be really bad – each lung is an ideal breeding ground for bacteria. Once the microbes multiply there, they’d lead to breathing problems and other respiratory issues. These sorts of ailments can lead to death.

Sepsis

Your body may release certain chemicals to fight your tooth infection. This process – sepsis – could cause a chain reaction that leads to widespread inflammation, ending in organ failure. To avoid that outcome, watch for common sepsis symptoms like fever, difficulty breathing, and low blood pressure.

How an Emergency Dentist Helps

Of course, your emergency dentist can quickly nip a tooth infection in the bud. You’d then be free of a big potential risk to your life! For treatment, they could perform one of the following:

• Abscess Draining: When a tooth infection causes a dental abscess, a dentist will often cut into the swollen area and drain its pus.
• Root Canal: A root canal removes the infected pulp from your tooth, eliminating the “bad bacteria” in the process. It’d then clean and fill your pearly white and cap it with a dental crown.
• Tooth Extraction: When the infected tooth can’t be saved, a dentist can just extract it instead. This option treats the infection, but it’s only done as a last resort.

Since ignoring a toothache can be fatal, see your dentist for help about it immediately!

About the Practice

Southern Oaks Dental is based in Tyler, TX. Led by Dr. Travis A. Markle, our practice makes your smile and its health our passion. That means we offer preventive, cosmetic, and restorative dentistry, as well as emergency dental work when needed. Our team tailors these treatments to each patient’s unique grin to ensure quality results!  For more details or to book a visit, please contact us on our website or by phone at (502)-425-5010.