Symptoms for Tooth Abscess

Having a tooth abscess can be a very uncomfortable, if not to say painful experience. An abscess consists of an infection that has either reached a tooth, or the gums around a tooth. People notice they have an abscess when they start feeling pain, even though an abscess can develop for weeks without really feeling anything. Therefore, the main symptom is intense pain in the mouth, that comes from the infected tooth, but that can also spread throughout the whole side of the face.

Other symptoms can also tell if a dental abscess is about to take place:

• Gums might become red and puffy, with swelling around the tooth.
• Chewing food can become painful as the abscessed tooth is in contact with food or with other teeth.
• Infections can cause fever, which leads to general fatigue and even headaches.
• After the swelling occurs, pus might come out by itself and flow into the mouth. The pus’ taste is very bad, and it’s recommended to spit out the pus instead of swallowing it, but pain does calm down after this happens.

Full article: What Are the Symptoms of Having a Tooth Abscess?
Source: Dental Abscess
In French: Symptômes d’un abcès dentaire

Pregnancy and Dental X-Rays

If you are a pregnant woman and if you have a tooth ache, you might hesitate seeing a dentist if you wonder how safe X-rays are. Moreover, if you are in a situation where you just learned that you are pregnant and you are wondering if you should schedule a routine check-up with your dentist.

These worries are normal for a pregnant woman to have, especially if it’s your first baby and you want to take every precaution not to harm him. If you are suffering from toothache or if you have a dental emergency, your dentist would ideally need a proper X-ray to detect what the problem is.

Dentists and physicians generally do not recommend taking any X-rays during the first trimester of pregnancy. Furthermore, routine X-rays, which are usually taken during a dental check-up, should be postponed until after childbirth.

Emergency X-rays can be safe, if not carried on during the first three months of pregnancy. Your dentist would use a lead blanket to cover your body and protect your uterus from any radiation. Some dentists would also do treatments needing multiple X-rays, such as root canal therapy, but that remains controversial. Put in mind that major treatments can be also started while you are pregnant and continued after you have given birth. Therefore if you are suffering from dental pain, do not ignore it and call your dentist!

Complete article: Are Dental X-Rays Safe for Pregnant Women?
Source: Pregnancy and Dental Care
In French: Grossesse et radiographies dentaires