When something feels wrong or you are in pain, there is always an underlying reason. Pinpointing the exact cause of a sore throat can be difficult because there are many infections or diseases that can lead up to the symptoms you may be having. One of these could be a bad tooth. What, exactly, constitutes a “bad tooth,” and how does it affect one’s throat? We will answer your question and help you solve your problem.
What is a Bad Tooth?
If you have a “bad tooth,” it usually means that you have some sort of dental abscess that has become infected. Bacteria in the mouth spreads quite easily, and the cavity in your tooth gets inflamed.
How a Dental Abscess Affects the Throat?
The nasty bacteria in our mouths can spread even further past our teeth and into our throats or faces. Like the abscessed tooth, the tissue of the throat will get inflamed and swell. The irritation causes pain to us.
Symptoms of an Abscess-Related Sore Throat
As stated before, many different things can cause a sore throat: viruses, cuts from food, etc. However, there are a few symptoms that are more closely related to a tooth problem to give you an idea of what is going on. If you suspect that these symptoms are occurring, you should see a dentist immediately to get treated.
- Redness or swelling of the throat is present in other cases, but it is especially prevalent when bacteria from an abscessed tooth spreads.
- Pus is present in the cavity from the tooth. This is one of the biggest indicators to help your diagnosis.
- Sores or ulcers can form from the bacteria in the mouth and throat.
What Causes an Abscessed Tooth?
Before your tooth had all of this gunk coming out of it infecting your throat, it was caused by one or more problems stemming from poor choices or lack of proper dental care. Let’s go more in depth about what that means.
- A lack of dental hygiene increases your risk of abscess greatly. If you do not get regular cleanings from your dental hygienist and have regular checkups from a dentist, you are risking a painful bacterial infection that could have been easily avoided. You should also take care of this at home in your everyday life. Brush your teeth at least twice daily, floss, and use mouthwash.
- Smoking is bad for every part of your body, especially your mouth. Your teeth will turn yellow and rot over time, your gums will get diseased, and of course, your teeth could get infected and cause this throat pain. Quitting as soon as possible lowers your chances of this.
- A poor diet also has a negative impact on your teeth. Very acidic foods like lemons erode the enamel. Sugary foods cause cavities which can eventually cause much more damage. Cut out a large portion of sugary foods and drinks like candy and soda to make your teeth happy and healthy.
Barring certain medical conditions that may cause your mouth and teeth to get infected, there are lots of things you can do to make your teeth healthy and keep yourself from getting a sore throat. If it is too late and you suspect you already have a dental abscess that caused infection, you need to get the problem treated before it leads to long term damage. Where do you go for that?
Where to Fix Your Bad Tooth
If you live in the Simi Valley, CA area and you’re 
in need of someone qualified to get to the root of the issue and patch you up, come and see us at Dental Group of Simi Valley. We are owned by a husband and wife team, and we make it our mission to treat our patients like they are a part of the family. Since we are a family-owned business and not a corporation, we take the extra time to examine you thoroughly and come up with the best course of action. We can guarantee excellent and gentle care. You do not have to be afraid of going to the dentist when you’re in the right hands!
