At first, you’ll have just felt a slight toothache. But in the previous couple of days, your toothache can have gotten much worse and you have began noticing other symptoms, similar to discomfort when sipping hot and cold drinks, or bad breath that does not go away – even after brushing and flossing.
What is going on on? It might be a tooth abscess.
Below we explain what tooth abscesses are, why they occur, what symptoms to observe for, and what treatment options can be found.
What’s a tooth abscess?
A tooth abscess is a pocket of pus on the tip of a tooth root or in the encompassing tissue. An abscess results from infection of the tooth itself or infection of the gums, bone, or other supporting tissue.
What causes a tooth abscess?
Tooth abscesses could be attributable to bacterial infections resulting from untreated tooth decay, gum disease, or tooth trauma. An abscess develops when bacteria causes an infection of the bone or surrounding tissues and results in inflammation, pressure and pain.
The most important symptom of a tooth abscess is a relentless, severe toothache. Other symptoms may include:
- Pain when biting
- Sensitivity to heat and cold
- Bitter taste within the mouth
- Unexplained bad breath
Since abscesses are the results of infection, it’s possible you’ll also experience symptoms directly related to infection, similar to fever. Nevertheless, more often than not the infection is localized across the tooth.
What does a tooth abscess seem like?
Tooth abscesses don’t at all times cause visible symptoms. But in some cases, there could also be swelling of the gum tissue across the infected tooth. This swelling may seem like a red bump or pimple, sometimes with blood or pus oozing out.
If the underlying infection is more advanced, there may additionally be swelling of the face, cheeks, neck, or lymph nodes.
Can a tooth abscess go untreated?
No. A tooth abscess cannot heal by itself. Occasionally, the abscess may burst by itself, which can partially relieve the pressure and pain. However the bacterial infection that caused it’ll still be there. Skilled dental care is at all times a necessary a part of treating a tooth abscess.
What to do with a purulent tooth: treatment steps to be taken
1. Start with home remedies for tooth infection symptoms
While a tooth abscess requires treatment with the assistance of a dentist, you’ll probably must take care of pain, infection, and other symptoms until it could possibly be seen. So it could possibly help:
- Take over-the-counter non-steroidal anti-inflammatory drugs (NSAIDs) to cut back pain and inflammation.
- Rinse your mouth with warm salt water throughout the day to alleviate puffiness.
- Eat soft foods that do not require chewing.
- Use a soft toothbrush and brush your teeth gently.
- Avoid extremely popular, cold or sugary drinks.
2. Ask the dentist to treat the tooth abscess
The treatment of an abscess will depend on how advanced the infection is. If there may be a soft swelling that appears to contain fluid, the abscess may must be drained. Abscess drainage involves opening a hole within the abscess to empty the pus, then flushing the realm with salt water. An abscess with or without hard swelling may not require drainage. But in any case, abscesses generally require treatment, similar to:
root canal
The infections that result in tooth abscesses often start within the inner tissue (pulp) of the tooth. A root canal treatment could also be performed to treat the infection. This implies removing the infected tissue and then filling and sealing the space left behind. Teeth which have a root canal often need a crown as well.
It’s still possible to get one other tooth abscess after root canal treatment, so it is vital to practice good oral hygiene to forestall further infections.
Extraction
In cases where a tooth with an abscess is just too damaged for root canal treatment to be effective, the dentist may recommend extracting the tooth. The extracted tooth could be replaced with a bridge, implant or partial denture if essential.
Antibiotics
Normally, it is feasible to eliminate a tooth infection without antibiotics if it has not spread beyond the abscessed tooth. But when it does, or there may be a fear that it’ll, your dentist may prescribe antibiotics to stop it.
Think you’ve gotten a tooth abscess? Make an appointment with a dentist
Any pain, bleeding or other change within the mouth is a reason to go to the dentist. Oral diseases similar to dental abscesses are best treated as soon as possible before they turn out to be more serious, painful and costly.
To avoid problems in the longer term, prioritize preventive dental care. Along with brushing and flossing, regular dental check-ups are an equally vital a part of keeping your teeth healthy. They’re a possibility to detect and treat problems as early as possible.