In This Article
An Overview of Dental Abscesses
Are you suffering from cavities, oral swelling, tender or sensitive gums, or gum inflammation? It’s possible you may need to see an emergency dentist because you’re suffering from a gum abscess. If you think you have a gum abscess, you should immediately call an emergency dentist because it’s a serious condition and you may eventually need an emergency tooth extraction if you don’t deal with it fast. In this article, we will give you an overview of dental abscesses so that you know how to identify dental abscesses and what to do.
What is a Dental Abscess?
A dental abscess is basically an infection in any of your oral regions that can lead to gum infections, cavities, and tooth decay. If you don’t maintain proper oral hygiene by regularly brushing and flossing your teeth, you’re likely to get dental abscesses. The following is a brief overview of how dental abscesses progress:
- Poor oral hygiene leads to cavities and bacterial infection. The bacteria can spread to your gums, throat, and other regions of the mouth, which can lead to inflamed tissues and dental abscesses.
- The site of dental abscess develops painful pus pockets that eventually rupture and drain on their own or surgically.
- In some cases, the swelling and dental abscess can also block out air pathways, which can lead to troubled breathing. You also suffer from various other symptoms and complications due to dental abscesses.
What Causes Dental Abscesses?
The primary cause of dental abscesses is bacterial growth in your cavities and soft tissues. If you’re suffering from an infected tooth or cavities but don’t seek immediate dental care, the bacteria is likely to spread to other regions and lead to a dental abscess. Some of the primary risk factors of gum abscess include poor oral hygiene, poor dietary habits, smoking, and the formation of cavities due to various medical conditions.
Symptoms of Dental Abscess
When you get dental abscesses, you will likely experience a wide range of symptoms. Some of the symptoms will seem benign but they’ll eventually get worse because this is a chronic condition. The early signs of a dental abscess include pain, swelling, and general redness of the gums. Over time, you will also experience nausea, fevers, chills, and diarrhea. Some of the most serious complications of a gum abscess include gum inflammation, cavities, sensitive or bleeding gums, oral swelling, and pus formation. If you suffer from any of these symptoms for an extended period, you should immediately seek an emergency dentist so they can diagnose and treat the issue before it gets worse. If you don’t treat dental abscesses in time, the bacteria may spread even more and you may lose your tooth entirely.
How to Get Rid of a Gum Abscess?
When you go to a 24 Hour emergency dentist near me, they’ll run some x-ray exams and physical tests to determine if you have dental abscesses. The following are some treatments for gum and dental abscess.
Home Treatment for Gum Abscess
The following methods can help with gum abscess at home:
- If you have serious toothaches or cavities, you can take nonsteroidal anti-inflammatory medicines like ibuprofen to help with the pain. This won’t treat the gum abscess and you’ll still need to see a dentist, but it will help you manage the pain temporarily.
- In some cases, the dental abscess may rupture on its own. When that happens, you can rinse your mouth with warm water to encourage pus drainage and clean your mouth. You’ll still have to see a dentist after that.
Medical Treatment for Gum Abscess
In most cases, the dentist will surgically cut open the abscess in order to encourage pus drainage. If the dental abscess has infected a tooth, then the dentist will also need to conduct a root canal procedure and drain the abscess through the infected tooth. If the dental abscess has extended to the neck or floor of the mouth, the dentist will also need to use anesthesia. You will be prescribed some pain relievers to manage the pain as well. These are all of the different methods by which the dentist can treat gum or dental abscesses.
How Long can a Tooth Abscess wait for Treatment?
You should seek treatment as soon as you display signs of a tooth abscess. If you don’t treat the abscess, the pus will continue growing and the bacteria will continue spreading until it also infects your blood vessels. Eventually, a tooth abscess can also lead to infections of the eyes, sinuses, or brain. That’s why you shouldn’t delay treatment and go to an emergency dentist the moment you realize you may have a tooth abscess. This is a chronic condition and it can lead to immense pain and compilations down the line.
Can an Abscessed Tooth be Pulled?
The dentist will always prioritize saving the abscessed tooth. If the infection has spread to the pulp chamber, the dentist will have to conduct a root canal procedure to remove the infected pulp and drain the abscess through the infected tooth. However, in some cases, the tooth may be beyond saving, in which case the dentist will have to extract the abscessed tooth and get rid of the infection after the tooth extraction.
How to Prevent Dental Abscess?
It’s easy to prevent dental abscesses. You just have to follow these basic oral hygiene guidelines:
- Brush, floss, and rinse your teeth regularly.
- If you discover tooth decay or cavity, get it treated immediately.
- Avoid smoking and excessive alcohol consumption.
Emergency Dentist Near Me
At URBN Dental, our dentists try their best to remove the dental abscess using minimally invasive procedures and save the infected tooth. For more information, please schedule an appointment with an emergency dentist near your location.