What are the symptoms of a tooth infection?

If a cavity is left untreated for too long, the tooth can become infected or abscessed. This is one of the reasons why visiting a dentist is imperative to your oral health. Although many infected teeth do show symptoms, there may be some cases when you may not feel anything at all. It is recommended that you visit a dentist every 6 months or more often if medically necessary. Your dentist will let you know how often you should visit.

Infected teeth will often show the following symptoms: 

• Throbbing & persistent toothache 
• Sensitivity to hot & cold foods 
• Fever 
• Swelling of the face and/or gums 
• Pain or pressure when chewing 

If you have any of the symptoms above, it is recommended that you see a dentist as soon as possible. This will increase your chances of being able to save the tooth and eliminate the need for extraction. However, if you have fever or swelling that does not go down or if you have any type of trouble breathing or swallowing, we recommend that you visit the emergency room immediately. This could mean that the infection has spread to other areas of your head or neck.

Depending on the severity of the infection, our dentist may prescribe you antibiotics or decide to have the tooth extracted. If the tooth can be saved it might require a root canal (endodontics) or gum treatment (periodontics). If you have any questions regarding tooth infections or show any symptoms, please contact us today for an appointment!