Tooth Infections – A Quick Treatment Guide

Tooth infections are very common. Dental caries, impacted teeth and infected tooth sockets and roots can cause pain in tooth, gum, mouth and jaw. Let’s learn about tooth infections and how they are best treated with antibiotics and dental procedures.

Infection of the tooth

A tooth infection or abcess occurs when there is infection or pus around a tooth and the surrounding gums.

Wisdom tooth infection

Impacted molars (wisdom teeth) can cause swelling, inflammation and infection in the surrounding gum and tissues causing severe pain that can radiate up to the ear.

Can you die from a tooth infection?

Very severe tooth infections can lead to infection spreading to other parts of the body and even cause sepsis (generalised severe infection) that can be life threatening. So, yes, dental infections are important and cannot be ignored. You need to get timely treatment for the infection with a dentist.

Symptoms of tooth infections

• Pain on or around the infected tooth
• Pain can be aggravated by hot and cold foods and liquids
• Pain may be felt in multiple teeth in the area
• Pain with chewing
• Tenderness, pain around the jaw
• Fever
• Swelling around the jaw and face
• Drooling

Medical treatment for tooth infections

A tooth infection or abscess that has the features above needs to be treated by a doctor and dentist:

• oral medical therapy
• good pain relief with paracetamol, anti-inflammatories or stronger pain killers
• review and treatment with a dentist as soon as possible who may need to drain the area of pus and extract the tooth. Dental treatment is the ultimate way to treat the source of infection.

Medical therapy is not a substitute for dental treatment – a dentist must treat the source of infection.

Treatment of tooth infections