The root of the tooth has rotted: why teeth rot and what to do

Reasons for the formation of pus in the gums

There are several reasons for the formation of pus:

• The inflammatory process causes a disease such as periodontal disease (gingivitis).
• Periodontal disease.
• Mechanical damage to the gums.
• Chemical or thermal burn.
• Unprofessional removal of tartar, which affected the gums.
• Extensive caries causes pulpitis.
• Failure to comply with hygiene standards when performing dental procedures.
• Unsanitary oral cavity.
• Types 1 and 2 diabetes mellitus.
• Summing up the causes of purulent inflammation of the gums, we can highlight the main factor that causes this disease – the vital activity of pathogenic microorganisms.

Tooth abscess - symptoms and treatment

A tooth abscess does not go away without treatment. If you open it yourself, the pain may decrease significantly, but this does not eliminate the need for dental treatment. If the abscess is not drained, the infection can spread to the jaw tissue and other areas of the head and neck, which can lead to various complications.

Phlebitis and thrombophlebitis

When the veins are located close to the source of infection, a serious complication such as thrombophlebitis develops - inflammation of the vein with subsequent formation of a blood clot. First, the inflammatory process affects the walls of blood vessels (phlebitis), then spreads to the tissue surrounding the vein (periphlebitis) and finally covers the entire wall of the vein. Due to damage to the vessel, blood flow becomes slower, the composition of the blood changes, and clotting increases. All this contributes to the formation of a blood clot. In some cases, blood clots form in the venous sinuses of the brain.

Mediastinitis

Mediastinitis is an inflammation of the mediastinum (a complex of organs located in the chest cavity between the left and right mediastinal pleura, the posterior surface of the sternum and the thoracic spine and rib necks). Can be fatal.

The infection can penetrate into the mediastinum by contact, through the blood or lymph flow. The purulent exudate is so active that it can melt the intermuscular septa and walls of large arteries. In this regard, the infectious process spreads quickly and creates the risk of severe bleeding.

The source of the spread of infection leading to mediastinitis is usually inflammation in the area of ​​the apex of the tooth root (sometimes in combination with infection of the tonsils or damage to the oral mucosa).

Acute or chronic sepsis

Sepsis is the most severe complication of a tooth abscess, which occurs when the immune system fails. The body cannot resist the infection, and it spreads throughout the body. Depending on the speed of onset of symptoms, sepsis can be fulminant (1-2 days), acute (5-7 days), subacute (1-2 weeks) and chronic. First of all, the functioning of the lungs is disrupted, and then other organs: liver, kidneys, etc. Subsequently, septic shock develops: blood circulation in the organ tissues slows down, and failure of several organ systems develops - multiple organ failure syndrome. When this syndrome occurs, most patients die within 2-3 days [8].

Meningeal diseases

Meningeal complications of a tooth abscess (meningitis, brain abscess, etc.) are not so common, but their mortality rate is quite high: it reaches 40-90%. Most often, these diseases arise due to the spread of infection from primary foci, the temporal region, pterygopalatine or infratemporal fossa.

Signs of pus and purulent inflammation

• severe pain in the area of ​​the wisdom tooth; when you press on the gum, pus is released;
• redness of the gums and swelling;
• a large carious cavity is filled with softened soft tissue;
• colored plaque on the tooth and tartar;
• enlarged lymph nodes;
• change in facial contour. It becomes asymmetrical.

What to do if the gums above the wisdom tooth are inflamed?

• Clean thoroughly, even if it bleeds and hurts. After all, as you already know, the cause of inflammation is that plaque and food debris around the “eight” were regularly not cleaned. The plaque microbes did their job - pericoronitis occurred. To more successfully clean plaque around a wisdom tooth, it is better to purchase a brush with elongated front bristles.

Brush with extended front bristles

• Make salt baths (dissolve 1 teaspoon of salt in 1 glass of water at room temperature - never hot!). It is recommended to put the saline solution in your mouth and hold it on the side of the inflamed tooth for several minutes. Such baths are carried out every hour; it is optimal to alternate them with rinsing with chlorhexidine.
• If the swelling does not decrease within a day or two, it is better to consult a dental surgeon. Perhaps an incision (pericoronarotomy) and the prescription of antibacterial and anti-inflammatory drugs are needed. If you have a fever and it hurts to swallow, you can’t hesitate, you need to urgently go to a dental surgeon!
• If inflammation of the gums around the wisdom tooth occurs regularly and you have repeatedly visited the dentist for an incision in the gum area above the wisdom tooth, this is an indication for removing the “eight”. Surgeons recommend removing the tooth as planned, not during an exacerbation or during an active inflammatory process. Such removal will be easier for you, painless and the body will need much less time to recover.

