Any appearance problem or pain in the tooth should be taken seriously and we should take measures to check the condition or treat it. If a person leaves a decayed or damaged tooth alone, under various conditions, this tooth is a good breeding ground for infection. An infection that not only causes temporary problems, but also pain and swelling for a person, which may spread to other parts of the body in some cases and cause very dangerous secondary effects. Therefore, it is recommended that if there is a broken and damaged tooth among the person"s teeth that does not even cause pain, to see a dentist to treat its condition. Why some oral problems such as bad breath are caused by the same
tooth infection.
Involvement of the tooth nerve in cases such as tooth decay and the accumulation of bacteria in the root area of the tooth are cases referred to as tooth infection. Tooth infection does not occur suddenly for any person. Rather, it involves a long-term process from the destruction of the tooth crown to its internal areas, which finally reaches the contact point between the tooth and the gum. At what stage you start dental treatment, changes the situation completely. When it is too late for this treatment, there will be a need for root canal treatment and denervation. The infection in the tooth causes a lot of pain in the initial stage, and its subsequent effects, which will continue even if the pain disappears, include bad breath, unpleasant taste in the mouth, and sometimes lethargy and fever.
In a simple definition, it can be said that leaving a decayed tooth alone will eventually lead to an infection that affects the root and gums of the tooth and may spread to other parts of the body.
Tooth infection can occur under many different factors, most of which have contributed to the development of this disease in the long run. Among other things, we mentioned that a decayed tooth that has been left alone for a long time is a good breeding ground for tooth infection. The next one happens to people who have oral and dental allergies. Root canal treatments that have already been done are another common cause of tooth infection.
But if we want to say in general, any internal and surface complications that provide space for the accumulation of bacteria in the middle area between the teeth and gums will be a cause of tooth infection. An infection that needs to be treated immediately.
Symptoms of tooth infection
By observing a series of symptoms, we can quickly understand the condition of the tooth infection and take measures to treat it. The most important of these symptoms are the following:
Sensitivity to eating hot or cold food and drink: If you are facing such a problem, the conditions for your teeth are such that the nerve is affected by this cold or hot food and drink. So there are conditions for causing an infection and it may have been caused.
Severe pain in the root area of the tooth: pains that do not improve much even with pills and painkillers, and they intensify over time and then decrease again for a while.
Tooth discoloration: A part of the tooth becomes dark or brown and differs from other teeth in terms of color and appearance. Of course, in many cases, this symptom may occur so late that the entire nerve is involved in the infection.
Severe swelling in the area of the gums, jaw and face: Since infections are accompanied by a large accumulation of pus in the area, in many cases, we see swelling of the jaw along with tooth infection. This swelling is created like a cyst in the gum area and sometimes its amount is so high that it completely changes the shape of the person"s face.
Bad smell and taste in the mouth: Of course, bad breath has many causes, one of the causes of which is tooth infection. In many cases, the person himself does not notice the bad breath and this is pointed out to him by others. But if you feel an unpleasant or bitter taste in your mouth, it may be due to an infection.
In addition to these cases, symptoms such as pain while sleeping and in the middle of the night, not opening the mouth sufficiently, pain while chewing food, etc. also point to dental infection problems.
What is the process of tooth infection?
Any surface or internal problem that occurs in the tooth and no action is taken to treat it, is the starting point for the process of tooth infection. including fractures and surface cracks that occur in the tooth crown. These items open the way for the entry of air, drinks and food into the teeth, and the remaining of each of these items over time provide a breeding ground for infection.
Lack of hygiene is another factor that causes the tooth to become infected. For this reason, you may think in the short term that brushing your teeth once in a while is enough, but not only should it be done on a daily basis, but it is also necessary to use dental floss. These two things help to remove the underlying factors of infection, such as leftover food, etc. from the teeth and prevent the accumulation of bacteria.
The next factor in creating the process of tooth infection or accelerating tooth infection is treatment processes or the use of certain drugs. Including root canal treatment that has been done in the past, it can help create a long-term condition for tooth infection.
The long-term process of tooth infection occurs under the influence of other factors, such as an improper diet with high sugar, including high consumption of soft drinks and sweets.
Increasing age is also not ineffective in aggravating the process of tooth infection.
