A healthcare professional wearing gloves examines the inside of a womans mouth using a tongue depressor and light.

Dental Abscess: Why It’s a Dangerous Emergency

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It is easy to dismiss a toothache as something that could wait for your next dental appointment, but a dental abscess can escalate quickly into a life-threatening emergency. If your toothache is throbbing and accompanied by swelling in the jaw, it might be more serious than you think. A dental abscess requires emergency dental care in Indianapolis, IN.

What Is a Dental Abscess?

A dental abscess is a pocket of pus that develops due to a bacterial infection. It typically forms around a tooth’s root or soft tissue. These abscesses start in one area but can spread quickly, causing serious complications.

Infections in the mouth can spread to the jaw, sinus cavities, or bloodstream, causing disease in the bone, sinuses, and even vital organs such as the heart and brain. Infections in the bloodstream can lead to sepsis, a systemic and potentially life-threatening illness.

What Are the Symptoms of a Dental Abscess?

The symptoms of a dental abscess include:

Constant and painful throbbing around the tooth that can spread to the jaw, ear, or neck

  • Tooth sensitivity
  • Fever
  • Swelling in the face, cheek, or neck
  • Swollen lymph nodes in the jaw or neck
  • A foul odor from the mouth

You may experience a salty or foul taste in your mouth. This could indicate the abscess rupture, which could spread the bacteria.

What Causes a Dental Abscess?

The cause is usually a chip, hole, or crack in a tooth’s enamel. This allows bacteria in the mouth to enter the pulp inside the tooth and spread from there.

When Is a Dental Abscess an Emergency?

If you suspect you have a dental abscess, immediately contact your emergency dentist in Indianapolis, IN, and make an appointment to get treatment. Because of the potential complications, a dental abscess is always a dental emergency.

Two dental professionals in blue gowns perform a dental procedure on a patient lying back with their mouth open, using dental instruments and a light.

Three Myths About Dental Abscesses to Know

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Oral abscesses sound scary, and they are a serious situation, but some mistruths can also be misleading. In general, certain signs of a dental abscess can require an emergency dental appointment in Indianapolis, IN. However, it is also important to know what’s happening and how the concerns can be addressed. Find out more about the myths associated with dental abscesses below.

Myth: Abscesses are generally caused by poor brushing habits.

While a lack of oral hygiene could be a contributing factor, abscesses can occur due to other factors like trauma, failed dental work, or underlying conditions like gum disease. Even people with good hygiene can develop abscesses if bacteria enter the tooth or gums.

Myth: Every abscess spreads to the brain or heart immediately.

The risk of an abscess spreading to the brain (brain abscess) or heart (endocarditis) is real but overstated for most cases. These complications typically occur in untreated or chronic infections, particularly in immunocompromised patients or those with pre-existing heart conditions. For healthy individuals, localized treatment usually prevents systemic spread. Therefore, while the spread of infection is possible, and an abscess should be evaluated, there is rarely a reason for this level of concern.

Myth: An abscess means you’ll lose teeth.

An abscess doesn’t automatically lead to widespread tooth loss, and it also is not always a surefire sign that the affected tooth will have to be pulled. This myth can lead people to be apprehensive about seeking care. The infection typically affects one tooth or a localized area of the gums. With treatment, adjacent teeth can often be preserved, and, in many cases, the affected tooth can be treated with something like a root canal if needed. However, chronic, untreated abscesses may cause bone loss or gum disease, which could impact other teeth over time.

Get Immediate Advice from a Skilled Indianapolis Dentist

If you suspect you are dealing with a dental abscess, it is important to have your oral health evaluated by a dentist in Indianapolis, IN. Reach out to the team at Indiana Emergency Dental to schedule an appointment.