How Do I Know If I Have a Tooth Abscess
A tooth abscess is a pus-filled pocket, often visible on the surface of your gum tissue, that forms when a bacterial infection gets into the tooth and is left untreated. An abscess will only get worse without treatment so it is important to seek medical intervention right away.
Left untreated, a tooth infection and a tooth abscess can lead to life-threatening conditions, especially if the infection spreads to your bloodstream and to other parts of your body. If you notice swelling along the gum line or changes in the color of the affected tooth, you might have a dental infection.
How do I know if I have a tooth abscess?
It is important to be able to identify symptoms of an abscess so that you can get to the dentist as soon as possible to begin treatment. There are a few signs to look for if you believe that you have a dental abscess.
- Swelling of the face, jaw, gums, or surrounding lymph nodes
- A raised, pimple-like bump
- Extreme sensitivity to hot and cold, sugars, or acids
- Bad breath or a bad taste in your mouth that does not go away with brushing
- Pain opening your jaw
- Headache, earache, or fever
- A draining sore on the gum tissue
How is a tooth abscess treated?
It is possible for an abscess to rupture, giving immediate relief of symptoms but it will not heal without treatment. It will only refill and become progressively worse. Your dentist will do everything they can to save the affected tooth which may include treatment options such as:
- Antibiotics: If the abscess is caught early and is relatively minor, a round of antibiotics may be able to clear up the infection and prevent the abscess from getting worse.
- Draining the abscess: Draining the abscess allows your doctor to clear out the infected fluid and irrigate the pocket with saline. You may also be given antibiotics while the area heals.
- Root Canal Therapy: An endodontist can provide root canal therapy, a procedure which involves drilling an access hole in the affected tooth to clear out the infected pulp within the canals of the root to remove infection and save the tooth.
- Extraction: When other treatment options do not work, your tooth may have to come out. Extraction is the last resort so you may have some of the above treatments before the tooth is extracted. After an extraction, your dentist can help you decide what type of restoration will be best to replace the now missing tooth!
An abscess will not heal itself so it is very important to see your dentist as soon as you notice symptoms. Having the abscess addressed right away will help prevent the spread of infection and possible tooth loss. When a dental infection enters the bloodstream, you may face systemic problems as well. Treating an abscess as soon as possible gives you the best possible chance of an easy treatment and recovery process!