If you have cracked or broken a tooth, or you have a deep cavity and you have pain spreading throughout the area, you need to get to a dentist fast. A cavity or damaged areas in the mouth can quickly get infected, and you may need a root canal or crown to repair the problem. Here are just a few of the reasons why you want to get the problem fixed sooner than later, especially if the area is hot and you think it's infected.

The Infection Can Kill You

If you have severe pain in the tooth and inside the gums, there is most likely an infection in the root of the tooth. If this infection continues to get worse without treatment, it can get absorbed into the bloodstream of the body. The infection could become severe enough that it's fatal. You want to get to the dentist so you can get on an antibiotic. Once the infection is gone, you should experience pain relief, and the dental professional can safely work on your tooth.

Gum Damage is Irreversible

The cavity is going to erode the tooth, and eventually work its way to the gums. Once the gum tissue is infected, it can increase the risk of gum disease and start to spread. You want to keep your gum tissue as healthy as possible, and you may want to have the dentist do a deep tissue cleaning around the infected area after they have repaired the tooth. This will help clean out debris and bacteria trapped around the tooth.

One Cavity Leads to More

Just like the bacteria are going to spread throughout the mouth, it can also start to erode other teeth and cause more cavities. You don't want to end up with a mouth full of cavities because you dragged your feet with fixing the first one. You could also spread the bacteria kissing another person.

A root canal is an easy way to stop the bacteria from penetrating the area where the root of your tooth was, and then you will have a filling or crown placed over the tooth. If the tooth needs to be removed, you may want to have a dental bridge put in it's place. If you want to have the tooth extracted so you don't have to deal with maintenance in the future, then talk with your dentist about having a permanent dental implant put in.

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