Not Treating a Tooth Abscess

A dental abscess is a serious infection that originates from either a tooth or the gums around it. If an abscess is not treated, not only it can lead to intense pain and swelling, but also to serious complications:

• When the abscess infects the gums around a tooth and the bone that holds it, tooth loss may occur because when too much bone is damaged, the tooth moves more and more and eventually may fall out.


• When the infection from a tooth abscess spreads to the brain through blood vessels, the person may have a brain abscess. This situation which is even more serious may lead to a coma.


• Tooth abscess can become a sinus infection because the roots of upper molars are located right beneath the sinuses. If the dental abscess produces pus, sinuses may fill with this pus coming from the infected teeth.


• When bacteria from a dental abscess reach the heart through blood vessels, this infection is referred to bacterial endocarditis.


• Ludwig’s angina is a serious infection which affects parts of the face and the lower jaw. It usually originates from an untreated tooth abscess. The danger is that it can grow enough to block the airways, causing suffocation and even death.

Source: What Might Happen if You Don’t Treat a Tooth Abscess?
Full Article: Dental Abscess
In French: Ne pas traiter un abcès dentaire