I am wondering if a tooth infection can spread to a salivary gland? My daughter had a root canal treatment directly above a salivary gland that has had three infections. We’ve done all kinds of scans and cannot find a reason for the recurring infections. Is it possible her root canal treatment has failed and it is infecting her salivary gland?
Marybelle
Dear Marybelle,
If there is an active tooth infection, it is always possible for it to spread. So, technically, yes it is possible. This is why a tooth infection is considered a dental emergency. Unless the infected tissue is physically removed, such as by a root canal treatment or a tooth extraction, it will continue to spread. Your jaw is close to your heart, lungs, and brain so allowing an infection to move further than your jaw is quite dangerous.
However, in your daughter’s case, I don’t think that is the problem. You mentioned doing scans. If her root canal treatment had failed, that would have been visible on the scans. I know this means you are still looking for the true cause. I wish I had another answer for you.
If something changes, where you think her tooth is re-infected, you can do a re-treatment. However, be aware that the chances of success go down with each re-treatment. If that doesn’t work, you may have to extract the tooth. If that happens, you’ll want to get your daughter a dental implant if her jaw is fully developed. If not, I’d recommend a temporary replacement, such as a dental flipper, until she’s old enough for the implant.
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