Dental Infection Treatment in Tucson, AZ

A dental infection means bacteria have gotten past the tooth enamel and into places they do not belong: the pulp, the root tip, or the gum tissue. Your body responds with swelling, pain, and sometimes pus. These infections do not clear up on their own, even with antibiotics.

Dr. Torres treats dental infections at our Tucson office the same day whenever possible. Treatment depends on where the infection is and how far it has spread. The three main approaches are: drainage (opening the abscess and letting the pus out), root canal (cleaning out the infected nerve inside the tooth), and extraction (removing the tooth if it cannot be saved).

Antibiotics are prescribed when the infection has spread beyond the immediate tooth area, when there is significant facial swelling, or when the patient has a fever. But antibiotics alone are a temporary measure. They reduce the bacterial load, but without removing the source (the dead nerve, the deep pocket, the trapped bacteria), the infection comes back.

Most dental infections we see in Tucson are caught early enough that treatment is straightforward. Drain, clean, restore, done. The patients who end up in serious trouble are the ones who tried to wait it out, took antibiotics from a friend, or assumed the pain going away meant the infection was gone (sometimes the nerve dies and the pain stops, but the infection continues silently).

If you have facial swelling that is getting worse, a fever above 101 degrees, difficulty swallowing or breathing, or swelling that is spreading down your neck, do not wait for a dental appointment. Go to the nearest emergency room. These are signs that the infection is spreading and needs immediate medical intervention.