Chronic Infection in Gum

Hi,

I've had a root canal for about 5-6 years now. It all started when I chipped my tooth after falling off my bicycle in this caused my left central incisor to be chipped. In that case a crown was put on the the left incisor. After the crown was put on, a few weeks later after the crown was fitted on the tooth an abscess occured of in the gum above the chipped tooth causing alot of pain in that tooth. I saw a GP I was admitted to a dental hospital. They added a root canal, said the nerves are dead in that tooth (a scan was shown), and then drained my abscess. I went to the dental hospital every 2 weeks for 2 months, draining my tooth. The abscess started to dissapear and pain was not present anymore. So I was asked to visit him in a month, he drained it, to then I saw him 5 months later. He said that it cleared up, the tooth that was infected changed to a darker yellow colour.

About 3 years back, the area where the abscess use to be is all red, there is no pain or anything. I decided to see a dentist (hadn't seen  dentist since the dental hospital) about this and he said it was a chronic infection in my gum and that the root canal was not properly fitted. The scan that my dentist shown me was the infected tooth, with a root canal fitted but towards the top of the canal there was a small gap, there was a cloudy black area above the tooth. This can cause my other teeth to become infected also. What my question is. Is it possible that i can get bacteremia infection from this? The infection could get in to my blood stream and cause some sort of septic shock? The fact it's been there for three years could this cause any problems to my health?

He's getting in touch with a professional for me. I'm 20, from the United Kingdom, Student, have no diseases present, but I suffer from anxiety.

Thank you,
Carl.

[Jerome Tsang, DDS]

It is a possibility that a bacterial infection from a tooth can spread to the rest of the body.  Although if there is an abscess and the pus is draining out, then as long as there's a drain the pus will go to the path of least resistance.  Did your doctor prescribe any antibiotics to keep the infection in control?  Also, they should open the tooth and clean the inside of it to remove the bulk of the bacteria.  He may refer you to a specialist for that.  This will stabilize the area until a root canal can be redone.  

[tessa79]

Any infection in tooth, especially due to a failed root canal cause actinomycosis. I had a root canal done 6 years ago, it was sub standard. My health started deteriorating, the infection spread from my tooth, to cheekbone & over entire body. Was treated with penicillin I.V for 4 wks & am on antibiotics for one year. Whatever pus is drained should be cultured for A. israeli bacteria & you should be given antibiotics only after culture sensitivity is done. Goodluck.