If you’re expecting to undergo dental treatment shortly, it’s important to educate yourself about the signs of infection after dental work. If your dentist makes a mistake and a dental infection occurs, you may be able to open a dental negligence claim with Dental Law.
In most cases, dental procedures go ahead as planned, but occasionally issues can arise.
In this blog, we’ll run you through the main signs of infection after dental work, hoping to give you the knowledge needed to determine whether you’ve suffered from dental negligence during dental work.
If you’ve already had dental work carried out and you think you might have experienced dental negligence, please get in touch with our team here.
What Are the Main Signs of Infection After Dental Work?
Dental infections can occur after most treatments, although thankfully they’re not a common occurrence. Infections and dental abscesses are usually found within the gum. However, in rare cases, you can also encounter an infection within the site of a dental injection. Dental injections administering a local anaesthetic are usually preferred over the use of general anaesthetic, although you may be able to have the latter performed in extreme situations.
It’s important to note that a dental infection doesn’t always mean that negligence has occurred. However, if you suspect your dentist made a mistake or did not carry your dental procedure out properly, you may be able to open a dental negligence claim.
The main signs of infection after dental work are:
- Persistent pain and discomfort in the affected area
- Swelling and redness after treatment
- Pus or unusual discharge
- General malaise and fever
Let’s take a greater look at these symptoms.
Persistent Pain and Discomfort in Your Mouth
Pain is a natural part of the recovery process following dental treatment, and it’s normal to feel some discomfort – regardless of whether you’ve had a tooth crown fitted or your wisdom teeth extracted. However, it’s important to understand what’s normal and what isn’t.
Typically, pain and discomfort after dental work should decrease in intensity over time as you heal. If you experience persistent pain that doesn’t improve, or your pain seems to get worse, this could be a major sign of infection. The pain can feel different depending on which part of your mouth is affected, so it can be sharp, throbbing or instead feel like a constant ache.
In some cases, you may find that the pain actually radiates to other areas, leading to jaw pain or neck pain. This is another indicator that something isn’t right. If your pain spreads to other areas of the body, you should immediately contact your dentist – this is because early treatment is essential when trying to prevent the spread of infection.
Swelling and Redness After Treatment
Another prominent sign of a bacterial infection in the mouth is increased swelling and redness after treatment. Again, some inflammation is normal after a dental procedure is carried out, as it’s part of the body’s natural healing process. However, excessive swelling that persists longer than expected may indicate a dental infection.
For example, if you have an infected gum after tooth extraction, your gum may develop an intense red colour and become swollen. When an infection occurs, the inflammation tends to be localised, and may also feel hot to the touch. If redness is noticed, it can also spread to the surrounding tissues, leading further into the face or neck. However, this isn’t always indicative of an infection, as redness and swelling in the gums are also an early warning sign of gingivitis, so it’s important you speak to a dental professional for a proper diagnosis.
In extreme cases, you may find that the swelling makes it difficult for you to open your mouth, which can also make speaking and swallowing difficult. This swelling may cause visible changes to your facial appearance, making medical attention imperative. If you notice that your swelling is increasing or if the redness spreads and seems to be getting worse, you should consider speaking to your dentist or getting a second opinion.
You might also experience difficulty in opening your mouth (known as trismus) or swallowing (dysphagia). These conditions can occur if an infection spreads to the muscles and tissues surrounding the treated area. These symptoms can be particularly troubling as they can interfere with your essential bodily functions, such as eating, drinking and breathing. This is one of the main reasons why it’s so important to immediately access medical care if these issues arise.
Pus or Unusual Discharge
One of the most unmistakable signs of an infection after dental work is the presence of pus or any unusual discharge from the procedure site. Pus is a thick, yellowish or white fluid associated with infections, resulting from the body’s immune response to infection. For example, after a root canal procedure, if the area becomes infected you may notice pus seeping from the wound or collecting in the mouth, and dental abscesses are also common in these cases.
Sometimes, this discharge may be accompanied by a foul taste or odour, which can be quite unpleasant for the patient. The presence of pus is a clear sign that bacteria are present in your mouth and immediate dental work may be necessary to address the infection before it spreads further. Ignoring discharge and pus could lead to more serious health issues, such as the formation of dental abscesses or the infection spreading to other parts of the body, so it’s important to see your dentist as soon as possible, should these symptoms arise.
General Malaise and Fever
Other signs of infection after a root canal or another dental treatment are fever and malaise.
When an infection develops further and starts to affect your entire body, you may encounter systemic illness symptoms like fever and malaise (a general feeling of being unwell). A fever is not actually a symptom of the infection itself – instead, it’s your body’s response to fighting off the infection. If a fever is accompanied by pain and swelling, it signifies that the infection is spreading further.
Malaise is harder to describe, but it’s usually considered to be a vague feeling of discomfort, fatigue and a lack of energy that often accompanies infections and other illnesses. If you have a fever, it’s likely that you’ll also find yourself suffering from malaise.
If you experience fever and malaise alongside signs like swelling, pain or pus, you must seek medical attention promptly. This is because in some cases, systemic infections can be life-threatening, having serious ramifications if not treated quickly. Actively monitoring your temperature and overall sense of well-being during the recovery and aftercare period is crucial.
Halitosis and an Unusual Taste in Your Mouth
Bad breath (sometimes known as halitosis) is a common condition – whilst halitosis was officially invented as a medical condition by Listerine for a new marketing strategy. Bad breath is reported to affect anywhere between 22% and 50% of the British population. However, most of the time, halitosis isn’t linked to a specific medical condition, often dependent on things the person has eaten throughout the day.
Bad breath can be common after some dental procedures, as the recovery process can disrupt your regular oral hygiene routine. However, if your symptoms persist (despite maintaining a good oral hygiene regime), it could be a sign of an infection. Dental infections can cause a foul smell in the mouth due to the presence of bacteria and pus, which usually won’t go away with brushing, flossing, or mouthwash. You might also notice a bad taste in your mouth, sometimes described as tasting metallic, which is another symptom of an oral infection.
This taste is usually caused by blood and pus in the affected area and may not be constant. However, whenever it appears, it will be distinctly noticeable to the patient. Some changes in taste are part of the normal healing process (sometimes as a result of the medications used), but if it gets worse, this could be a sign of a dental infection.
Don’t Ignore the Warning Signs of Infection After Dental Work
Whilst it can be distressing to encounter the signs of infection after dental work, it’s important to remember that most infections can be easily treated. Antibiotics for tooth infections are commonly prescribed, such as amoxicillin and penicillin.
If you’ve suffered from a dental infection and you believe your dentist has acted negligently, you may be eligible to open a dental negligence case. At the Dental Law Partnership, we can offer eligible claimants a no-win no-fee dental negligence claim, ensuring you’ll only pay a small fee towards our costs if your case is successful.
If you’d like to see if you have a successful claim, please request a callback from our expert team here.