What is an abscessed tooth?
Dealing with an abscessed tooth can be painful and should be considered a medical emergency. Seek emergency dental care immediately. A tooth abscess, is a pus-filled sac (a thick fluid that contains bacteria, dead tissues, and cells), that forms inside the gums of a decayed tooth. A dental abscess can develop as your body attempts to fight the bacterial infection. Infections can move to other parts of your body, causing severe illness. A dentist may drain an abscess which helps to relieve the pressure and allow the tooth to heal faster. Most often the dentist will prescribe antibiotics
An abscessed tooth is usually associated with a cracked tooth and as a result, the pus that drains from an infection can create a foul taste or smell in your mouth. The pus produced due to a dental abscess can be of many colors as well, including white, brown, yellow, and green. An emergency dentist can quickly diagnose the infection or abscess and find the solution to relieve your pain or swelling.
Why Does An Abscessed Tooth Hurt?
An abscessed tooth is a serious dental emergency that must be taken seriously. The beginning of a dental abscess can cause moderate-intensity pain, but left untreated it can lead to severe swelling. Dentists advise patients to book an emergency dental check-up if they detect any tooth abscess symptoms. If you need help dealing with an abscessed tooth, you should contact an emergency dentist immediately
This is crucial for your health as the symptoms can spread to other parts of the body like jawbone, ears, and neck quite rapidly if they are not shown proper care. A root canal is also needed sometimes to eliminate dental abscesses if you neglect the symptoms or your dentist’s orders.
What Are the Types of Dental Abscesses?
Dental abscess is a type of infection involving teeth. Dental abscess types are classified according to the location of the infected area:
Periodontal Abscess
This abscess starts from the gum next to the root of a tooth, spreading to the supporting bone tissues.
Periapical Abscess
Periapical abscess is a type of infection that forms at the tip or pulp of the tooth.
Gingival Abscess
This type of abscess commences only in the gum tissues without affecting any tooth.
Each of these abscesses causes distinct levels of pain, based on their locations and severity.
What Are the Symptoms of An Abscessed Tooth?
The symptoms most often associated with an abscessed tooth originates from a cracked or broken tooth. Dealing with an abscessed tooth can be painful. The most and the most common symptoms are swelling or pain. Listed below are signs and symptoms that can indicate the occurrence of an abscessed tooth. These include:
- Throbbing pain in the affected area (near a tooth or gum) that usually increases with time
- Pain that gets significantly worse when you lie down
- Increased pain while chewing or biting
- Difficulty in opening your mouth
- Swelling face or gums
- Facial redness
- Sensitivity to cold or hot beverages
- Foul breath and taste
- Fever
- Discolored tooth
- Loosened tooth
- Insomnia
- Swollen lymph nodes under your jaw or neck
In case you are suffering from a combination of these symptoms, you should immediately schedule an emergency appointment with your emergency dentist to ensure your oral health.
What Happens If an Abscess Bursts?
When a tooth abscess is left untreated, it sometimes raptures into the mouth automatically. Although the pus is drained on its own, there is a high possibility it does not remove entirely, giving way for the abscess to return and spread the infection.
What Are the Major Causes Leading to an Abscessed Tooth?
The primary cause that leads to a dental abscess is the presence of bacteria in your teeth or gums. However, the specifics depend on each type of abscess:
Periodontal Abscess
The main causes of periodontal abscess are gum diseases or gum injuries. When plaque-bacteria infect the gums, it results in a gum disease called periodontitis. This forms a periodontal pocket that is a tiny gap between the root and base of the tooth.
The small pocket is impossible to clean with a regular brush, proliferating bacteria and causing a periodontal abscess on the infected area.
Periapical Abscess
In this type of tooth abscess, bacteria enter the tooth through decay and cavity holes that are formed on the tooth’s outer layer. The cavity eventually infiltrates through the harder outer layer to the softer inner layer that is referred to as dentine.
When the decay continues, it breaks through the tooth’s inner part, forming an infection called pulpitis. As the pulpitis expands, the bacteria penetrate to the bone that supports the infected tooth, developing a periapical abscess.
