If you develop a dental abscess whilst you are busy at work or are attending a special event, you might be tempted to simply take some painkillers and wait a day or two to go to the dentist. However, this is not a wise decision. Here are two reasons why you must seek emergency dental treatment as soon as you realise you have an abscess.
It could prevent serious health complications
A dental abscess is a type of bacterial infection. It typically develops along the gum line or inside a tooth's root canal system.
If you go to your dentist the moment you notice this problem, they will be able to drain the abscess and provide you with antibiotics before the infection can cause any additional health issues.
However, if you wait too long to undergo treatment, the infection could spread to other parts of your body; it may, for example, reach your jawbone.
A jawbone infection is very serious and may require extremely strong antibiotics, as well as hospitalisation and surgery, to resolve. It could also lead to long-term health problems and affect the appearance and functionality of your lower face.
If the bacteria from the tooth abscess enter your bloodstream, you could also develop a life-threatening illness called septicaemia.
This condition can cause major health problems, including extremely low blood pressure, inflammation and even organ failure.
It could save the affected tooth
If the abscess develops in or next to one of your teeth and you decide to wait a few days before seeking treatment, there is a very strong chance that your dentist may end up having to extract the affected tooth.
The reason for this is as follows; if the infection is allowed to fester for too long, it may inflict irreparable damage on the pulp and root canal system, in which case the dentist may not be able to save the tooth by performing root canal therapy (where the infected pulp in the canals is removed and the canals are then sealed).
In this situation, extracting the tooth is usually the only viable treatment option.
Having a tooth removed can be physically uncomfortable and quite expensive. If you find yourself in this situation, you will also have to incur the cost of having an artificial replacement (such as a dental implant or a denture) made and fitted.
As such, if you want to avoid the pain and costs associated with tooth loss, it is crucial to have your abscess treated as quickly as possible.
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