A rare complication of tooth abscess--Ludwig's angina and mediastinitis.

Deep neck infections are a rare but potentially fatal complication of pulpal abscess of the teeth. If an infection can progress rapidly from a toothache to a life-threatening infection, then it is critical that dentists be able to recognize the danger signs and identify the patients who are at risk. This article reviews a case of a seemingly innocuous toothache which rapidly progressed to Ludwig's angina and mediastinitis, and discusses how to recognize and manage these life-threatening infections.