A dental abscess is a pocket of pus that forms within the tooth or gums and can cause symptoms including toothache and fever. It is important to get dental attention as soon as possible if an abscess is suspected, as complications can develop.

Types of abscesses

There are three types of dental abscesses: periapical, periodontal, and gingival abscesses.

Periapical abscesses are located at the root of the tooth and typically occur when the blood vessels, connective tissue, and nerves inside the tooth become infected. This can arise when a cavity or chipped tooth allows bacteria to enter the inner part of the tooth, called the pulp.

A periodontal abscess is located in the area between the tooth and gum and is caused by periodontal (gum) disease or injury. In an individual with gum disease, space can form between the tooth and the gum. When this area becomes filled with bacteria, an abscess may form and visible swelling or boil can often be seen.

A gingival abscess is located on the gums, and is the result of a foreign object, such as food, becoming stuck in the gums.

Symptoms

Pain in tooth or gums, increasing in severity over time
Ear, jaw, or neck pain
Red and swollen gums
Facial swelling
Tooth sensitivity
Bad breath
Swollen lymph nodes
Fever

Ruptured Abscess

If an abscess ruptures, an individual may feel temporary relief as the pus drains from the lesion. However, it is still important to get dental treatment, as the bacteria may spread to surrounding areas such as the jaw, head, and neck.

Tooth Abscess Treatment

For a periapical abscess, the typical treatment is a root canal. This allows the dentist to recover the damaged pulp by allowing the pus to drain from the abscess and then removing the dead tissue. A filling is then placed into the space. In severe cases, the tooth may need to be removed completely. In the case of periodontal tooth abscess treatment, the dentist will drain the pus pocket and help promote the reattachment of the gum to the tooth. To treat a gingival abscess, a scaling procedure or root canal may be necessary.

Complications

Although rare, dental abscesses may cause serious complications if left untreated. These include:

Osteomyelitis
Sinusitis
Cavernous sinus thrombosis
Sepsis

Prevention

Since the majority of dental abscesses are caused by cavities or periodontal disease, they can be prevented by good oral hygiene. This includes regular brushing, flossing, and avoiding excessive amounts of sugary foods and drinks.

Mountain View Dental is committed to providing you with exceptional dental care in a comfortable and professional environment. If you have any questions or would like to schedule an appointment, please call the office at (385) 238-1085 or visit our website.

Bad breath can be embarrassing, especially when hanging out with a group of friends and relatives. Also known as halitosis, it can make you feel uncomfortable and lower your self-confidence when speaking. Have you ever asked yourself why your friends try to cover their nose while you are speaking?

It’s simple; bad breath.

However, bad breath doesn’t just come overnight. There are some activities you may be doing, which makes you more vulnerable to bad breath. Some of these activities are surprising hence deemed uncommon but largely contribute to bad breath. Listed below are surprising reasons for bad breath.

Happy Hour

Going out with friends and relatives for a drink or two is usually not a bad idea. You’ll be having a good time and enjoying yourself with your peers. However, do you know that alcohol is one of the causes of bad breath? Liquor not only leaves you with a hangover but eventually dries out your mouth hence encouraging the bacteria, which causes bad breath. Spicy foods, drinks with high contents of caffeine, and cigarettes are other things that we enjoy but put us at the risk of acquiring lousy breath.

A dry mouth that doesn’t secrete adequate saliva while you sleep can also lead to bad morning breath. Therefore, ensure that your mouth is hydrated before you retire to bed.

An Ulcer

The ulcer itself cannot cause bad breath. However, studies show that the ulcer-causing bacteria known as Helicobacter pylori can indirectly trigger bad breath. According to Dr. Suzuki, from the Fukuoka Dental College, Japan, the Helicobacter pylori is connected to periodontal disease well-known cause of bad breath. Therefore, treating these bacteria can help stop the stink.

Heartburn

Your bad breath may also be a result of the symptoms of common digestive disorder, also known as gastroesophageal reflux(GERD). It is the backward drift of undigested food or any other stomach contents such as stomach acids back into the esophagus. Therefore, this regurgitation of stomach substances causes heartburn and some nasty smell in your mouth.

