Nothing ruins your day quite like a toothache. It puts all your other plans on hold as a terrible pain shoots through your mouth. What is the cause of your horrible dental pain? When are antibiotics required? Let’s take a closer look at the connections between toothaches and antibiotics.
Why Do You Have a Toothache?
Toothaches can occur for many reasons, including:
- Injury to the tooth
- Gum disease
- Sinus infection
- Previous dental work going awry
But the most common reason behind toothaches is a cavity caused by tooth decay. If you have a cavity that you don’t get treated right away, it could cause an infection, sometimes also called an abscessed tooth. If you put off treatment for a tooth infection, you might need a root canal or even a tooth extraction to prevent the infection from spreading. In addition, your dentist may prescribe you with antibiotics to fight off the infection.
When Are Antibiotics Necessary?
Antibiotics are generally prescribed when:
- Your infection is severe
- Your infection is starting to spread to other areas
- You have a compromised immune system
Most of the time, your dentist will prescribe an antibiotic in the penicillin family for dental infections. However, many people are allergic to this kind of medicine, so be sure to report any allergic reaction you experience, even if it’s very mild. Your dentist can then give you another type of antibiotic.
In addition, be sure to always take the full course of antibiotics that have been prescribed to you. If you don’t take all the pills given to you, some bacteria may survive, and your infection might return, causing pain and potentially other complications.
How Can You Prevent a Tooth Infection?
To keep a toothache due to infection from happening, be sure to stick to the following steps:
- Floss at least once a day.
- Brush your teeth every morning and every night with fluoride toothpaste and a soft-bristled toothbrush.
- Avoid smoking or chewing tobacco.
- Visit your dentist twice a year for a checkup and professional cleaning.
- Keep consumption of sugary foods and beverages to a minimum.
- Stay hydrated by drinking plenty of water and chewing sugar-free gum after meals and snacks.
Toothaches are no fun, but by following the steps listed above, you can keep dental infections at bay. If you have even the slightest pain in your tooth, be sure to see your dentist or doctor right away.
About the Practice
At Capron Park Dental, Drs. William Herr, Trinh Vo, and Andrew Luccio are passionately pursuing their dream of providing quality dental care to Attleboro, MA and the surrounding communities. Together the team has decades of experience in the dental field, and they can’t wait to share their expertise with their patients. If you have a toothache and fear it might be an infection, don’t hesitate to contact Capron Park Dental on their website or at (508) 222-5950.