Don’t Ignore An Infected Tooth

When a tooth becomes infected, people often report serious discomfort, especially when they eat. You shouldn’t ignore these warning signs, and instead should contact your Albuquerque, NM, dentist. In today’s blog, we’re looking at how we identify and treat an infection, and when you should contact our team for care.

Pain When Eating

Do you experience pain when you bite down or chew? Have you noticed persistent tooth sensitivity, or a toothache that doesn’t pass after a few hours? These are often warning signs of a dental infection, along with swelling near a tooth or a foul discharge from it. If you begin to experience these warning signs, then let us know right away. We will schedule a time to see you and experience your smile. Treating your infection is crucial, otherwise, you risk losing the tooth and the infection spreading to surrounding teeth or into the jawbone itself. When you arrive, rest assured we will schedule appointments to ensure you’re not sharing the waiting room with others, and we will clean and disinfect commonly touched surfaces in between each patient visit.

Possible Causes

An infected tooth occurs when harmful bacteria makes contact with the inner pulp, a group of living tissues that keeps your tooth alive and healthy. This could happen as a result of an advanced cavity that spreads throughout the tooth, or due to a broken or cracked tooth exposing the pulp. To help limit the risks of cavities from home, be sure you brush your teeth when you wake up and again before bed for about two minutes, and also floss before bed too. Cut back on sugary foods and drinks as well, which helps prevent plaque buildup and protect the teeth from decay and infection.

Treating Your Infected Tooth

After we administer a local anesthetic, our team will open the tooth and remove the infected tissues from within. The next step is cleaning the interior of your tooth and then adding a special restorative material. We complete the root canal by creating and placing a crown on the tooth, which not only looks natural, but protects it from further decay or infection. The root canal is safe, comfortable, and crucial for preventing the loss of your tooth altogether. If you have any questions about our restorative treatment options, or about what you can be doing from home to safeguard your smile’s healthy and beauty, then contact our team today to learn more.

Do You Have Questions About Endodontic Treatment?

We can help treat an infection and protect the health and stability of your smile. For more information on our restorative treatment options and better homecare strategies, then schedule a consultation with us by calling Snow Park Dental in Albuquerque, NM, today at (505) 596-4479.

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