Warning Signs Of A Tooth Abscess

Fever

An individual experiencing tooth pain along with a fever may be affected by a tooth abscess. Fever is when the total body temperature of an individual becomes too high. High temperatures in the body occur because of a mechanism triggered by an individual's immune system that is meant to help keep the infection-causing pathogen from growing and living in a hospitable environment. Numerous types of bacteria, viruses, parasites, and fungi are not able to survive or thrive in environments where the temperature is too high. When an individual's immune system discovers a problem in the oral cavity being caused by a foreign pathogen, it signals to the hypothalamus in the brain to raise the body's thermostat. While a fever is helpful to a certain extent in an individual affected by a tooth abscess, it can become dangerous and produce life-threatening complications.

Increased Temperature Sensitivity

The most common type of tooth abscess in the oral cavity known to produce increased sensitivity to high and low temperatures is a periapical abscess. A periapical abscess is one that develops at the root tip of an individual's tooth when bacteria are allowed to penetrate through weak points of the enamel and dentin. These types of tooth abscesses are caused by inadequate flossing, inadequate brushing, and other elements of poor dental hygiene. When bacteria are allowed to penetrate the pulp of the tooth, they colonize in the pulp and induce a reaction by the immune system. The immune reaction that occurs in the pulp of the infected tooth causes inflammation and swelling on the inside of the tooth root. This causes the nerve in the pulp to become compressed and extremely sensitive to temperature changes.