You should never dismiss a toothache. It is an urgent medical problem.
Can a toothache kill you?
The answer isn’t a simple yes or no. Let’s explain.
The cause of a toothache could result in a dangerous chain of events that could eventually kill you.
For centuries, dental issues were a leading cause of death.
When the London (England) Bills of Mortality began listing the causes of death in the early 1600’s, “teeth” were continually listed as the fifth or sixth leading cause of death. National Institutes of Health
A toothache may be associated with an oral infection. An untreated infection can spread to other parts of the body. Your body may develop sepsis trying to combat the infection. Sepsis can kill you.
Sepsis is a serious medical condition. It’s caused by an overwhelming immune response to infection. The body releases immune chemicals into the blood to combat the infection. Those chemicals trigger widespread inflammation, which leads to blood clots and leaky blood vessels. As a result, blood flow is impaired, and that deprives organs of nutrients and oxygen and leads to organ damage. https://www.nigms.nih.gov/education/fact-sheets/Pages/sepsis.aspx
A toothache is never “normal.”
Even if it goes away, you need to have it checked. At The Plano Dentist, we can let you know if it was bumped and injured from the inside. This is kind of like a bruise on the skin that goes away.
But it could be far more dangerous. The pain could subside because the infection has killed the nerves. This is just a temporary cessation of pain.
The decay (and infection) has made it through the pulp and out the end. In the final stage, it will drill through the tip. Then the infection will reach the tissue and bone surrounding the tooth root. The area will swell up and be extremely painful. We’re talking excruciating.
“See your urgent care dentist!”
Regardless of the cause of the toothache, it sends a pressing message: “See your urgent care dentist!”
If you wait, the cost to treat it may get more costly as the pain gets more extreme. Affordable urgent dental care is available at The Plano Dentist in Plano.
We provide quality emergency dental care and extended hours to serve you. We will take care of your pain and the dental issue that is causing the pain. The emergency department at the hospital can’t do that. They can only give you pain medication.
Don’t wait to come to The Plano Dentist if a tooth is screaming for attention.
Even if it stops screaming for a little while.
Contact The Plano Dentist:
469-998-0235
Location (Tap to open in Google Maps):
3115 W Parker Rd Ste C538
Plano, Texas
75023
