Is a Tooth Infection Dangerous?
I had a broken molar. It was doing okay but now my mouth hurts and now my cheek has started hurting. I took some antibiotics I had left over from a throat infection, but it doesn’t seem to be helping. One of the guys at work said that leaving it is dangerous, but I don’t have dental insurance. I don’t really feel like spending a ton of money if it is not dangerous. It hurts, but I can live with it. So, is it really dangerous?
Danny
Dear Danny,
I’m afraid your friend at work is correct. Untreated tooth infections are dangerous. In fact, people die from untreated tooth infections every year. This is because antibiotics alone do not cure a tooth infection. This is why you weren’t having any luck with the antibiotics you used. Though, I’m a bit concerned about you having leftover antibiotics. I don’t know if your doctor told you this but when you are prescribed antibiotics it is important you finish the entire amount even though you will be feeling better much sooner, often within twenty-four hours.
The most antibiotics can do is temporarily hold off the spread of a tooth infection. The only way to truly treat an infected tooth is to remove the infected pulp. There are two ways to do that. The first is by having a root canal treatment done. This is normally the best course of action because it will save the natural tooth structure.
If that isn’t possible than the second way to treat the infection is by extracting the tooth. That does mean you will need to replace the tooth. Otherwise you risk the adjacent teeth shifting or tipping into the empty spot. This will lead to bite problems and possibly TMJ Disorder. While a dental implant is the best tooth replacement, I know you are on a limited budget. Your dentist is ethically responsible for sharing all the options with you.
Get to a dentist. This infection you have is spreading. It’s already up to your cheek. You don’t want it spreading further and reaching your brain.
This blog is brought to you by Moline Dentist Dr. Thomas Goebel.
Porcelain Veneers Led to Root Canal Treatments
I had a smile makeover done with veneer crowns. Ten teeth on top and ten on the bottom. After the permanent veneer crowns were put on, I started having some problems. In the first four weeks, I’ve had three teeth have sharp pains. He tried adjusting them, but that didn’t help. He did some x-rays and told me that I have nerve damage and will need root canals. First, he never told me that nerve damage was a possibility. I asked him about that and he said that it is rare and I’m just one of the “unlucky” ones. Now, I’ve had two more teeth start to bother me. I’ve already paid for all of this and now I’m having to pay for root canals too. Should he offer to pay for some of this?
Angie
Dear Angie,
I am sorry that you’ve had this experience. I want to start by clearing up some terms to make sure we are talking about the same thing. You keep saying veneer crowns. There are porcelain veneers and there are porcelain crowns, but there are not veneer crowns. The big difference between the two is the amount of tooth preparation that has to be done.
With porcelain veneers, hardly any tooth structure needs to be removed. In part, that is why nerve damage would be extremely rare. I’m thinking with the amount of damage and root canals you ended up needing, I suspect you were given dental crowns. With dental crowns, much more of your tooth structure is removed as you can see in the image above. This would have a greater risk for nerve damage. However, even then it would take some aggressive shaving of the tooth to do the kind of damage you are talking about.
The fact that he gave you crowns also concerns me. The standard procedure for a smile makeover is porcelain veneers. Do you know why your dentist gave you crowns? Did your teeth already have crowns? Unless you needed crowns, doing them for a smile makeover is an overtreatment. Though, sometimes, dentists who don’t really do a lot of cosmetic work, will suggest them simply because they don’t know how to do veneers.
I would ask him to pay for the root canal treatments. You wouldn’t have nerve damage without his procedure unless there is something else you didn’t mention that would reflect on this situation.
This blog is brought to you by Moline Dentist Dr. Thomas Goebel.
Will She Lose This Tooth?
A few years ago, I had an accident that broke off half my tooth and led to me needing a root canal treatment and dental crown of my lateral incisor (the one next to my front tooth). It was fine until recently, where I’ve had some pain on and off. I went to see my dentist who said he didn’t see anything wrong. I insisted there was, so he sent me to an endodontist. The endodontist said the pain is probably coming from the tooth next to it, but he doesn’t see anything on the x-ray. His theory is that I’ve probably been putting pressure on it while I sleep. I feel like no one is taking me seriously and am worried I’m going to lose the tooth. If I did, would a dental implant work for someone my age? I’m 32. If I do lose it, should the dentist pay for the replacement?
