Never Ignore the Pain of an Abscessed Tooth

Every person reacts to pain differently. Some people are able to tolerate pain more than others. While it is great that some people can ignore the pain they feel from a toothache, it does not dismiss the need to address it. There is a reason for the pain and your body wants you to acknowledge it.

Understanding the Tooth Pain

An abscessed tooth is extremely painful. The problem some people have is that there are ways to manage the pain. They can turn to rinsing with warm salt water, over the counter pain relievers and over the counter anesthetics. For some people these methods can reduce the swelling associated with an abscessed tooth and can cause the pain to go away temporarily. It is often the case that people assume if they do not feel the pain, they do not have to worry about the underlying issue.

Managing or neglecting the pain from an abscess does not mean it is okay to ignore it. En cambio, when you ignore the pain and do not get treatment for the abscess, you are putting yourself at risk for more serious issues.

What Can Happen
Complications from an untreated abscess can range from minor issues to severe health issues that can put a person in the hospital and possibly become life threatening. The problems of ignoring the pain of an abscess can lead to:

• More Pain – The infection from the abscess can spread to other parts of the mouth and to other parts of the body. The result is more pain than from the original abscess. The pain is not limited to the mouth.
• Gum Disease – The infection can lead to gum disease and can cause you to lose teeth and to struggle with other oral health issues.
• Sepsis – This condition is when an infection spreads throughout the body. It can impact and cause your organs to fail and is a life-threatening condition that requires hospitalization.

In rare cases, ignoring the pain can lead to abscesses in other parts of the body, airway issues, and infection of the blood. The best way to avoid any of these problems is to call our office when you have pain.

Contact our office today to schedule your next appointment.