Medical treatments for dental infections
According to wide factors such as the exact location of the infection, the conditions of the infection, the spread or non-spread of the infection, the physical condition of the person affected by the infection, whether he had a severe physical reaction such as fever, and other cases, a different treatment method is considered for the tooth infection. take
In the process of treating tooth infection, the least risky treatment method that has a suitable and good result for the person is used. The most important treatment methods are:
Nerve extraction or tooth root canal
For those cases where the infection is deep in the tooth, it is necessary to perform a root canal, which is done by making a hole in the crown of the tooth and to remove decay, infections, and accumulated bacteria. Paid. In denervation, the lower empty space of the tooth is filled with rubber-like materials, including gutta-percha, and if needed, the specialist considers the complete filling of the tooth for the individual.
In all cases, complete debridement is not the answer to remove the tooth infection, and experts use a complementary process such as apicoectomy in these cases. With this method, a part of the gum is opened so that the end root of the tooth that is involved in the infection can be removed along with the surrounding infected tissue.
This drug category is used to control infection conditions and prevent its transmission and spread. In some cases, according to the treatment conditions of the person, the use of antibiotics may be used along with other treatment methods, such as denervation, and the duration of the treatment is also determined by the specialist.
In addition to the mentioned treatment methods, the use of sepsis and drainage treatments are also used in some cases. Drainage includes direct evacuation of the infection from the site. People who have sepsis (blood infection) problems must also go through their treatment process under special care.
Home treatment of infection
If a tooth gets infected, it can no longer be completely treated at home with non-medical methods, but there may be a time gap between visiting a doctor and reaching the clinic due to various reasons. During this period, with a series of home treatment methods, he controlled the pain situation and to some extent prevented the increase of swelling or the spread of infection. The following are helpful in this case:
Use mouthwash to wash your mouth
Spool of lukewarm water with salt and lemon juice
Use of painkillers to reduce pain
Controlling the amount of swelling and pain with the help of a cold compress on the face
Drinking soothing teas including chrysanthemum tea
Putting ginger or turmeric on the infected tooth.
Using fenugreek tea as an antibacterial drink
Using thyme essential oil to relieve inflammation as well as bacteria
Complications of dental infection
Dental infection is one of the most common diseases in the world and is not a rare or unusual case. But in many cases, not recognizing it on time causes many problems for the person and brings many side effects. For this reason, it is recommended to visit the dentist once every 6 months to know the condition of your teeth and treat them if there is a problem such as a tooth infection. If not treated on time, the following problems may occur:
It is a special type of infection that occurs under the influence of factors such as sudden trauma or certain conditions of tooth infection. Delaying the treatment of such an infection is very dangerous and there are reports of people dying. The symptoms of this type of abscess that occurs at the back of the mouth include swelling in the throat with pain, fever, inability to swallow, etc.
This type of side effects is more common in children. In such cases, the infection covers areas such as the skin and fat under the skin and moves in soft tissues. This characteristic of cellulitis is the complete opposite of an abscess that remains in one place. Its symptoms are bad breath and in higher stages nausea, vomiting and fever and chills.
The spread of infection and its entry into the blood is another complication of tooth infection that causes sepsis. In this disease, the body is in the stage of reaction to the infection in the blood. Its symptoms include high and low body temperature, delirium, decreased level of consciousness, high heart rate, increased breathing rate, pain in different bone areas of the body, including hands, feet, and spine.
Osteomyth, or bone infection, which infects the bones under the influence of the infection entered into the blood, is another complication of tooth infection, which is very dangerous.
A dental cyst may also occur due to a tooth infection, which is caused by the accumulation of fluid in the lower cavity of the tooth. If it is diagnosed early, drug treatment will be effective, otherwise it needs surgery.
In limited cases and with a ratio of one to ten, there is a possibility of a clot forming in the sinuses of the brain due to a dental infection, which may eventually cause death.
When should we see a doctor?
Considering the mentioned complications and the dangerous level of tooth infection, it is recommended to go to the dentist with the first and smallest symptom you see. The earlier the treatment process starts, the transmission and spread of the infection will be prevented, and the problem may be solved with drug treatment without the need for surgery.
On the other hand, because some dental infections are hidden and a normal person cannot recognize them, going to the dentist once in six months prevents such problems from occurring.