Angie
Dear Angie,
I’m glad you wrote. I don’t know why your dentist and endodontist found this challenging. You had serious tooth trauma a few years ago. It is highly unlikely that the adjacent teeth were not impacted by that. If you had a root canal treatment, then the crowned tooth would not be having the pain. On a back tooth there can be tricky canals, etc., but a lateral incisor would not be complicated. Because of that, the endodontist’s idea about it being referred pain from another tooth makes sense. However, I don’t agree with the pressure thing.
It is more likely that the tooth was damaged at the time of the original accident and is just now showing the signs. This is actually quite common, so that is what puzzles me about your care givers not considering that possibility.
If they don’t see anything on the x-rays at the moment, then I don’t think this is a dental emergency and would not stress about it. Instead, just have some x-rays done every couple of appointments to keep an eye on it. The most likely scenario is that at some point this adjacent tooth will also need a root canal treatment.
Nothing you’ve described makes me think that you are in danger of losing your tooth. But, if you ever do lose a tooth, then, yes, a dental implant would be an excellent tooth replacement. In fact, it is the best tooth replacement.
This blog is brought to you by Moline Dentist Dr. Thomas Goebel.
Infected Tooth and No Money
I’m missing one back tooth and have another that has had some decay for a while. Now I am pretty sure that it is infected. My problem is that I do not have dental insurance but I do have health insurance. Is there a way I can use my health insurance to get an antibiotic for a dental problem? My jaw is becoming quite swollen.
Abraham
Dear Abraham,
I am glad you wrote. What you don’t want to do is use antibiotics as a solution for this. Even if your medical insurance would cover a dental issue, which it will not, an antibiotic will only be a very temporary solution. Then, once the antibiotics are done, your infection will blow up even worse with no way to keep it under control.
The only way to really get rid of a tooth infection is by a dentist getting in there and physically removing the infected pulp of the tooth. Ideally, this would be done with a root canal treatment because it would save your tooth. If that is no longer possible, the other treatment option is to extract the tooth. The downside to the extraction option is that you will need to replace the tooth. Otherwise the adjacent teeth will shift or tip into the empty space. This will throw off your bite and could lead to headaches, jaw pain, and TMJ Disorder.
The best tooth replacement is a dental implant, but that is also the most expensive. There are several other options. If you do need an extraction your dentist is ethically obligated to give you all of them.
With the swelling you have in your jaw, that signals to me that your infection has spread. I would consider this a dental emergency and get in right away. I know you don’t have dental insurance, but if you call around and explain your situation, I feel like you should be able to find a dentist who would be willing to allow you to pay it out and get the treatment you need.
This blog is brought to you by Moline Dentist Dr. Thomas Goebel.
How Long Can I Put Off a Root Canal Treatment?
If I have a tooth that needs a root canal treatment, how long can I put it off before I have to get one? I’ve been swamped with work and I can’t afford to take any time off right now.
Everett
Dear Everett,
While I cannot give you definitive timelines, I can give you some general guidelines. Please bear in mind that I have not examined you or even seen any x-rays, so this is just based on general information. Everyone’s body is different. If you want definitive advice, then it is important you see a dentist and let them examine you.
If your tooth is hurting, even a little bit, then you need to have the root canal done. This mean that you have an active infection. Another red flag is if there is a pimple on your gums. This is known as an abscessed tooth.
Depending on how severe your pain is, I would not necessarily call it a dental emergency, but you do want to get this scheduled or it will turn into one. So, don’t put off having this attended to.
Believe it or not, multiple people still die from tooth infections every year. When left untreated, a tooth infection will continue to spread outside of your mouth. If it reaches your heart or brain, what could have simply dealt with becomes life threatening.
If you do not have an active infection, then you are probably safe to wait. I’ve known people who waited years to get their root canal treatment. However, they did say that when they finally got it done, they noticed that they felt much better in general than they had in years.
I want to make sure that you are aware that by waiting, you risk external resorption. This is a condition where the infection eats away at the root of your tooth. When this happens the tooth is no longer able to be saved. Then, you are stuck with an extraction and the need to replace the tooth.
If you don’t replace the tooth, then the adjacent teeth will shift or tip into the empty space. This will throw off your bite and can lead to painful TMJ disorder.
This blog is brought to you by Moline Dentist Dr. Thomas Goebel.
Will Household Bleach Whiten Teeth?
If I am looking to whiten my teeth but don’t really want to go to the dentist, would using household bleach to rinse around in your mouth whiten them? I’m looking for options to improve my smile but am new to town and haven’t really set up with a dentist yet.
