Will a rotten tooth eventually fall out? Myths about tooth decay debunked by our dentist

There is an old myth that if you leave a rotten tooth to its own devices, it will simply fall out on its own. Sadly, this myth causes a great deal of unnecessary suffering in those who have rotten or infected teeth, which could all easily be resolved with a trip to see our team at Buttercup 7 Day Dental, our Glasgow dentist in the West End.

However, if you do have a rotten tooth, what exactly happens if you delay treating it?

At Buttercup 7 Day Dental, we are proud of our general and emergency dental teams, both of which can help if you have an aching tooth! Our Glasgow dentist West End will provide you with the high level of care you deserve while resolving your toothache with either a filling, root canal, crown or extraction. And with our precision aftercare, you can rest assured that your dental discomfort won’t come back.

But back to the key question, if you delay treating a sore tooth, what happens to it? Our Glasgow dentist West End provides the following things to watch out for.

Discomfort

The first thing that will happen to a rotten tooth if left untreated is the discomfort.

It may hurt when you are drinking tea, or when you are watching TV, but these pangs will be mild at first and become more intense as time passes.

In fact, our Glasgow dentist West End advises that as soon as the pain is noticeable, you should come and see us.

Swelling

Next is the swelling, caused by the potential infection.

Like the discomfort, it may start as a minor swelling but can quickly become larger, pressing against the glands in your throat and potentially restricting your airway and make eating difficult. At this stage, you will need emergency treatment to resolve the infection which is now spreading.

Sensitivity

Many people have minor sensitivity to hot and cold foods, but if you have left a rotten tooth untreated, the tooth will likely become sensitive to pressure, air and even movement in your mouth.

Once again, this is usually to do with an abscess forming, so you will really need to see our team.

Fever

Infections do not only cause discomfort and swelling; regardless of whether you have an infected tooth or injury, they impact the entire body.

Your body raises your temperature to attempt to destroy the bacteria caused by your rotten tooth, leaving you to have a fever.

You may feel hot, cold, nauseated, dizzy and may even be vomiting. At this stage, you will need emergency treatment at a hospital.

Collapse

A rotten and infected tooth will eventually cause you to collapse; usually due to a high fever.

The offending tooth will not simply fall out of your mouth and so, you will need to have it examined and either restored or removed by a member of our team.

If you suspect you have a cavity or a tooth that is a bit more decayed, see our team as soon as you can to have it fixed.