Gingival Abscess
Trapped food around a swollen gum can lead to a gum abscess.
How to treat an abscessed tooth?
Treatment for any dental abscess includes cleaning and removal of the bacterial infection, which causes the issues. If you have been experiencing any symptoms or dealing with an abscessed tooth, you should contact an emergency dentist as soon as possible. If the infection is near the root, your tooth may come loose. The dentist may extract a tooth if the infection is very deep. The emergency dentist eliminates the infection with an antibiotic or by draining the abscess or the pus.
Your dentist will start the check-up with a dental X-ray to determine the cause, location, and severity of your symptoms. Depending on the reason and intensity of bacterial infection, the treatment for an abscessed tooth will include one of the following options:
Incision
Your dentist may make a small cut in the abscess to drain the pus, following the procedure by thoroughly cleaning the area with a saline solution. Cleaning the spot with a saline solution will remove the possibility of the bacterial infection to come back.
Root Canal
Tooth pain that originates from dental decay and a periapical abscess will need a root canal to treat the issue. In this procedure, your dental surgeon has to drill into the abscessed tooth to drain the pus and remove the infected pulp.
Tooth Extraction
If the tooth is too damaged and can’t be saved, your dentist would have to extract the tooth and then drain the abscess.
Removal of Lodged Object from Gum
In the case of a gingival abscess, your dentist will dislodge the foreign object and clean it with a saline solution.
Antibiotics
Antibiotics are usually recommended by dentists when the infection has spread from the abscessed tooth to other body parts, causing your immune system to get weakened.
However, it would be best not to use any antibiotics without your dentist’s prescription, as it may worsen your case more than helping it.
Are There Any Home Remedies to Reduce Dental Abscess Pain?
You can take a few actions to alleviate pain caused due to a dental abscess until you meet your dentist for an emergency check-up. These include:
- Use an extra-soft toothbrush.
- Do not floss around the abscessed tooth.
- Avoid food and beverages that are either too cold or too hot.
- Use the unaffected side of your mouth to chew food.
- Apply ice packs to reduce inflammation and swelling.
If you are experiencing a dental abscess contact our emergency dentists immediately. Emergency Dental Center is open 7 days a week to treat any dental emergency including dental infection and dental abscess. Call 713-829-5508 today.
An abscessed tooth is usually associated with a cracked tooth and as a result, the pus that drains from an infection can be create a foul taste or smell in your mouth. The pus produced due to a dental abscess can be of many colors as well, including white, brown, yellow, and green. An emergency dentist can quickly diagnosis the infection or abscess and find the solution to relieve your pain or swelling.
Why Does An Abscessed Tooth Hurt?
An abscessed tooth is a serious dental emergency that must be taken seriously. The beginning of a dental abscess can cause moderate-intensity pain, but left untreated it can lead to severe swelling. Dentists advise patients to book an emergency dental check-up if they detect any tooth abscess symptoms. If you need help dealing with an abscessed tooth, you should contact an emergency dentist immediately
This is crucial for your health as the symptoms can spread to other parts of the body like jawbone, ears, and neck quite rapidly if they are not shown proper care. A root canal is also needed sometimes to eliminate dental abscesses if you neglect the symptoms or your dentist’s orders.
What Are the Types of Dental Abscesses?
Dental abscess is a type of infection involving teeth. Dental abscess types are classified according to the location of the infected area:
Periodontal Abscess
This abscess starts from the gum next to the root of a tooth, spreading to the supporting bone tissues.
Periapical Abscess
Periapical abscess is a type of infection that forms at the tip or pulp of the tooth.
Gingival Abscess
This type of abscess commences only in the gum tissues without affecting any tooth.
Each of these abscesses causes distinct levels of pain, based on their locations and severity.
What Are the Symptoms of An Abscessed Tooth?