Avelyn
Dear Avelyn,
Bleach, such as Clorox used in laundry, is a base. Another base you may have heard of is Lye. It’s a rather strong corrosive that will destroy living tissue. In fact, dentists often use it in root canal treatments. An active ingredient in bleach, is sodium hypochlorite. This cleanser can be used inside a tooth to get rid of any dead organic material left in a tooth. While it dissolves the organic material, it also cleanses the inside of the tooth, like a disinfectant. This isn’t dentists using cheap-o material. It is actually a process taught in dental school.
If you swish it around in your mouth, then you are going to be damaging any tissue you have in your mouth, including your cheeks and gums. The only safe and effective way to whiten your teeth is with professional teeth whitening.
Second, when bleach comes in contact with certain types of other chemicals, it is a reaction which actually turns it into a deadly gas. You would not want to breathe those vapors in.
I would use this as an opportunity to find your new dentist. You will have to have your teeth thoroughly cleaned before you whiten them anyway. If you don’t do that, then your results will be splotchy.
While you are looking for a dentist, is a good time to assess what type of services you need. The dental world has really grown. While teeth whitening is, technically, a cosmetic procedure, it is the easiest of the cosmetic procedures and pretty much any dentist can do it. However, if you are going to want any of the more advanced procedures, such as porcelain veneers, then you will want a dentist with advanced post-doctoral training in smile makeovers. These are not adequately taught in dental school and a dentist has to invest in training after they graduate to get the training they need.
This blog is brought to you by Moline Dentist Dr. Thomas Goebel.
Using Antibiotics for a Tooth Infection
Almost two weeks ago I went to the dentist for an infected tooth. It was pretty bad and even my cheek was swelling. He gave me some antibiotics, which I took in full. The swelling was almost gone. A few days later it started back up again. Do I go back to the dentist or do I just need a refill on my antibiotics?
Peter
Dear Peter,
I think there was a miscommunication with your dentist. The antibiotic should have been just to get your tooth infection under control and tide you over until the infection can be properly dealt with. It is not meant to, nor can it, heal your infected tooth. The only way to cure a tooth infection is for a dentist to physically remove the infected tooth pulp. There are two ways to properly do this. The first is by extracting the tooth completely. This should be a last resort because natural tooth structure is always best; plus tooth replacements, especially the good ones, are expensive. The second option is a root canal treatment.
Hopefully, it was just a matter of you not hearing your dentist say that you would need a follow up appointment to do the real treatment, though the front desk should have mentioned it when you were checking out. If your dentist did not plan on any follow up treatment, then you need a new dentist because this one does not understand tooth infections.
It is particularly concerning that this started to get better and has now blown up again. I would consider this a dental emergency. Call your dentist as soon as the office is open and tell them what is going on. If they don’t get you in that day, then call around to some other dentists and see who will given the situation.
This blog is brought to you by Moline Dentist Dr. Thomas Goebel.
Delayed Treatment for an Infected Wisdom Tooth
I had some minor pain in a back tooth and went to see my dentist. He told me a wisdom tooth is infected. He gave me some antibiotics and referred me to a specialist. The antibiotics were very helpful. When the specialist saw me, he recommended I remove all of my wisdom teeth but he cannot schedule me for about a month. Since then, the antibiotics have run out and I can feel the pain coming back. Will he be able to treat me if the infection is back?
MaryAnne
Dear MaryAnne,
While you cannot rely on antibiotics alone to solve a tooth infection, in your case, it will be okay to call the specialist and tell him you have run out and need enough to get you through until your procedure. Let him know that you can already tell the infection is returning. He should have no problem writing you a refill on your prescription.
Do not wait to get it refilled. These infections are serious. Generally, they require urgent dental care, but it is okay to keep the infection at bay in the short term with medication. As I mentioned before, it will not heal the infection. The only way to do that is to physically remove the infected pulp of the tooth. Without proper treatment, this can turn life threatening. Our jaws are quite close to our brains and throats. You don’t want the infection reaching either of those places.
To remove the infected pulp there are two treatments: a root canal treatment and a tooth exraction. Generally, a root canal treatment is preferred in order to save a tooth. It is unnecessary on a wisdom tooth, however. This is because you can remove a wisdom tooth without needing to replace it.
This blog is brought to you by Moline Dentist Dr. Thomas Goebel.
