What happens if a tooth infection spreads to your jaw?
If the abscess ruptures, the pain may decrease significantly — but you still need dental treatment. If the abscess doesn’t drain, the infection may spread to your jaw and to other areas of your head and neck. You might even develop sepsis — a life-threatening infection that spreads throughout your body.
How do you get rid of a jaw infection?
Treatment
- Open up (incise) and drain the abscess. The dentist will make a small cut into the abscess, allowing the pus to drain out, and then wash the area with salt water (saline).
- Perform a root canal. This can help eliminate the infection and save your tooth.
- Pull the affected tooth.
- Prescribe antibiotics.
What happens if your jaw gets infected?
Mild symptoms include painful, swollen gum tissue around the affected tooth and a buildup of pus. Left untreated, the infection can spread to your throat and neck, causing swelling in your face and jaw, and enlarged lymph nodes in your neck and jaw.
What are the symptoms of a bacterial infection in the mouth?
Symptoms of a Mouth Infection
- Severe, throbbing toothache.
- Pain in your neck, jaw bone, or inner ear.
- Sensitivity to hot or cold temperatures.
- Fever.
- Foul-smelling breath.
- Bitter taste in your mouth.
- Swelling in the face and/or cheek.
- Sensitivity when chewing or biting.
How do I know if my jawbone is infected?
Jawbone infections/dental abscesses are caused when a dental cavity remains untreated….Symptoms of a jaw bone infection or dental abscess include:
- Pain in the mouth or jaw.
- Redness or swelling.
- Drainage of pus from the area.
How serious is an infection in the jaw?
Jawbone infections/dental abscesses are caused when a dental cavity remains untreated. Bacteria can form and cause an infection. If it is not treated immediately, the infection can travel into the jawbone and cause serious health issues.
What are symptoms of jaw bone infection?
Osteomyelitis of the jaw can cause:
- Fever.
- Jaw pain.
- Facial swelling.
- Tenderness to the touch.
- Jaw stiffness.
- Sinus drainage.
- Tooth loss.
- Pus (thick, usually yellow-white fluid).
How do you know if you have a jaw infection?
Signs and Symptoms
- Fever.
- Jaw pain.
- Facial swelling.
- Tenderness to the touch.
- Jaw stiffness.
- Sinus drainage.
- Tooth loss.
- Pus (thick, usually yellow-white fluid).
How serious is a jaw bone infection?
If it is not treated immediately, the infection can travel into the jawbone and cause serious health issues. Symptoms of a jaw bone infection or dental abscess include: Pain in the mouth or jaw. Redness or swelling.
What are symptoms of infection in jaw?
Jawbone infection symptoms may include such as: Pain in the mouth or jaw. Redness. Swelling. Pus draining from the area. Jaw stiffness. Tooth loss.
Do you need antibiotics for a jaw infection?
According to the National Library of Medicine, antibiotics for a jawbone infection should be taken for at least four to six weeks , and sometimes longer. The jawbone is characterized by poor blood flow compared to other bones of the body. Sometimes this hinders the ability of antibiotics to reach the infection site.
How is a jaw bone infection detected?
How It Is Diagnosed. Your dentist may suspect a jawbone infection by the symptoms you exhibit. According to the ADA, “doctors may use X-rays or test for infection (taking microbial cultures).” Your dentist can do some blood tests to see whether you have any indicators of an infection.
What causes a jaw bone infection from a root canal?
You can get a jawbone infection from a tooth extraction, root canal, or wisdom teeth removal where bacteria entered the bone through the surgical site. This occurs due to unclean or shoddy dental practices.