Can a Tooth Infection Spread to Jaw?
The insides of the teeth can become infected when bacteria enter the tooth and colonize, forming a pocket of pus inside the tooth. This pocket of pus is called a dental abscess, and abscesses can form in different areas of the tooth. When an abscess develops at the tip of the root of a tooth, the infection can enter into the jaw tissue and possibly even infiltrate the bloodstream, causing potentially fatal complications. Dental abscesses occur most frequently because of untreated tooth decay; when the protective enamel that coats the teeth is decayed or damaged, bacteria can more easily infect the vital pulp inside the tooth, causing painful inflammation and irritation. Once inside the tooth, infection can settle at the tip of the root, in what’s called a periapical abscess. To treat a dental abscess, your dentist will drain the infection and treat the inside of the tooth with a sterilizing antibiotic, in a procedure called a root canal. If the infection is severe, the tooth may need to be extracted. Even if the tooth can’t be saved, leaving a periapical abscess untreated is not only painful – it’s also dangerous.
Dental abscesses don’t disappear on their own. If an abscess ruptures, the pain may dissipate, and you might think the problem has resolved itself, but the opposite is true. Instead, the pus that was contained inside the tooth is no longer contained, increasing the likelihood that the infection will spread into the jaw or other areas of the head or neck. If the abscess is in the upper jaw, this could lead to infection in the sinuses, and, in addition to potentially infecting the jaw or the sinuses, an undrained abscess can infect the bloodstream and lead to sepsis, a systemic bodily infection that is life-threatening. If your immune system is compromised for other reasons, your risk of infection spreading from an untreated dental abscess increases significantly, as do the risks associated with this spread of infection.
Dental abscesses have multiple common symptoms, including pain and discomfort in and around a tooth. Sometimes, this toothache is severe and the pain spreads to the bone or the adjacent area of the face, head, or neck. Sometimes, the pain only appears when the tooth is exposed to extreme temperatures or to the pressure of chewing or biting; if pain persists for more than a day or two, seek dental attention. Another common symptom of dental abscess is a foul smell emanating from the mouth. If a dental abscess ruptures, you might experience the sudden influx of foul-tasting liquid in your mouth, and the pain may subside. However, without treatment, the infection is still present, and dental attention should be a priority. Some patients with dental abscesses experience tenderness and swelling around the lymph nodes in the area of the jaw and neck. In extreme cases, patients may be feverish and may experience swelling that is so severe and uncomfortable that it causes difficulty with swallowing or even breathing. While any dental abscess requires prompt dental treatment, and you should visit your dentist as soon as possible if you have any symptoms of an abscess, certain symptoms are more likely to indicate that infection has spread. If you have a fever and facial swelling, or if you have trouble swallowing or breathing, go to an emergency room for prompt medical attention to keep infection from spreading further.