Misdiagnosis by an Emergency Dentist Caused a Lot of Pain
I had a tooth that was giving me pain and sensitivity to cold. I am new to the area so I do not have a regular dentist yet. I went to a dentist who advertised as a dental emergency specialist. I went in and he said my wisdom teeth are impacted. I told him that tooth 19 seemed to be the problem, but he said it is definitely the wisdom tooth and that one of them either needs to be extracted or filled. I opted for the filling. This made my pain even worse. I went back and he adjusted the tooth and wrote me a prescription pain medication. All that did was make me loopy. Once the prescription wore off I was in even worse shape. I called back and he said to have the tooth extracted. I told him the pain didn’t feel close to the wisdom tooth at all but he insisted that was the problem. I had the tooth extracted and was again prescribed painkillers along with antibiotics this time. I was okay for a bit while the medicines lasted. Once they ran out, though, I was in complete misery. I finally went to the ER and they did an x-ray and told me that I had an abscessed tooth. I got fed up with this dentist and went to see an oral surgeon out of pocket. He told me it was tooth 19 (shocker) and that it is now too late to save it, so I had that extracted too. I’m so frustrated because I had to do several unnecessary appointments, including the ER, and ended up losing two teeth. Do I have any recourse for this or do I just have to suck it up?
Trent
Dear Trent,
What a nightmare! You certainly have some recourse here. In short, what this dentist did is malpractice. First, I’m going to tell you what to require of him, then I will tell you what mistakes he made.
The first thing I would do is tell this dentist he needs to cover the expenses not only for your extra visits to the oral surgeon and ER, but also for the cost of an implant and a crown to replace your missing first molar, as well as any bone grafting that may be necessary with a dentist of your choosing. If he refuses, tell him you will contact a lawyer and add pain and suffering to the amount. I feel fairly certain his insurance company will tell him to settle quickly.
This “Emergency Dentist’s” Mistakes
Let’s start with the fact that there is no emergency dentist specialty. Any general dentist can schedule emergency appointments and treat patients. He misled you with that. Second, at your initial appointment with cold bringing pain to the tooth, he should have advised you that you would likely need a root canal treatment. I have no idea why he was bringing up your wisdom teeth with these types of symptoms. Then, with your second appointment when you are still having problems, he adjusts your bite? Really? The prescription for antibiotics tells me he either suspected an infection or was just throwing around treatment options willy-nilly. Plus, antibiotics never completely cure a tooth infection. The job of antibiotics is to hold the infection at bay while you are awaiting an appointment for your treatment. By the final appointment, there should have been no doubt. I don’t know how he passed his courses in dental school.
You may be wondering why I’m having you include the tooth replacement in there with what your dentist should cover. It is because if he would have treated this in a timely manner, there is a good possibility you could have saved the tooth. Now that it is out, it must be replaced. Otherwise, the remaining teeth will drift or tip into the space. This will throw off your bite and can lead to painful TMJ Disorder. A dental implant is the best replacement available.
This blog is brought to you by Moline Dentist Dr. Thomas Goebel.
Antibiotics for Tooth Infections
I have a toothache that has me so distracted I am having a hard time getting any work done. I am in the middle of a huge merger and DO NOT have time to see a dentist. I do have a doctor that will write me a prescription for just about anything. I just need to tell him what type of meds I need. Can you help me with that?
B.W.
Dear B.W.,
First, I’m just going to say what your doctor is doing is not only against medical ethics but super dangerous. While I am sure that it is handy to have a doctor willing to do that, I do worry. That being said, an antibiotic will not solve your problem. Instead, it will just be a temporary reprieve. Once the antibiotics run out, your tooth infection will come back with a vengeance.
The only way that you can stop a tooth infection is by having a dentist physically go in and remove the infected pulp. This is because a tooth infection kills the tooth and there is no longer blood flow to the tooth, which means the antibiotic will have no effect on the root of the infection.
You have two choices in truly dealing with a tooth infection. The first is to have a root canal treatment where the dentist goes in and removes the infected pulp. From there you are generally given a dental crown. The good news is that this saves your tooth. It is always better to have as much natural tooth structure as possible.
The second option is if the tooth cannot be saved and the decay and infection have gotten too far. When that happens, the tooth has to be extracted and you will need to replace the tooth. If that happens, I recommend you get a dental implant to replace it. That is the closest to having a healthy natural tooth in your mouth again.
I know you are short on time, but if you let this spread, it can turn from a dental emergency to a medical one. Think about how close your jaw is to your brain and heart. People still die from tooth infections because they allow the infection to spread. I know you are busy, but I really do not want you to put this off. You could call the dentist and ask him to prescribe you an antibiotic, but it will only buy you a short period of time.
This blog is brought to you by Moline Dentist Dr. Thomas Goebel.