Dental pain and swelling are the two hallmark symptoms of a<unk> . Fever is sometimes present, but not as frequently as tooth pain or persistent swelling. The swelling will occur at the tooth root or at the spaces occupied by the<unk> . Other symptoms that usually accompany an<unk>  like increased heart rate, low energy, chills, and sweating may also be present. If<unk>  spreads to the space between the muscles of mastication, then trismus, the inability to completely open one's<unk> , will also be present. Severe<unk> s become dangerous when breathing or swallowing are impaired. Since the primary and secondary spaces extend towards the back of the throat, significant swelling can lead to airway obstruction. Signs and symptoms of airway obstruction are difficulty breathing, stridor, low oxygen saturation measured by a pulse oximeter, blue discoloration of the skin or lips, and stridor. Similarly,<unk> s that spread to adjacent structures may also impair swallowing or cause significant pain with swallowing. Individuals with long-standing<unk> s may lose significant weight because pain blunts their desire and impairs their ability to eat food. When<unk> s affect swallowing, one may not be able to swallow saliva and other oral secretions faster than they are produced, causing drooling. Pooling secretions at the back of the throat increases the likelihood of the saliva traveling down the windpipe and into the lungs instead of through the esophagus and into the stomach. This process of breathing in material that should be swallowed is known as aspiration, and can lead to more<unk> s like pneumonia. Complications The complications that arise from<unk> s depend on how long the<unk>  has persisted and where the<unk>  has spread. The three main, albeit rare, complications of<unk> s are osteomyelitis, cavernous sinus thrombosis, and deep neck space<unk> s. Osteomyelitis<unk> s that persist for<unk> s have the potential to cause a chronic<unk>  of the surrounding bone, also known as osteomyelitis. Cavernous sinus thrombosis Although rare,<unk> s may also spread through the nasal and facial veins that drain into a reservoir of deoxygenated blood called the cavernous sinus. Once the<unk>  has spread to the cavernous sinus, it can compress important nerves (cranial nerves III, IV, V1, V2, and VI) within this space and obstruct venous drainage from the upper face. The main symptoms are swelling and pain of both eyes, fever, changes in vision, and headaches. On exam, redness and decreased range of motion of the eyes are present in about 90% of cases. Treatment includes antibiotics and antithrombotics to treat the<unk>  and blood clot. This is a serious complication that leads to death or serious morbidity if not diagnosed within the first week of symptoms. Deep neck space<unk>  Deep neck space<unk> s are<unk> s that have spread to the spaces between the connective tissue that separates the compartments of the neck, also known as the deep cervical fascia. When an<unk>  involves the deep neck spaces, patients may report a wide variety of symptoms, including fever, pain with swallowing, inability to swallow, confusion, reduced mobility of the neck, chest pain, shortness of breath, and many other alarming symptoms. If the<unk>  remains untreated or under treated, then even more serious complications can occur like descending necrotizing mediastinitis<unk>  of the soft tissues that encase the heart) and cervical necrotizing fasciitis<unk>  of the soft tissues along the throat and cervical spine). The mortality rate of<unk> s that affect the deep neck space and lead to necrotizing mediastinitis or necrotizing fasciitis is high at around a 40-60% mortality rate.
Mouth infection
Dental plaque
Skin and skin structure infection
Pain in babies
Respiratory tract infection
Lower respiratory tract infection
Animal bite
Dental aerosol