Let’s face the truth. At one point of time in your life, you are sure to face tooth issues. Dental issues are a part and parcel of your life. Whenever you have a dental or oral issue, you need to take care of it just the way you pay attention to yourself when you have a fever or flu. Indeed, your oral health can give you the confidence that is required especially when you are appearing in front of the public.

Having a dental issue is normal. Once you have an oral issue, follow the instructions of the dentist and you are good to go. Unfortunately, several people have a tendency to procrastinate and sit back tight at home with the dental problem, thinking that it will go away on its own. When you delay dental treatment for a long time, the dental issue gets complicated. By the time you reach the dentist’s chamber or the dental clinic, the damage is already done.

So, whenever you are suffering from dental problems or you have noticed symptoms of a tooth infection, the best that you can do for your oral health is to visit your nearest emergency dentist in London. A tooth infection can be extremely painful. This pain and discomfit increase if you keep the tooth infection untreated. Since most of you do not recognise a tooth infection, we have come up with the symptoms or the warning signs that can tell you and help you identify a tooth infection. Therefore, without much delay, let’s get started.

Symptoms of an infected tooth

When you have an infection in your teeth, these are the signs and symptoms that can be noticed externally:

• Excruciating pain in the tooth, and jawline that gradually extends to the ears and neck
• Swollen cheeks
• Sensitivity to pressure
• Worsening pain on lying down
• Tooth sensitivity to both hot and cold foods and drinks
• Swollen and tender lymph nodes in the neck
• Bad breath
• Fever
• An unpleasant taste in the mouth

What happens to the body in a tooth infection?

You will be surprised to know that your tooth infection can also extend to the body. This means when you have a tooth infection, your overall health can be affected. Not many believe in this but it is cent per cent true. Wondering how? Here it is.

• You feel unwell

When you have a tooth infection, its pain is so excruciating that it can lead to fatigue and headaches. From the headache, sometimes you can also get dizziness. This happens because the pain in the teeth goes on for a continuous process. As a result, it goes up to the head, reaching the jawline and ears. Due to the continuous pain, you are sure to feel exhausted after a certain point in time.

• You have a fever

Not all people can bear pain in the same way. To some, a mere injection can cause a lot of pain, while to others, a deep cut is manageable. Some people can have a fever due to a tooth infection. This fever happens due to the excruciating and constant pain that goes on in the tooth and its surrounding areas.

• Your face gets swollen

When you have any issues with the teeth, your face is sure to get swollen up. Think of the time when you had a problem with wisdom teeth. As soon as you have pain in the teeth, jaws and gums, your face looks plumped. This is only because of the pain in the teeth that have been caused due to infection.

• You become dehydrated

When you have a tooth infection, you automatically become dehydrated. Also, you will notice that the frequency of urination has dropped from what you used to have normally. In addition, the colour of the urine also gets darker than before.

• You have an increased heart rate

Whenever you are suffering from a health issue, your heart rate increases. Similarly, in the case of teeth infection, there is no exception. You experience rapid pulse rate and light-headedness. Sometimes, this increase in pulse rate is so extreme that you can almost feel your heart throbbing against your chest. Also, there is a sudden rise in the breathing rate.

• You suffer from stomach ache

Due to the pain and discomfort, you can experience stomach aches and diarrhoea accommodated with vomiting and stomach upset. However, this is quite extreme condition and occurs rarely.

When to visit the doctor?

As we have already mentioned earlier in this blog, people tend to consider teeth infection lightly and think that it will go away without any medical attention. This is where they go wrong and delay the whole process of treatment. The moment you notice that your fever has touched the marginal range, you need to consult with your doctor. Given below are the different ranges of fever for people of different ages and gender:

• Infants less than three years old – 100.4-degree Fahrenheit or more
• Children above three years old – 102-degree Fahrenheit or more
• Adolescent – 102.2-degree Fahrenheit or more
• Adults – 103-degree Fahrenheit or more

Also, there are some symptoms that you need to look for. Check out if the fever emanating from the tooth infection is accompanied by these health conditions:

• Convulsions or seizures
• Pain while urinating
• Chest pain
• Mental confusion
• Difficulty while breathing
• Persistent vomiting
• Unexplained skin rashes
• A typical sensitivity to light

How do you get a tooth infection?

There can be multiple reasons for developing a tooth infection. However, common causes of getting a tooth infection include the following:

• When you follow poor dental hygiene, know that your oral health is at risk of developing an infection. Although dentists suggest brushing twice a day and flossing regularly, we recommend you brush your teeth after every meal.
• When you consume a diet that is high in sugar, you have a chance of getting infected.
• Some medications can also lead to infections in your teeth.

Conclusion

Now that you have got an idea about the different symptoms of tooth infection that extend to the other body parts and adversely impacts overall health, you need to be careful. The best way to stay out of these would be to follow good oral hygiene.