Tonsil Stones

Tonsil stones are also another one of the reasons for bad breath. These small white bunches consist of hardened bacteria, dead cells, food bits, and mucus get stuck in your tonsils’ wrinkles and behind your tongue. They are not painful, but they cause bad breath. The tonsil stones usually disintegrate with time; however, you may speed up the process by rinsing your mouth with a lot of water.

Medication

Some of the over the counter drugs such as antidepressants and allergy remedies stifle saliva flow hence leaving you susceptible to bad breath.

However, change of medications is not a good option, and for this reason, the Dental Association recommends that you hydrate regularly. Chewing sugarless gum is recommended to prevent your mouth from drying up.

Conclusion

Having bad breath is a horrible and humiliating experience. There are many obvious reasons why this happens. However, the above mentioned are just a few unknown or somewhat surprising reasons for bad breath. If you can minimize or do away with these causes, then the risks of experiencing bad breath will be lowered.

The safety and health of our esteemed patients is our main priority at Mountain View Dental. Our offices are open for services, and our staff is skilled and friendly. For more information or to book an appointment, call us on (385) 324-3557.

If you suddenly feel a temporary shock-like pain or twinges in your teeth from time to time, it’s best to investigate. There are many reasons for tooth pain, and some of them are quite easy to overlook. The AAE (American Academy of Endodontists) defines tooth sensitivity or pain as a brief sensation brought on by a stimulus like cold or heat, which affects exposed dentin- the layer beneath the white enamel of your teeth.

Note that dentin has a protective cover that acts as a buffer for the nerves in your teeth. Meaning you’ll feel pain every time there’s stimulation if this buffer becomes damaged. With that in mind, here are some of the most unexpected causes of toothaches.

You Grind or Clench Your Teeth

Medically known as bruxism, clenching, gnashing, or grinding your teeth is a condition that occurs unconsciously either at night (sleep bruxism) or during the day (awake bruxism). Many endodontists consider sleep bruxism a sleep-related movement disorder.

While mild bruxism may not need any treatment, it’s best to see a dentist for frequent and severe bruxism as it may cause headaches, jaw disorders, damaged teeth, etc. Now, get this, one of the most common symptoms of bruxism is tooth sensitivity or pain.

You Brush Your Teeth With Too Much Pressure

Without a doubt, brushing your teeth too hard causes tooth sensitivity by wearing down the enamel to expose dentin. Also, brushing for too long or with a hard-bristle brush will cause tooth pain, especially if you have thin enamel. If you suspect that how you brush is the problem, try going for a softer brush and brushing teeth for no longer than two minutes.

Abuse of Mouthwash

Yes, you read that right. Some mouthwash products contain acids that can extensively damage dentin. Mind you, with exposed dentin, any acid, cold, heat, or even sticky substance that gets into your teeth will cause pain. So avoid using over-the-counter alcoholic mouthwashes for too long. Instead, consider going for neutral fluoride mouthwashes.

You Have Sinusitis

Sinus inflammation (sinusitis) or sinus infection can lead to tooth pain. If anything, this is one of the biggest, yet the most unheard-of, reasons for tooth pain. The pain from sinusitis mostly affects the upper rear teeth and occurs when fluid enters and puts pressure on your sinuses. If you feel your teeth hurting more when you lean over (with your head down), it’s probably a sinus infection.

You Open Different Things With Your Teeth

There are so many ways you can use your teeth as tools. Opening a can of soda, ripping bags open, chewing on plastic, you name it. Even so, studies show that using teeth for such purposes eventually cracks your tooth enamel. It might be the reason that you’re feeling a sudden but temporary sharp pain.

Final Thoughts

While cavities are arguably the most popular reason for mouth aches, there are loads of other causes that may make your teeth painful. So be sure to consult your dentist if you’re not sure about the source of your pain. Over-the-counter medicines treat only the symptoms and not the underlying issue.

If you are located near the Pleasant View, UT area and are experiencing tooth pain, give us a call at Mountain View Dental. We have an experienced, friendly staff and a modern, comfortable office awaiting you. Schedule your appointment today.

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