Symptoms & diagnosis
Root canal infection in Market Harborough
When bacteria reach the pulp of a tooth and it dies, the infection works its way down the root canals and out through the root tip into the jaw. The result is an abscess in the bone — sometimes painful, sometimes completely silent. Antibiotics can calm it; only treatment of the canal system removes it.
How a root canal infection develops
Deep decay, a crack, a leaking restoration or an injury allows bacteria into the pulp. The pulp becomes inflamed and eventually dies, and the empty canal system becomes a reservoir of bacteria that the immune system cannot reach. Toxins leak out through the root tip, and the body responds by dissolving a small area of bone and forming an abscess or cyst.
Signs and symptoms
- a dull ache or a tooth that is tender to bite on;
- a swelling of the gum beside the tooth, or of the cheek or lip;
- a small pimple on the gum that discharges and comes and goes;
- a bad taste or a darkening of the tooth;
- no symptoms at all — many infections are discovered on a routine X-ray at your check-up.
Pain that suddenly stops is not a sign that the problem has gone. It often means the pulp has died and the infection has moved to the bone, where it may stay quiet for months before flaring up.
Why antibiotics are not the answer
Antibiotics travel in the bloodstream, and a dead tooth has no blood supply. They may reduce a facial swelling and are sometimes appropriate for a few days when there is spreading infection, but they cannot reach the bacteria inside the canals. The infection returns as soon as the course ends. The cure is to remove the source: root canal treatment for a tooth not treated before, or retreatment when an earlier root filling has failed.
How treatment resolves the infection
Cleaning, disinfecting and sealing the canal system removes the bacteria and their source of nutrients. Once the canals are sealed, the body heals the bone around the root tip over the following months, which is checked on a review X-ray. Where an infection has persisted despite good treatment, microsurgery removes the root tip and the infected tissue directly.
When to seek help urgently
A swelling that is spreading towards the eye or under the jaw, difficulty swallowing or breathing, a high temperature or feeling generally unwell are signs that an infection is spreading. Contact NHS 111 or go to A&E if you cannot reach a dentist straight away. For severe toothache without these signs, call us and tell us your symptoms are acute — see emergency root canal treatment.