Tooth Infection

Tooth Infection - Downtown Dental, CA

If you experience severe tooth pain, you might be suffering from a tooth infection known as an abscess. This dental problem will not go away on its own – in fact, it will only worsen without professional care. At Downtown Dental in Los Angeles, CA, Dr. Don Mungcal and his dental team are prepared to manage your dental emergency quickly and gently to free you from pain and restore your oral health.

Common Signs of a Tooth Infection

Sometimes, you can bite down on a certain food at a certain temperature and it sends a shockwave of pain through your mouth. This might be a one-time occurrence, but if the discomfort continues it could be the sign of a bigger problem. You could have a serious tooth infection if any of the following symptoms occur at any time:

  • Severe pain while chewing
  • Ongoing sensitivity to heat or cold
  • Extreme pain when putting pressure on the tooth
  • Tooth or gum discoloration
  • Tender or swollen gums

If you have acute or lingering tooth pain, contact your Los Angeles emergency dentist for an appointment and treatment. Severe tooth decay can damage the pulp of your tooth along with the enamel, and these conditions cannot go untreated.

Symptoms of a Dental Abscess

Untreated tooth decay can turn into a dental abscess. When foreign particles make their way into a tooth through a cavity or deteriorating dental work, they keep digging their way inside to wreak havoc deep within. Here is what you need to know about a tooth infection:

  • A dental abscess begins in the tooth pulp and travels to its root.
  • Bacteria causes an abscess and makes the tooth infection multiply and travel.
  • A swollen, pus-filled area – the abscess – forms along the gumline into a red, noticeable bump.
  • Should the bacteria-filled abscess rupture, the infection will enter your system and threaten your overall well-being by spreading to the jaw, neck, or head.
  • Early physical symptoms of an abscess are fever, chills, sensitivity, or bad breath.

Emergency Dentistry for Tooth Infections

If the dental problem you are suffering from is a tooth abscess, your dentist will drain the abscess and provide a course of antibiotics so your mouth can heal. Then, the damage can be corrected. Dental treatments for an abscess or infection might include:

  • Root canal therapy: The bacteria is cleaned out of the tooth roots and the canals are filled to prevent further infection. The tooth is capped with a dental crown to protect it from future danger.
  • Tooth-colored filling: Small- to medium-sized tooth decay can typically be corrected with a tooth-colored filling that looks natural.
  • Tooth extraction: If a tooth is too compromised to fix and the pain is too great, your dentist’s last resort will be a tooth extraction.

Get Emergency Dentistry in Los Angeles for an Infected Tooth Root

Every tooth is its own little system and contains a delicate combination of nerves, soft tissues, and blood vessels. This combination makes up the dental pulp of each tooth. If a tooth is compromised and the enamel is breached, bacteria can make its way into the depths of your tooth and cause a tooth infection. You don’t have to suffer with this pain and discomfort.

Your mouth tells you when something is wrong, so don’t avoid the dentist because you fear the diagnosis and treatment. Getting dental care right away stops the problem from growing and developing into an even more serious condition. Contact Downtown Dental in Los Angeles right away for an emergency dental appointment.

Dr. Don Mungcal Dentist

Dr. Don Mungcal
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Dr. Don Mungcal, a distinguished dentist in Los Angeles, combines over three decades of experience with a deep commitment to patient care. A UCLA graduate, he earned his dental degree with honors from the University of the Pacific Dental School in 1990. Dr. Mungcal has been recognized as a Best Dentist in Downtown by the “Los Angeles Downtown News” for four years in a row and served as an instructor at USC Dental School. As an active member of the California Dental Society, among other prestigious organizations, he continually updates his expertise through extensive continuing education.
Dr. Alyssa Hanel. DDS

Alyssa Hanel, DDS
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Dr. Alyssa Hanel is a respected dentist who specializes in comprehensive general dentistry with a focus on preventive care. She holds a Bachelor of Science in Neuroscience with a minor in Public Health from Muhlenberg College and earned her DDS from the renowned Columbia University College of Dental Medicine. Dr. Hanel is an active member of the California Dental Association, the Western LA Dental Society, and the Academy of General Dentistry. Known for creating a welcoming environment, she partners with patients to achieve optimal dental wellness.

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Oral Cancer Screening Video

Oral Cancer Screening Video
Every patient at Downtown Dental undergoes a thorough check for oral cancer and other dental health issues. This video shows how it’s done.
Here at downtown Dental, we take oral health and cancer screenings very serious. This month is November and it’s the month of oral health cancer awareness and screenings. Every patient we examined thoroughly, we look and we check their lips, tongue and we check for any abnormalities or bumps. At home you should also check to make sure that everything looks okayLeava is going to demonstrate what in oral health cancer screening is and what we examine. So, we first start off by checking all the lips. We make sure that the lips look healthy and that we palpate them, which is touching them and making sure that there’s nothing anormal. Then we go into the mucosa and check the cheeks. We’re going to look and check the hard palate as well as the soft palate. This might tickle a little. We checked the posterior of the tongue. Do you, Viola, go ahead and say, aaaaaa. We check the lateral sides of the tongue. Go ahead and sit your tongue showed up great. And we also check the floor of the mouth. Get the tongue to the roof of your mouth. Good all clear. Oral cancer is especially important to check the patients who are smokers, alcohol drinkers and we thank you for watching the video.

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