Important introduction
When not treated appropriately, the teeth affected by infections can experience extremely serious and dangerous complications.
The aim of this discussion is not simply to list and describe the most common complications of dental infections, but also and above all to educate the reader on their prevention.
Complications of dental infections
Even a simple caries must not be ignored: in fact, even if it is a surface dental infection, the slow but inexorable continuation of the destructive process supported by the bacteria can slowly cause devastating damage in the long term.
The most common diseases that can arise as a complication of dental infections are described below:
- ASCESSES: the dental abscess can be the result of dental infections such as complicated caries, pulpits, cysts or granulomas that are not properly treated. The abscess appears as a painful and purulent swelling (filled with pus), accompanied by symptoms such as toothache, swollen gums, halitosis, dentinal hypersensitivity, fever and swollen lymph nodes in the neck. In the event of non-dental intervention, dental infection could spread to adjacent tissues and blood, giving rise to a real widespread infectious explosion (septicemia).
- BACTERIAL CELLULITE: gum infections caused by severely chipped teeth, as well as bacterial insults at periapical level or against wisdom teeth, can cause dental bacterial cellulite. These are dangerous inflammations that can affect tongue, cheeks and throat: the bacterial cellulite of the oral cavity can cause toothache, redness, swelling, edema and fever. Septicemia and glottal edema with choking hazard are the most feared complications of oral bacterial cellulite.
- FISTOLE: it is a non-natural passage that connects the center of dental inflammation with an adjacent tissue (eg mucosa, skin or alveolus). Dental fistulas can be the result of complicated caries, pulpits, gangrene, alveolar abscesses and radicular cysts. Even the included teeth, especially if they have suffered infections, can give rise to serious complications, including the fistula. Fistulas heal with the removal of the triggering cause.
- FLEBITES: a rather rare but possible eventuality, inflammation of the facial and ophthalmic veins (of the eye) is a serious complication of extensive dental infections or other facial infections. Phlebitis can degenerate into abscess or septicemia; therefore, medical treatment is essential.
- LYMPHADENITIS: the infection of the lymph nodes of the neck is sometimes subordinated to a dental infection, such as above all dental granuloma, dental abscess and, more rarely, gingivitis. Often, infections affecting the teeth can also degenerate into lymphangitis, which is an inflammation of the lymphatic vessels.
- OSTEOMYELITIS: at the dental level, osteomyelitis is a complication of periapical infections or secondary bacterial insults to tooth extractions, broken teeth, infected wounds or dental cysts. The aforementioned bone infection causes toothache, fever, edema, lymphadenitis, swelling and wobbly teeth. If no action is taken promptly, dental osteomyelitis can develop into abscesses and fistulas.
- PERIOSTITIS: it is an inflammation of the periosteum, generally due to traumas that damage it directly (eg particularly complicated or malformed tooth extraction) or periapical dental infections (eg caries, pulpits, gangrene). The periostitis appears as a swelling: the periosteum is thickened and reddened, with obvious formation of collateral edema of the face. Periosteal infection can occur in acute, chronic or purulent form.
- MASCELLUS SINUSITIS: sinusitis is not only an inflammation of the sinuses dependent on rhinorrhea or other insults on the respiratory tract. In some cases, sinusitis can be of dental origin: apical infections - such as dental cysts and abscesses - are in fact closely linked to maxillary sinusitis, a disorder typical of premolar and molar teeth. The maxillary sinusitis can also be caused by a malformed tooth extraction or by the presence of an infected dental root pushed into the dental sinus. Although rarely, maxillary sinusitis can result from other dental infections (eg pyorrhea).
Prevention of tooth infections
Adequate multi-day oral hygiene is the number one rule to prevent dental infections. The regular and combined use of toothbrush, toothpaste, dental floss and mouthwash protects the teeth from attack by bacteria, making them healthy, strong and resistant to infections at the same time. Let us briefly recall that insufficient removal of food residues and plaque from the teeth predisposes enormously to the risk of dental infections of all kinds, ranging from the simplest caries to the most complex abscess.
To further protect the teeth from bacterial insults, it is strongly recommended to undergo scaling every 6-12 months. Professional dental cleaning is extremely useful for removing stubborn calculus and plaque from the teeth, which are not removable by simply cleaning with a manual or electric toothbrush.
Another very important prophylactic strategy to reduce the risk of dental infections already in childhood is the sealing of teeth: it is a dental procedure to be performed as soon as the milk teeth give way to the permanent ones. The sealing of the teeth involves the application of a special fluid resin (sealant) on the masticatory surface of healthy teeth (in particular, on the molars). This special dental practice, simple and totally painless, offers complete protection from the development of dental infections in the teeth where it was performed.
