In London during the 1600s, dental infections were listedTrusted Source as the fifth or sixth leading cause of death. Even up until 1908, dental infections still ended in death between 10 to 40 percent of the time.
Due to advances in medicine and dental hygiene, death from a tooth infection is now extremely rare. However, it’s still important to seek prompt care if you suspect that you have an infected tooth.
When left untreated, a tooth infection can spread to other areas of the body, leading to serious, potentially life-threatening complications, including:
sepsis: a severe reaction by the body in response to the infection
Ludwig’s angina: a serious bacterial infection that affects the floor of the mouth, underneath the tongue
necrotizing fasciitis: a severe infection that leads to soft tissue death in the body
mediastinitis: an inflammation of the mediastinum, which is a space located between your lungs
endocarditis: an inflammation of your heart’s inner lining, called the endocardium
cavernous sinus thrombosis: a dangerous blood clot of the sinuses, just under the brain and behind the eyes
osteomyelitis: a bone tissue infection
brain abscess: a collection of pus that can form in the brain