“Life is not measured by the number of breaths we take, but by the moments that take our breath away.” Maya Angelou.

A new study suggests that deaths from dental infections are not as rare as once thought. Increasingly, Americans are relying on hospital emergency rooms for dental care instead of regular dental visits. Most epidemiologists site the changes in dental coverage as the reason for the epidemic of dental infections being seen by emergency room doctors.
These visits are the result of abscesses from dental decay.

An acute abscess of an upper tooth can cause cheek swelling, and untreated, lead to a brain abscess or sinus infection. If bacteria spreads from the abscess in a lower tooth, the swelling can constrict the airway. Recently, 2 middle-aged men have died from dental abscesses in the Parma area. People should recognize the seriousness of a dental infection and have it treated properly.

If you or someone you love has questions about dental infections, please call our office for a complimentary exam and evaluation.

Happy New Year,
Michael W. Dagostino DDS