Do you know dental infections may cause a lot of side effects including fever? Yes, according to some of the most experienced dentists in London dental infections can lead to symptoms like fever. In this blog post let us explore how a dental infection leads to fever. We will also cover what you should do in such circumstance.
An infection in the tooth or the gum is caused by certain bacteria. Plaque build-ups accumulate on the surface of the teeth and below the gum line. The bacteria responsible for dental infections are found in these plaque build-ups. These harmful plaque build-ups must be removed on a daily basis. When these are not removed and allowed to stay on their place these plaques harden to form calculus. Calculus sticks to your tooth surface and the gum line even more firmly than ordinary plaque build-ups. Those harmful bacteria even get to hide in the calculus build-ups in your mouth. The foods and the drinks you have contain sugar. These bacteria or microbes have the ability to convert sugar from your foods and drinks to an acidic substance. This acidic substance wears off the tooth structure and is also responsible for gum inflammation. This is how people develop cavities in their tooth and gum disease.
A cavity in the tooth progresses to affect the inner pulp chamber of the tooth pretty fast. When the pulp gets affected or infected you experience pain. Gradually as time passes the pain intensifies as well as your sufferings. The infection thus needs to be cleared away.
These harmful bacteria even manage to enter into the bloodstream of an individual. Once these microbes manage to get into the bloodstream they make their way into the major blood vessels pretty fast. As a result of this development the body generates a generalised immune response against the invading bacteria. Because of the generalised immune response the body goes into a state of inflammation. This complication may prove dangerous as it can lead to sepsis. Sepsis is a dangerous infective condition. If it is not treated early and aggressively sepsis can lead to lots of other health complexities including death.
Yes, it is important to emphasise the fact that all these severities may happen only because of a dental infection which was left ignored and untreated. In this situation there is a high probability of the temperature of the body to rise leading to fever explains one of the best emergency dentists in London.
Dental infections and the symptoms
Here are some of the symptoms that patients suffering from one dental infection or another usually experience.
- A throbbing ache in the tooth that seems never to end
- Swelling in the face
- Swelling in the gum
- Sensitivity to both hot and cold foods and drinks
- Reddish, painful and tender gum
- Increased sensation of pain on lying down
- A lingering bad taste in the mouth
- Sometimes the foul smell in the mouth is also accompanied by bad breath
- Formation of pus and oozing of pus from the gum
- Inability to bite on food as this results in severe pain in the teeth
If you experience at least a few of the symptoms mentioned above, then chances are high you are suffering from a dental infection. It is always better to get diagnosed sooner than ignoring the symptoms and allowing the infection to spread further.
Assessing how far the infection has spread
When anything goes wrong inside our body invariably alerts us on time. In those circumstances our body shows certain signs. These signs actually indicate the system inside is compromised and it needs proper care and treatment. The same phenomenon occurs even when a dental infection progresses or spreads. Here are few signs that say a dental infection is growing inside –
- A generalised feeling of discomfort and unwell
- Consistent fatigue which may also be clubbed with dizziness
- Experiencing nasty headache
- Suffering from dehydration even after drinking sufficient water
- Swelling in the face and the neck
- Rashes appearing on the body
- Reduced urination
- Urine often turns dark in colour
- The rate of the heart increase
- A lot of patients also feel light headed
- Patients can be in a confused state of mind
- Body temperature rises as patients suffer from fever clubbed with chills, sweating and flushing of the skin
An emergency dentist in London says in addition to the symptoms mentioned above there can also be complains of stomach pain. Patients even suffer from diarrhoea and vomiting.
If the body temperature reaches 39 degrees centigrade or higher it is high time to visit the nearest emergency room. Else things can turn fatal. If the patient experiences pain the chest, difficulty in breathing, continuous or repeated vomiting, skin rashes then also it is ideal to see a doctor immediately without any more delay.
How to tackle such situation
In these circumstances there should not be any more delay in providing the right dental treatment to a patient. The complications mentioned above occur when a patient does not the proper treatments at the right time. it is important to note that painkillers and antibiotic medications are not sufficient to cure dental infections completely. An all-round treatment protocol must be designed and implemented to ensure the infection does not progress or spread.
If you experience any symptom that usually occurs in case of an infection in the tooth then make an urgent appointment with your dentist. If there is a swelling in the mouth or pus discharge, you should not delay in getting treatments and book a same-day appointment with your dental surgery. Till you see a dentist it is okay to take standard painkillers that are available over the counters at chemist shops as per recommendations mentioned on the labels. This helps keeping much of the discomfort away while you reach the dental office. Under no circumstance should you try delaying the treatment in those circumstances.
In case the infection has already spread to the other parts of your body, the dentist will refer you to a medical practitioner. There is nothing to get anxious about if things take such turn. Trained and qualified oral health experts working at Emergency Dentist London suggest the following three points to keep dental infections away –
- Maintain a sound oral hygiene – brush the teeth properly twice daily.
- Limit the intake of sugar in your daily diet – include fresh fruits and green, crunchy vegetable more in your diet.
- Visit your dentist at regular intervals for routine check-up of the teeth and the gums.