The symptoms most often associated with an abscessed tooth originates from a cracked or broken tooth. Dealing with an abscessed tooth can be painful. The most and the most common symptoms is swelling or pain. Listed below are signs and symptoms that can indicate the occurrence of an abscessed tooth. These include:
- Throbbing pain in the affected area (near a tooth or gum) that usually increases with time
- Pain that gets significantly worse when you lie down
- Increased pain while chewing or biting
- Difficulty in opening your mouth
- Swelling face or gums
- Facial redness
- Sensitivity to cold or hot beverages
- Foul breath and taste
- Fever
- Discolored tooth
- Loosened tooth
- Insomnia
- Swollen lymph nodes under your jaw or neck
In case you are suffering from a combination of these symptoms, you should immediately schedule an emergency appointment with your emergency dentist to ensure your oral health.
What Happens If an Abscess Bursts?
When a tooth abscess is left untreated, it sometimes raptures into the mouth automatically. Although the pus is drained on its own, there is a high possibility it does not remove entirely, giving way for the abscess to return and spread the infection.
What Are the Major Causes Leading to an Abscessed Tooth?
The primary cause that leads to a dental abscess is the presence of bacteria in your teeth or gums. However, the specifics depend on each type of abscess:
Periodontal Abscess
The main causes of periodontal abscess are gum diseases or gum injuries. When plaque-bacteria infect the gums, it results in a gum disease called periodontitis. This forms a periodontal pocket that is a tiny gap between the root and base of the tooth.
The small pocket is impossible to clean with a regular brush, proliferating bacteria and causing a periodontal abscess on the infected area.
Periapical Abscess
In this type of tooth abscess, bacteria enter the tooth through decay and cavity holes that are formed on the tooth’s outer layer. The cavity eventually infiltrates through the harder outer layer to the softer inner layer that is referred to as dentine.
When the decay continues, it breaks through the tooth’s inner part, forming an infection called pulpitis. As the pulpitis expands, the bacteria penetrate to the bone that supports the infected tooth, developing a periapical abscess.
Gingival Abscess
Trapped food around a swollen gum can lead to a gum abscess.
How to treat an abscessed tooth?
Treatment for any dental abscess includes cleaning and removal of the bacterial infection, which causes the issues. If you have been experiencing any symptoms or dealing with an abscessed tooth, you should contact an emergency dentist as soon as possible. If the infection is near the root, your tooth may come loose. The dentist may extract a tooth if the infection is very deep. The emergency dentist eliminates the infection with an antibiotic or by draining the abscess or the pus.
Your dentist will start the check-up with a dental X-ray to determine the cause, location, and severity of your symptoms. Depending on the reason and intensity of bacterial infection, the treatment for an abscessed tooth will include one of the following options:
Incision
Your dentist may make a small cut in the abscess to drain the pus, following the procedure by thoroughly cleaning the area with a saline solution. Cleaning the spot with a saline solution will remove the possibility of the bacterial infection to come back.
Root Canal
Tooth pain that originate from dental decay and a periapical abscess will need a root canal to treat the issue. In this procedure, your dental surgeon has to drill into the abscessed tooth to drain the pus and remove the infected pulp.
Tooth Extraction
If the tooth is too damaged and can’t be saved, your dentist would have to extract the tooth and then drain the abscess.
Removal of Lodged Object from Gum
In the case of a gingival abscess, your dentist will dislodge the foreign object and clean it with a saline solution.
Antibiotics
Antibiotics are usually recommended by dentists when the infection has spread from the abscessed tooth to other body parts, causing your immune system to get weakened.
However, it would be best not to use any antibiotics without your dentist’s prescription, as it may worsen your case more than helping it.
Are There Any Home Remedies to Reduce Dental Abscess Pain?
You can take a few actions to alleviate pain caused due to a dental abscess until you meet your dentist for an emergency check-up. These include:
- Use an extra-soft toothbrush.
- Do not floss around the abscessed tooth.
- Avoid food and beverages that are either too cold or too hot.
- Use the unaffected side of your mouth to chew food.
- Apply ice packs to reduce inflammation and swelling.
If you are experiencing a dental abscess contact our emergency dentists immediately. Emergency Dental Center is open 7 days a week to treat any dental emergency including dental infection and dental abscess. Call 713-829-5508 today.
