Most Nigerians never remember to visit a dentist except they are in excruciating pains from a tooth decay. Even at this point, they must have tried out various mythical solutions/remedies suggested by concerned friends and family members. A lot also patronise zero-label solutions hawked around the streets for a quick relief spell. Often times, the symptoms are gotten rid off ,but the underlying factors not only remain, but fester. “It’s only tooth ache, it can’t kill me!”. This is common mentality that we seek to expose in this series on Cavity and Tooth Infection.
Dr Uche Isikwei – Puresnow Dental Clinic, Abuja
Can tooth decay lead to death?
Though there is no empirical evidence linking deaths to tooth decay in Nigeria – we literally don’t do autopsies and collate reasonable data in our health care system – major studies have linked few deaths to tooth infection.
When tooth decay goes untreated for too long, you can lose a large portion of the tooth and need an extraction. Advanced tooth decay can lead to a severe infection inside the tooth and under the gums – termed tooth abscess. This infection can spread throughout the body. Rarely, infection from a tooth abscess can be fatal.
In London during the 1600s, dental infections were listed as the fifth or sixth leading cause of death. Even up until 1908, dental infections still ended in death between 10 to 40 percent of the time.
Due to advances in medicine and dental hygiene, death from a tooth infection is now extremely rare. However, it’s still important to seek prompt care if you suspect that you have an infected tooth.
When left untreated, a tooth infection can spread to other areas of the body, leading to serious, potentially life-threatening complications, including:
Sepsis: a severe reaction by the body in response to the infection
Ludwig’s angina: a serious bacterial infection that affects the floor of the mouth, underneath the tongue
Necrotizing fasciitis: a severe infection that leads to soft tissue death in the body
Mediastinitis: an inflammation of the mediastinum, which is a space located between your lungs
Endocarditis: an inflammation of your heart’s inner lining, called the endocardium
Cavernous sinus thrombosis: a dangerous blood clot of the sinuses, just under the brain and behind the eyes
Osteomyelitis: a bone tissue infection
Brain abscess: a collection of pus that can form in the brain
How long does it take for an abscess to develop?
Abscesses due to tooth decay can take several months to develop. This is because the decay process can take a while to reach and damage the pulp at the center of a tooth.
Meanwhile, injury or trauma to a tooth may allow bacteria to enter the tooth more quickly. This can happen due to injuries like a cracked or chipped tooth.
What happens once an abscess develops?
Once an abscess has formed, you typically begin to experience swelling and intermittent, throbbing pain around the affected tooth. This is a warning sign that something is wrong. However, you will probably have dental pain in your tooth from the cavity before it progresses into an abscess.
Persistent toothaches that go on for weeks or months before seeking urgent or emergency care.
In many case studies, the toothaches were treated with antibiotics during this timeframe. However, antibiotics alone aren’t typically effective for treating a dental abscess. The tooth decay needs to be treated, too, either with an extraction or root canal if your tooth is salvageable.
When a dental abscess remains untreated for weeks or months, it may spread to other areas like the jaw, neck, and brain. This can cause serious symptoms like trouble swallowing, difficulty breathing, and an inability to open your mouth.
At this point, if care isn’t received, death can occur quickly, sometimes in a matter of days.
SUMMARY
- It can potentially take several months for a dental abscess to develop.
- Once an abscess has formed, noticeable pain and swelling around the affected tooth usually occur.
- If left untreated, it may take a few more weeks or months for the infection to spread to other tissues and cause complications. However, once this has happened, death can occur quickly.
- Factors like older age, having diabetes, or being immunocompromised can increase your risk of complications from a dental abscess.
- Overall, these facts underline the importance of seeking prompt medical care if you’re experiencing persistent pain or swelling around a tooth. When treated early, most tooth infections can be resolved without serious complications.
In our next blog post will be delving into the details of tooth abscess, high risk factors, treatments, home remedies and prevention