Dental Abscess: Symptoms and Treatment

A DENTAL ABSCESS is a buildup of pus that forms within the teeth or gums, usually as the result of a bacterial infection beginning in the dental pulp. Abscesses can be very painful and potentially dangerous to overall health, and it’s important to get them treated quickly by an endodontist.

Three Types of Dental Abscesses

Dental abscesses come in three types, depending on what causes them. A periapical abscess happens when bacteria enters the dental pulp through a cavity. A periodontal abscess is the result of gum disease (or sometimes an injury). Finally, a gingival abscess happens when a foreign body like a piece of popcorn hull remains embedded in the gum tissue long enough to cause an infection.

Symptoms of Dental Abscesses

The most obvious symptom of an abscessed tooth is throbbing pain in the area. Often, this pain will come on suddenly and worsen over time. There are many other symptoms, though, including:

• Pain radiating towards the ear, jaw, or neck
• Pain worsening when lying down
• Pain when chewing or biting down
• Swelling and redness around the area or the face
• A foul taste in the mouth
• Swollen, tender lymph nodes under the jaw or in the neck
• Red, swollen gums
• Tooth sensitivity
• Loose or discolored teeth
• Bad breath
• Fever

A ruptured abscess may be accompanied by pain relief, as well as a bad taste from the draining pus. (This doesn’t mean treatment is no longer necessary!)

How We Treat a Dental Abscess

The goal of treating an abscessed tooth is to clear up the infection and relieve the pain. Depending on the type and severity of the abscess, treatment may include:

• Draining and cleaning the abscess
• Root canal therapy to remove infected pulp and preserve the tooth
• Extraction if the tooth is too damaged to be saved by root canal therapy
• Antibiotics, particularly if the infection has spread beyond the abscessed area
• Removal of foreign object, in the case of a gingival abscess

Don’t Wait to Get an Abscess Treated

If you’ve been experiencing one or more of the symptoms of a dental abscess, don’t wait to get it treated. These kinds of problems don’t go away on their own, and only become more painful and more expensive over time. Schedule an appointment with us today so that we can take a look!

Our patients’ oral health is our highest priority!

Top image by Flickr user Gavin Anderson used under Creative Commons Attribution-Sharealike 4.0 license. Image cropped and modified from original.

The content on this blog is not intended to be a substitute for professional medical advice, diagnosis, or treatment. Always seek the advice of qualified health providers with questions you may have regarding medical conditions.