Risk of Ignoring a Tooth Abscess – Tooth abscesses should not be taken lightly and must be treated immediately. Because, health problems that attack the oral cavity can trigger bad effects if you leave it for too long.
Tooth abscess is a disease that occurs due to bacterial infection and often attacks people who do not maintain good dental hygiene. This can lead to the formation of pockets or lumps filled with pus on the teeth.
A tooth abscess usually appears at the tip of the root of the tooth and causes unbearable pain. Pain that appears as a symptom of this disease is caused by pus that collects in lumps around the teeth and mouth.
A tooth abscess that is not treated properly can make the pus build up and cause the pain to get worse. Even if you know this can lead to complications in the mouth. Dental abscesses need to be addressed immediately to prevent adverse effects on the teeth and mouth.
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Risk of Ignoring a Tooth Abscess
Tooth abscesses can be very painful, and the pain may radiate to the ears and neck.
As quoted from healthline.com, there are three types of dental abscess, namely, periapical abscess that occurs at the root of the tooth, a periodontal abscess that is between the tooth and the gum. And the third, gingival abscess, occurs in the gum tissue and has no impact on the teeth or gum ligaments.
The symptoms of a tooth abscess begin with swelling and pain that get worse over night and over a few days.
In addition, symptoms can include pain when chewing or biting food, even when lying down.
Then, red and swollen face and gums, discolored or even missing teeth, bad breath, foul taste in the mouth, fever to swollen lymph nodes.
Tooth abscess can happen to anyone but is most often found in children. In addition to the annoying pain, this condition is also often characterized by several other symptoms.
This disease triggers symptoms of an increase in body temperature that causes fever, pain and sensitivity when chewing food, swelling of the face and cheeks, and redness of the mouth and face.
Tooth abscess arises because bacteria in the oral cavity spread to the soft tissues and bones of the face and neck. After infection, the bacteria will begin to enter the dental pulp through the cracks in that part.
The risk of tooth abscess increases due to various factors, including the habit of consuming foods that are too sweet and contain lots of sugar, and not maintaining good dental hygiene and health.
In a more severe level, the infection that has spread can also trigger other complications. In this case, complications due to tooth abscess can lead to sepsis, which is a deadly infection that spreads throughout the body.
Complications of a tooth abscess
If you have a tooth abscess, you should immediately get treatment from a dentist. The goal, so that the infection does not spread.
If left untreated, the infection can spread to the jaw, and other parts of the head, neck, including the brain. If a tooth abscess is left alone, there is a risk of complications that can even lead to death.
1. Oral Fistula
Oral fistula is related to the presence of an abnormal cavity or channel in the area of the tooth, which is caused by the surface of the organ experiencing inflammation (inflammation).
2. Sepsis
Sepsis is a serious medical condition where there is inflammation throughout the body caused by an infection.
3. Sinus Infection
Sinus inflection is a form of infection in the facial sinuses.
This occurs if the infection is in the upper teeth adjacent to the sinuses, as a result the sinus cavities can contain pus from the teeth.
4. Facial Swelling
A tooth abscess that has become infected and spreads to the face, will cause swelling.
This condition is classified as an emergency, because once swelling occurs in one part of the face, it will spread quickly to other parts.
5. Osteomyelitis
Osteomyelitis is a bone infection caused by microorganisms that enter the body through wounds or the spread of infection through the blood.
6. Ludwig Angina
Ludwig’s angina is a more serious condition than cellulitis due to fistulas.
Abscess due to fistula in the lower mouth that is not resolved triggers swelling that can compress the airway (larynx) causing shortness of breath and can lead to death.
Conclusion
Therefore, it is very important to always maintain the health and hygiene of the dental and oral cavity. That way, the risk of ignoring a tooth abscess can be avoided.
You can schedule a visit to the dentist every 6 months. If there are complaints of toothache before the time of the visit, you can try asking and conveying the problems that arise to the dentist.