• Mobile_Audience@lemm.ee
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    11 months ago

    Afaik, rarely an unattended tooth infection can break through to the sinus and even cause sepsis https://www.mayoclinic.org/diseases-conditions/tooth-abscess/symptoms-causes/syc-20350901. Also rarely an infection in the lower jaw can spread down into the neck, causing rapid swelling that if untreated can cut off your breathing and suffocate you https://my.clevelandclinic.org/health/diseases/23457-ludwigs-angina. Though I’m not sure why the latter is named Ludwig’s Angina since I don’t think it’s associated with heart pain.

    TLDR: small risk of dying if a dental infection isn’t treated and infection spreads

    • Flyingostrich@endlesstalk.org
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      11 months ago

      AFAIK angina comes from the Latin word angere which means to suffocate.

      Angina pectoris being suffocating chest pain, often accompanied by shortness of breath.

      And Ludwig angina litteraly suffocating a person via swelling.

    • DrBoom
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      11 months ago

      Yes these complications are possible but very rare in developed countries, simply because the pain will be so unbearable that a person will seek out care before these complications develop. They’re more of a problem in areas with no access to care at all and can kill people in those situations.

      Fun fact: tooth pain used to be listed as a cause of death in the distant past.