Teeth infections can spread and cause life-threatening medical complications, e.g. blocked airways resulting in respiratory failure, sepsis, deep neck infections, osteomyelitis of the jaws, endocarditis, cavernous sinus thrombosis,  facial cellulitis, mediastinitis, and tissue necrosis.

Typically, the ones that can block off the airway are going to be lower molars and premolars, that infection can spread into space under the tongue and close off the airway. So essentially, the person would die by asphyxiation.

The other danger area is that an upper canine or lateral incisor in the front can spread through facial planes and actually reach the brain. So those are two specific tooth areas that have a higher risk for causing death.

But it’s important for you to understand that it is technically possible to die from a tooth infection on any tooth in the mouth.

Dental caries can develop slowly over many months before becoming a severe infection. As bacteria invade the tooth, they spread through the hollow internal chamber of the tooth where the nerve and blood vessels live. From there, the infection can spread from the internal chamber out through a pore at the tip of the root and infect the surrounding jawbone. From there, the infection can spread into the facial spaces so when we see a patient who has a large swelling in their face, we know that it has spread from inside the tooth to the tissue surrounding the tooth and then outward.

There can also be tooth infections that begin in the spaces around the tooth, we would call these periodontal infections. This occurs when plaque and tartar buildup containing dangerous disease-causing bacteria developed between the tooth roots and the surrounding Jawbone and gum tissue. That infection can also develop, and instead of beginning within the tooth, it begins around the tooth. Those are our two general categories of how tooth infections begin.

There are a number of factors that can increase the chances of developing a dental infection. These include, for example, poor oral hygiene, diabetes, smoking, and alcohol abuse.

The good news is if you see your dentist regularly, you should never reach the point where a tooth infection gets dangerous because we would catch it way before it reaches that point.

It is safe to say that if you have a cavity that’s large enough for you to see with your naked eyes when you look in the mirror, that cavity is at risk of causing a severe infection.

Obviously, toothache pain can also indicate a tooth infection. Whenever there’s a cavity inside the tooth reaching toward the nerve, that nerve will become extra sensitive and painful.

Another warning sign for that is when the infection has destroyed a significant amount of bone tissue that supports that tooth, the tooth may become loose, so looseness of the teeth is also a sign of dental infections.

The most dangerous sign that a tooth infection is spreading is swelling. If there is visible swelling in the gum tissues around a tooth in the area we call the vestibule, the area between your gums and your cheek. Or if it is visible from outside the mouth just looking at your face if you can see a visible swelling here or here, that’s an indication of a dangerous tooth infection.

If you don’t have any dental treatment to address a dental infection, you can be sure it will come back. The bacteria that caused the infection will always remain either inside the tooth or around the tooth if no dental intervention occurs. And so depending on the cause of the dental infection, that will determine the treatment, but you cannot expect that the infection is actually healed or cured without any dental treatment at all.
It is imperative that you seek medical assistance at an urgent care facility through an emergency dentist or even at the emergency room. if you have a growing swelling, any swelling in the face, cheek, or neck could be the sign that swelling, that infection is spreading and it could be spreading into dangerous areas. So you need to seek attention immediately.

It is safe to say that any dangerous tooth infection can always be treated by removing the tooth through a tooth extraction. That is a very quick and effective way of removing the source of the tooth infection so that it no longer spreads, your body heals the surrounding tissues and you are free from the infection.

However, if you want to save the tooth, there are various ways that we can work to remove the source of the infection. When the infection develops within the tooth from a large cavity where bacteria penetrates into that hollow chamber inside the tooth. The treatment of choice would be a root canal treatment, a root canal treatment cleans out the internal chamber of the tooth. Fills it with a biocompatible filling material and seals out bacteria. That allows you to keep the tooth but it removes the source of that infection.

If the infection developed around the tooth, that would be a periodontal problem. In a periodontal problem, we need to clean the roots of the teeth, clean out that pocket around the tooth and help promote healing. Sometimes more involved treatment is required like gum surgery, using a laser traditional type of surgery. And so your dentist will recommend the best option to help you keep the tooth if you desire to do so.

In cases of severe dental infections, sometimes surgeons or emergency room doctors will perform something called an I and D that stands for incision and drainage. This procedure drains away pus, relieves swelling, and helps to kill anaerobic bacteria by exposing them to oxygen. This does not fix the problem but it does relieve pain and reduce swelling and help your body get ready for the dental treatment that will fix the infection. Those are relatively rare but in cases of dangerous spreading infections where we need to remove the pressure immediately, that’s the treatment of choice and it’s followed up by more dental treatment.

If the treatment fails,  you will likely continue to experience symptoms of the original tooth infection. This could include tenderness, pain, swelling, or pus collecting at the infection area. Any of those signs require immediate intervention by the dentist or surgeon who did the treatment. It is possible for treatments to fail and so you need to be vigilant for the warning signs.

Sugar actually feeds inflammation. So when you need to heal from an infection, avoid food and beverages that are high in sugar. You also need to drink plenty of water, a dehydrated body cannot heal!

Get a little bit of exercise, whatever is appropriate for your body style. After you’ve received the necessary treatment, these things will help support your immune system and help you heal.

Early intervention is key, and we can always stop dental infections in their early stages. So It’s important to see a dentist on a regular basis. Close-up dental x rays and thorough dental evaluations will help catch dental diseases like cavities and gum disease before they become dangerous infections.