Any part of your body can experience infection, including your teeth. While some tooth infections may not cause any symptoms, it’s important to know what could happen. As soon as you notice discomfort or pain, it’s best to make an appointment with a dentist as soon as possible. This limits the damage and gets your oral health back on track. Here are the most common tooth infection symptoms:
INCREASED SENSITIVITY TO HOT & COLD TEMPERATURES
Do you feel a short, sharp pain in your tooth when drinking a cup of hot coffee or eating ice cream? This sensation is usually caused by tooth sensitivity. Sensitivity doesn’t necessarily mean you have an infection, but it’s a common sign.
THROBBING PAIN IN YOUR TOOTH, JAW & AROUND YOUR EAR
An intense, throbbing toothache is one of the most common symptoms of an infection. It’s especially urgent if the pain is constant and starting to spread to your jaw, around your ear, and into your neck. This kind of pain is considered an emergency, so contact our office as soon as you can.
TENDERNESS AND/OR SWELLING IN YOUR JAW, FACE & NECK
Lymph nodes are part of your immune system, so when your body experiences an infection, lymph nodes tend to swell. When the lymph nodes in your neck become swollen or tender to the touch, it could be a sign of a tooth infection. You may even have trouble swallowing. Tooth infections can also cause your jaw and cheeks to swell.
FOUL ODORS & TASTES IN YOUR MOUTH
The bacteria that cause infections also produce strong, unpleasant smells. If you notice your breath is worse than usual and nothing helps, you could be dealing with an infection. You may experience an unpleasant taste, as well. If a foul, salty fluid suddenly floods your mouth, it’s likely a ruptured abscess, which is a pocket of pus caused by an infection. The pain might ease up, but you should still see a dentist.
TREATING TOOTH INFECTIONS AT VISTA RIDGE FAMILY DENTISTRY IN CEDAR PARK, TEXAS
Tooth infections can be scary, so our office is committed to providing effective treatments like root canals, which remove infections while saving the tooth. As soon as you notice any symptoms that worry you, don’t hesitate to contact us! Our dentists treat tooth infections all the time and strive to make every patient as comfortable as possible.