Infection After Tooth Extraction – All You Need To Know

Have you wondered about the possibility of getting an infection after tooth extraction? While this is a straightforward process in most cases, some patients may get infections after the procedure, which can cause significant discomfort while delaying the healing process. Tooth extraction is common problem that occurs in most of the human beings. If you take care of your teeth regularly and using good paste while brushing your teeth then you will not face any problem related to this.

If you are scheduled to undergo a tooth extraction, you should follow your dentist’s post-operative instructions. To minimize your risk of infection after tooth extraction, you must keep the extraction area clean and seek quick medical attention if you notice any signs of infection after tooth extraction. Maintaining good oral hygiene can help you successfully recover while preventing future infections. You shouldn’t only try it — you should follow it step-by-step.

Tooth extraction is a typical dental procedure, with the most common reasons for extraction being related to either tooth trauma or severe tooth decay. That speaks volumes about the importance of keeping oral hygiene at the highest possible levels.

Steps in Tooth Extraction

How Does It Start?

Mouth infection starts when bacteria enter the bloodstream through the space where the removed tooth used to be. Therefore, all dental patients must keep the area clean to prevent possible infection.

Smoking too soon after extraction is one of the most common reasons people experience infection after wisdom tooth extraction. Although wisdom teeth removal is done surgically, many patients don’t see it that way and commonly don’t follow aftercare instructions carefully.

Most Common Causes of Infection after Tooth Extraction

Many factors can increase the risk of infection after tooth extraction. They include:

• Smoking
• Poor oral hygiene
• Manipulating or touching the extraction area can also cause infection.
• More complex extractions like wisdom teeth removal are more likely to result in infection.
• Using unsterilized instruments during extraction makes bacteria enter the socket, causing bone infection after tooth extraction.

Smoking impairs the healing process hence increasing the risk of infection. Although there’s a much smaller number of smokers today compared to just a few years ago, it’s still a problem that not only causes infections after wisdom teeth surgery but causes tooth decay and other dental issues that lead to the need for extraction.

Bacteria that build up in the mouth of people who don’t practice good oral hygiene can easily infect the extraction area. Like smoking, poor oral hygiene leads to infection before and after tooth extractions. Aside from these, there are many other causes, such as underlying issues, human error, and much more.

Signs of Infection after a Tooth Extraction

Although pain after tooth extraction can be expected, it should never be excessive or long-lasting. In most cases, this is the very first sign of infection. For all types of tooth extraction infections, the symptoms are always similar from the start.

If you start noticing any of these signs, chances are you have a developing infection:

• Prolonged bleeding after the surgery
• Prolonged pain that doesn’t stop even after tooth removal
• Sometimes you may notice pus or blood in the nasal discharge
• Persistent numbness
• Mild fever that increases with time
• Foul smell from the mouth
• Excessive swelling in the face and jaw area
• Foul or bitter taste
• Extra sensitivity to hot and cold temperatures
• Swollen gums

Your dentist or dental surgeon will always share information about these symptoms after tooth removal. You’ll also get detailed instructions about essential aftercare to prevent infection after tooth extraction.

Bone Infection From Tooth

A bone infection from a tooth can occur due to gum disease or tooth decay. Once the tooth’s protective enamel is eroded, bacteria can freely enter the tooth’s inner layers causing infection. If left untreated, the infection can slowly spread to the adjacent jawbone, leading to an abscess.

Other causes of bone infection include:

• Poor oral hygiene
• Trauma to the jaw or teeth
• Some medical conditions weaken the immune system making it more susceptible to infections
• Dental procedures introducing bacteria into the jawbone

Diagnosis and Treatment

Diagnosing a bone infection from a tooth entails thoroughly assessing your medical history and oral health. To determine the presence of the infection, your dentist may conduct a physical examination, take X-rays or perform laboratory tests.

Bone Infection After Tooth Extraction

Although this condition isn’t very common, it’s possible to develop a bone infection after tooth extraction, also known as osteomyelitis. This condition can occur when the open wound from an extraction becomes infected, and the infection from tooth extraction spreads to the underlying bone.

Prevention and Treatment

The treatment for osteomyelitis depends on the level of the infection. In most cases, the patient may undergo surgery to drain out and clean the affected area, after which the patient is treated with antibiotics.

After treating an infection from a tooth, it’s advisable to follow up with your dentist regularly. It’s also advisable to keep your oral care and hygiene daily by flossing, brushing twice a day, and regularly seeing a dentist.

Patients sometimes develop infections after the extraction, even if they didn’t have an infection before. Bacteria cause this. After an extraction procedure, the bacteria in your mouth will be more dangerous due to the open wound, and the bacteria will get into the extraction site since it will be more exposed.

Although extractions can cause a lot of pain, you may not take antibiotics after undergoing tooth extraction. You can heal if your mouth is clean with no germs. Rinsing your mouth with salt water for the first few days will keep the extraction area clean. You shouldn’t have any further problems with infection as long as you take good care of the extraction area and follow your dentist’s instructions.

Infection after a tooth extraction is a prevalent condition, and one must understand the causes, symptoms, and treatment options for successful and quick healing. Therefore, if you experience any signs of infection after tooth extraction, don’t hesitate to see a dentist for treatment. Taking the best measures and following the aftercare instructions can reduce the infection risk and enhance a successful recovery.