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Dental abscesses and their systemic effects

I recently read a blog post comparing silent abscesses to diseases like glaucoma, high blood pressure, and early coronary disease. What the author meant was that abscesses are also silent invasions and don’t warn us of the danger to our bodies. I thought the analogy was quite descriptive. A stack of research demonstrates that quiet infections can increase the chances of events such as heart attacks, strokes, and brain abscess due to the bacteria and their toxins causing inflammation inside the bloodstream.1,2 Whether silent or loud, when left alone, these infections can lead to osteomyelitis, cavernous sinus thrombosis, cellulitis, brain abscess formation, fasciitis of the neck or chest wall,…

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 Periapical Abscess: Things To Know

Therefore the term carries a slightly different meaning from a "tooth abscess" which merely implies that the infection originates from the tooth. Yes, a tooth abscess can be used to describe a periapical abscess but the latter describes a very specific stage of the disease. Treatment for a periapical abscess will depend on how severe the infection is. You can save the tooth with a root canal if the prognosis is good. However if the prognosis is poor or questionable, it may need to be extracted. Last but not least, you may need it drained if there is swelling present.

Articles of Interest

Dead Tooth? Options for Treating a Tooth Abscess

The best way to treat a tooth abscess is a root canal. During a root canal, your dentist will drill a small hole in the tooth to remove the bacteria. The area will then be filled and a filling or crown will be placed to restore the tooth’s structure.

Undiagnosed dental abscess

An undiagnosed dental abscess can cause a multitude of problems including pain, swelling, loss of appetite, inability to eat solid foods, jaw ache and tooth loss.

Dental abscess: A microbiological review

Dental abscess was a poorly discussed topic of medical science until the late 1900s. This clinical entity was frequently underestimated in terms of its morbidity and mortality. Dental or dentoalveolar abscess is a denomination used to describe localized collection of pus in the alveolar bone at the root apex of the tooth.

Not Just Pulp Fiction: The Truth About Dental Abscesses

There are two types of dental abscesses. A periapical abscess, which happens at the root of a tooth and a periodontal abscess which happens in the gum. A periapical abscess can occur when decay gets into the nerve chamber, killing the nerve and pulp tissue.

Painful Toothache? Beware! It Could Be a Deadly Abscess!

Dental caries and fractures are the most common causes of periapical abscesses. Bacteria invade through the carious lesion as the disease progresses. It spreads from enamel to dentin to the pulp. When the infection reaches the pulp, it causes inflammation of the pulp called pulpitis. If not treated at this point, pulpitis can lead to a periapical abscess.

Periapical Abscesses

Unfortunately, dental disease is relentless and continues to progress if left unchecked. Once ignited by only a small cavity, the inflammation and necrosis of the tooth root and surrounding supporting structures can lead to the formation of a purulent pus pocket. Though a periapical abscess often presents similarly to periradicular periodontitis, gingival swelling and a draining fistula tract above the affected tooth may steer you to the correct diagnosis.

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StatPearls

Dental infections, while relatively straightforward regarding diagnosis and access, can be challenging to manage acutely. Dental abscesses or periapical infections typically arise secondary to dental caries (tooth rot related to poor dental hygiene), trauma, or failed dental root canal treatment. Left untreated these infections can be not only extremely painful but also pose a significant risk of descending into the deep neck space or ascending to intracranial sinuses.