Can tooth infection lead to death?

Question

If you have an infected tooth and its been that way for a while, can the infection lead to your brain and kill you? I have a friend thats had a bump on his gums and his tooth hurts really bad and someone told him he could die from his infection. So im asking you now to see what you think about it.

Answer 1

Actually it's possible to die from any infection, especially if left untreated *ecause of the danger that it gets into the bloodstream.

(sorry for the *, apparently you can't use that word on this site or else you get reported for abuse like I did)

Answer 2

It's hard to say whether he would die for sure, but it's possible since infection spreads--people have died from seemingly simple little things that grew and spread into a big thing. Infections are nothing to mess around with.

Answer 3

Man dies from infected tooth-----

AN ADELAIDE coroner has warned people not to neglect their dental health after finding that a simple infected tooth led to the death of a man four years ago.

South Australian coroner Mark Johns also criticised the treatment of 27-year-old Daniel Salmon who died from complications following a molar extraction in September, 2002.

Mr Johns criticised Adelaide's Queen Elizabeth Hospital for not properly transferring Mr Salmon to the Royal Adelaide Hospital, instead allowing the man's mother to drive him in a private car.

That meant no hospital notes accompanied the patient even though his condition had deteriorated after he went to Queen Elizabeth with discomfort and swelling to his lower jaw.

"In my view this is a serious deficiency for which the Queen Elizabeth Hospital must bear responsibility," the coroner said.

Mr Johns said that after having an abscess under his tongue incised and drained at the Royal Adelaide Hospital, Mr Salmon also had a breathing tube removed too early, given he was suffering from Ludwig's angina, a bacterial infection that could result in respiratory obstruction.

He said it was this action that killed Mr Salmon after he collapsed with breathing difficulties and could not be resuscitated.

The coroner said while Mr Salmon's death was extremely tragic it showed the dangers of ignoring the signs of dental infection over a prolonged period.

"Earlier dental treatment of his infected tooth may have prevented the deterioration of his condition to the point where the infection process from which he eventually suffered gained a foothold," Mr Johns said.

"I am unable to express a view as to the cause of Mr Salmon's delay in seeking definitive treatment.

"It may be that he was unable to afford private treatment and was reliant on the public dental system."

Answer 4

An infected tooth can lead to stomach problems and other diseases because all the poison from it is going into the body. An infection in the nose or ear can lead to abscess in the brain which is dangerous. I don't think a bad tooth can affect the brain.  

Answer 5

bacteria is responsible for causing infections, untreated gum infections can lead to the risk for heart disease, stroke, diabetes, pre-term births, low birth weight babies and oral cancers - all of which are life threatening.  bacteria can enter through the swollen and bleeding gums, travel through the blood stream and cause some diseases in other parts of the body.

no matter how you clean your teeth and have a healthy lifestyle, you are always prone to infections since bacteria is continuously present in the mouth there are numerous factors that contribute to gum infection.  what you need to do is to keep plaque under control by proper brushing, flossing and regular dental check ups and professional cleaning. proper hydration and salivation is a must to keep bad bacteria in the oral cavity at bay.  you can use an all natural oral care product, soft-bristled toothbrush and herbal toothpastes for proper oral care. have a talk with your dentist to keep track of dental health. for more tips about gum care, visit http://www.oramd.co.uk  

Answer 6

The bump on the gum is an abcess and yes it can kill you.

http://abcnews.go.com/Health/Dental/stor...

The article above is about a 12 year old who died when the infection spread from his tooth to his brain.