Despite our best efforts, most of us will experience a toothache or two in our lifetime. Thankfully, most dental pain is caused by minor issues that can be fixed easily, such as a cavity or damaged filling. However, that doesn’t mean that you should ignore your toothache. In fact, if you leave your dental pain untreated, you could develop serious health issues that threaten the rest of your body! Read on as your Braintree emergency dentist explains how an untreated toothache can be bad for your overall health and wellbeing.
How Do Toothaches Work?
The outside of your teeth can’t feel pain, so if your tooth hurts, that’s a sign that the inner pulp is exposed. This could be caused by a minor cavity or crack, and it may not even hurt that much. However, unlike the rest of your body, your teeth can’t heal themselves. Leaving any kind of dental pain untreated could mean that you’re leaving the inner portions of your tooth vulnerable to damage, debris, and bacteria. Should the tooth become infected, even the smallest toothache could lead to a serious dental infection.
What Happens If a Tooth Infection Spreads?
When a tooth becomes infected, the bacteria will continue to grow, spread, and destroy until the infection is treated. At first, the infection may be contained inside the tooth, causing severe pain and potentially even killing the nerve of the tooth and damaging the connective tissues that hold it in place. From there, it may spread out to the surrounding healthy teeth to inflict the same damage.
However, the dangers of an untreated toothache don’t stop there. The bacteria could be inhaled or escape into the blood stream, allowing the infection to spread to other areas of the body. It could reach areas like your lungs, kidneys, heart, and other important organs and cause severe complications. In rare cases, an untreated tooth infection could even be life-threatening.
When Should I See an Emergency Dentist?
Any tooth pain should be looked at by a dentist in a timely manner. However, your toothache qualifies as a dental emergency that needs immediate attention if it is accompanied by:
- Severe pain that wakes you up from sleep, is distracting, or lasts more than 24 hours
- Bleeding or discharge around the tooth
- A small bump on the gums near the tooth
- Looseness or numbness in the tooth
- Sharp, intense pain while biting down
- Headache, fever, chills, or fatigue
How Can I Prevent Toothaches & Infections?
Thankfully, a few healthy habits and simple precautions can go a long way in preventing tooth infections and protecting your overall health, like:
- Brushing with fluoridated toothpaste for two minutes twice a day
- Flossing daily and rinsing with antiseptic mouthwash regularly
- Refraining from chewing on hard foods or objects like bones, ice, fingernails, and pens
- Eating a nutritious diet that’s high in fiber, vitamin C, and calcium
- Visiting your dentist twice a year for regular checkups and cleanings.
Don’t put your health at risk by ignoring a toothache. Give your Braintree emergency dentist a call right away to ensure your body and smile stay healthy.
About the Practice
Pinnacle Dental has been providing award-winning care for the smiles of Braintree since 1988. Our talented dentists have over 60 years of combined experience and offer all the latest dental services. Should you find yourself in a dental emergency, they’re ready to see you for a same-day emergency appointment to help you get the fast, professional care you need. To learn more, we can be contacted online or at (781) 843-7905.