After reading the article, did you remember your torment with the eruption of wisdom teeth? We invite you to a consultation with a dental surgeon at the KANO clinic network. Our specialists will prescribe the necessary diagnostic X-ray and tell you what to do with the problem “eight”.

Treatment

Treatment is prescribed after a visual examination of the oral cavity and determination of the source of pus. Treatment of purulent inflammation can be:

• In a therapeutic way with the help of medicinal drugs.
• Physiotherapeutic.
• Surgery.

If purulent discharge does not stop after a course of therapeutic treatment, the doctor will prescribe surgery. Before the operation, plaque and tartar are cleaned and the mouth is disinfected.

An injection with a local anesthetic is injected into the gum and the gum is cut. The gum mucosa is cleaned of pus. If the fistula through which pus flowed is large, then a drainage is inserted. In the postoperative period, the patient is prescribed therapeutic treatment, which includes taking antibiotics and rinsing the mouth with a 0.05% chlorhexide solution, and is prescribed a complex of vitamins and minerals.

Every day, until complete healing, the patient must come to the dentist, where he is given an antibacterial application on the gum of the wisdom tooth. The patient must strictly follow all the dentist’s recommendations for oral care and consume only liquid foods.

Causes of tooth decay

Yes, we all know that you need to brush your teeth 2 times a day, be sure to use dental floss and visit the dentist 2 times a year. Many patients follow these recommendations, but their teeth still deteriorate and rot. Poor hygiene is not the only reason why teeth deteriorate. There are other factors:

• Gum diseases
  provoke the proliferation of bacteria, which literally gnaw through the enamel and destroy tooth tissue;
• genetics
  plays a role in the ability of teeth to resist pathogenic factors;
• an unfavorable ecological environment
  leads to the fact that in industrial areas there are more dental problems than in places where there are no factories;
• Water quality
  directly affects teeth. Low content of useful minerals (fluorine, calcium), high content of heavy metal salts can destroy teeth, despite hygiene;
• bad habits
  . Smokers have worse teeth than non-smokers and treatment is more difficult;
• general diseases
  , for example, problems with the gastrointestinal tract, negatively affect the condition of the teeth;
• carbohydrates
  in the diet , as well as hard food products that injure the gums and enamel lead to tooth decay.

To understand why teeth rot, you need to undergo an examination. Don’t be surprised if the doctor asks you to take tests or do an ultrasound. Dental treatment requires a comprehensive approach and diagnosis is more important than ever. Having found out why teeth are rotting, the doctor will prescribe adequate treatment.

Implantation is a solution for advanced cases

Alas, if the root of a tooth has rotted, then the only solution is removal. But even here, dentists offer a method that will help restore a rotten tooth - implantation. The implant will stop bone loss, prevent loosening and tilting of neighboring teeth, and restore your smile. The immediate loading method involves placing an implant immediately after tooth extraction. There is no need to wait for the hole to heal and you can chew almost immediately.

Why do children's teeth rot?

In children, the composition of saliva is not the same as in adults. Its antibacterial properties are low; in a warm, humid environment, microbes multiply quickly. The disease is not only common, it progresses rapidly. Caries spreads in width and depth. Single events are rare; usually several teeth are affected at once. For children, timely identification and treatment of problem teeth is of particular importance. Rotten teeth can cause:

• pulpitis and periodontitis;
• malocclusion;
• loss of milk and permanent teeth;
• inflammation of the maxillofacial apparatus.

Bad teeth affect the social adaptation of children and lead to psychological problems.

Prevention includes hygiene procedures, limiting sweets, a balanced diet and regular dental examinations.

Stages

Caries, like a secret agent, begins to act on the sly and may not make itself felt for years. Its initial stage is called the “white spot stage.” Well, how can you see white on white? That is why it is important to visit the dentist regularly - the specialist will highlight the white spot against the background of the enamel and cure caries in time. And if you start it, the disease goes to the next level:

• Surface.
  The enamel is still intact, but in the area of ​​the stain it becomes rough. The stain deepens. The tooth begins to react to cold and hot.
• Average.
  Caries penetrates to the dentin, but it does not provide access to the pulp. A damaged tooth reacts to temperature, mechanical, and chemical stimuli. But the pain is not constant, it goes away quickly.
• Deep.
  The pain is sharp when touched, but gradually subsides. A carious cavity is visible to the naked eye.