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All About Implants

My teeth were starting to deteriorate, and I was running out of options to repair them. The dentist gave me a choice. I could wait until the bone loss was so bad that I would have to have my teeth removed and get dentures, or I could have them removed now and get dental implants. I opted for the implants. If you’re thinking of getting dental implants, you probably have a lot of questions. I love mine, but they took some getting used to. In this blog, I’m sharing my experience and all the information that I picked up throughout my implant experience. You can find out what the procedure entails, how to prepare for your implants, and how to care for them once they’re in.

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All About Implants

What to Expect If Your Tooth Is Infected

by Alfredo Moore

Finding out that you might have an infected tooth isn't something to be happy about, but the good news is that it's quite treatable. If you're worried because you've learned this might be your problem, or you know that it is, don't panic. This simple guide will explain what's going on with your tooth and how it will be treated by your dentist.

What's Going on Internally

When a tooth becomes infected, it responds like any other part of the body. Your body's white blood cells recognize the invading virus or bacteria and go to work fighting it. However, in many cases, the immune system can't beat a dental infection on its own, so you'll need help from a dentist.

While your white blood cells are doing their best, you may not feel your best. As you've likely experienced with other infections, problems like fevers, swelling, and pain can arise.

Why It Hurts

There are a couple of reasons why your tooth hurts, and it has to do with the bacteria and the nerves in your teeth.

While your teeth look like solid blocks of bone, they have nerve endings deep inside that are designed to let you feel sensations, like hot, cold, and touch. However, when the internal part of a tooth is damaged, these nerves can be impacted and can start hurting as a result.

There are two major possibilities here. You may be experiencing tooth pain because the nerves have been damaged by the infection, or because your tooth is filling up with pus, which can create pressure on nerves.

What to Do

Unfortunately, without treatment, permanent nerve damage to the tooth can occur, and to make matters worse, the infection can spread to other parts of your body. Given the location of your teeth, it's fairly easy for a dental infection to spread through your gums, into your neck, or even upwards into your sinuses. Beating an infection is an easy task for a dentist, but it's important that you go in and get treated as soon as possible. Cleaning up after an infection that's been allowed to wreak havoc and spread is harder, and may require additional medical care from a doctor, as well.

If your tooth hurts, get help from a dentist right away. It's the only way to know for surer what's going on and to get your pain under control. You'll be feeling better as soon as the treatment is done and you're taking antibiotics.

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