Baton Rouge Dentist

Is my toothache causing a swollen cheek?

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My tooth has been hurting the last couple of weeks and now my cheek is getting swollen. Is this related and how?
– Maureen from Louisiana

 

 

Dear Maureen,

Your situation sounds like you have an infected tooth with an abscess. The tooth is either cracked or has a cavity that has grown and spread to the pulp of the tooth and this is causing your problem.  If this happens, an abscess forms, causing the tooth to ache, become temperature sensitive, and creates pain when you chew. Abscesses may spread from the tooth into the jaw bone. If the infection breaks through the jaw bone, it spreads into muscles and skin. In your situation, this would be – your cheek.

We recommend you visit your dentist as soon as you can as you must treat this serious infection properly. Your dentist will prescribe antibiotics to treat the abscess and you must take the entire prescription even if your symptoms decrease after a few days. If there’s a crack in your tooth that spreads down into the root of the tooth, an extraction has to be done. If you need to extract the tooth, you may be a good candidate for a dental implant or bridge. However, if the tooth has a cavity in the pulp of the tooth, a root canal is necessary. After the root canal is performed, a dental crown is needed to protect the tooth from breaking. Because there’s no blood supply to the tooth after a root canal, the tooth is weak so the crown is added to maintain the tooth’s strength.

This blog brought to you by Baton Rouge family dentist, Dr. Ryan P. Perry.

My Mom’s Breath Stinks

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I don’t know if me telling my mother that her breath stinks is the best idea. Every time she talks to my face directly I smell it. I find myself ducking my head or moving my head to the side. I feel bad when she asks me, “What’s wrong Honey”? She brushes her teeth twice a day and uses the fanciest toothpastes. She chews gum and has mints on a regular basis but it does not seem to make a difference. Her bad breath is so strong, it over comes the mint, smelling like bad breath with a small hint of mint. I don’t think she realizes how bad her breath is. Can you help me?

Thanks Stacy,

Dear Stacy,

The best way to handle this is to be honest, show concern, and let your mother know. If you are noticing her bad breath so are her friends and coworkers. One of the main causes of bad breath is gum disease which is an infection of the tissues and bone surrounding the teeth. Signs and symptoms of gum disease besides bad breath are gums that are red, swollen, and bleed easily as well as pain in the teeth. If gum disease has been left untreated for sometime teeth start to shift and become loose in the socket.

Gum Disease is the major cause of tooth loss and is quite common among the adult population, especially when dental checkups are avoided on a regular basis. Besides the possibility of losing one’s teeth due to gum disease it also causes other health issues like heart disease, diabetes, and chronic inflammatory diseases. Gum Disease is very treatable, especially in the early stages and one can keep their teeth for the remainder of their life with good hygiene and frequent dental cleanings.

We recommend you discuss this issue with your mother and advise her to make an appointment for a dental exam to see if she does indeed have gum disease. If she is in the early stages of the disease her dentist will recommend a deeper cleaning to remove all the bacteria off of her teeth which will stop the disease from causing more damage to her surrounding tissues and bone however if she has severe gum disease he may recommend her to go see a periodontist who specializes in the treatment of this disease for further treatment. Once the disease is treated good oral hygiene and visiting your dentist on a regular basis are vital in order to keep the disease from progressing.

Post courtesy of Dr. Perry, Baton Rouge Dentist.