“What are the symptoms of a tooth infection?”
My tooth has become extremely sensitive to hot and cold drinks, and this has been happening for over 2 weeks. I think it might be infected. What are the symptoms of a tooth infection?
5 Answers
The classic signs of any infection are redness, heat, swelling, pain and altered function. If your tooth is particularly sensitive to hot or touch you probably have a tooth abscess and require a root canal procedure or an extraction
Sensitivity to hot and cold drinks is one probable sign of tooth decay. We especially perk up our ears when we hear about heat sensitivity. Tooth infections rarely just "turn on." They ramp up from simple cold sensitivity to heat sensitivity to unprovoked pain (i.e., waking you up at night or throbbing during the day). Further delay can cause the presence of swelling and infection and, in rare cases, death. See your dentist ASAP and nip this in the bud before you have to have a root canal or an extraction.
If you did not have dental work recently and the symptoms appeared suddenly you may need to see a dentist as the nerve may be involved and you may need a root canal especially if the symptoms don’t alleviate
Best Regards,
Dr. Mark Berkowitz
Best Regards,
Dr. Mark Berkowitz
A tooth being sensitive to hot and cold is a sign that you need to have your tooth checked out. Sensitivity can be a a sign that there is a cavity that is close or has penetrated the nerve. Teeth do move and sometimes the tooth may not fit as well when you bite down. Every time you eat or swallow your teeth come together. Even if your teeth have moved slightly, biting down in a different position can be irritating to the supporting tooth structure making it sensitive to hot and cold. If you have an infection, your body starts fighting it. Your blood vessels bring fighting cells to fight the infection. The extra cells and fluid puts pressure on the on the blood vessels and you feel a throbbing in the INFECTED area. You can have swelling both inside and outside of your mouth. Any kind of recurrent pain is a sign that something is wrong. You need to have your tooth checked out.
Usually an infected tooth presents with any combination of pain, swollen gum around the tooth, sensitivity to heat and/or sensitivity to biting or tapping on the tooth.
