DENTAL ABSCESS

Course overview

DENTAL INFECTIONS, WHILE RELATIVELY STRAIGHTFORWARD REGARDING DIAGNOSIS AND ACCESS, CAN BE CHALLENGING TO MANAGE ACUTELY. DENTAL ABSCESSES OR PERIAPICAL INFECTIONS TYPICALLY ARISE SECONDARY TO DENTAL CARIES (TOOTH ROT RELATED TO POOR DENTAL HYGIENE), TRAUMA, OR FAILED DENTAL ROOT CANAL TREATMENT. LEFT UNTREATED THESE INFECTIONS CAN BE NOT ONLY EXTREMELY PAINFUL BUT ALSO POSE A SIGNIFICANT RISK OF DESCENDING INTO THE DEEP NECK SPACE OR ASCENDING TO INTRACRANIAL SINUSES. IDENTIFYING, TREATING AND EDUCATING PATIENTS ABOUT A DENTAL ABSCESS WILL NOT ONLY GRANT SYMPTOMATIC RELIEF BUT CAN ALSO PREVENT DANGEROUS COMPLICATIONS. THIS ACTIVITY EXPLAINS WHEN THIS CONDITION SHOULD BE CONSIDERED ON DIFFERENTIAL DIAGNOSIS, ARTICULATES HOW TO PROPERLY EVALUATE FOR THIS CONDITION, AND HIGHLIGHTS THE ROLE OF THE INTERPROFESSIONAL TEAM IN CARING FOR PATIENTS WITH THIS CONDITION.