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Conditions
| Abscessed Tooth
 What
is an abscessed tooth?
When you have tooth decay
or gum disease,
you can get infection deep within the tooth or gum. This infection is an
abscessed tooth and can be very painful. If it is not treated, the
infection can spread and you can lose your tooth or have other health
problems.
What causes an abscessed tooth?
Damage to the tooth, an untreated cavity, or gum disease can cause an
abscessed tooth.
If a cavity is not treated, the inside of the tooth (called the pulp)
can become infected. Bacteria can spread from the tooth to the tissue
around it, creating an abscess.
Gum disease causes the gums to pull away from the teeth, leaving
pockets. If food builds up in one of these pockets, bacteria can grow,
and an abscess can form. Over time an abscess can cause the bone around
the tooth to dissolve.
What are the symptoms?
You may have:
-
Throbbing pain, especially when you chew.
- Red, swollen gums.
- A bad, salty taste in your mouth.
- Swelling in your jaw or face.
- A fever.
- A bump (gumboil) that looks like a
pimple on the cheek side or tongue side of the gum near the tooth.
Over time
as the infection spreads, the bone in your jaw may begin to dissolve.
When this happens, you may feel less pain, but the infection will
remain. If you lose too much bone, your tooth will become loose and may
have to be removed.
If you have a severe toothache or notice drainage of pus, call your
dentist right away. You may have an abscessed tooth. If it is not
treated, the infection could spread and become dangerous.
How is it treated?
If you have an abscessed tooth, your dentist will give you antibiotics
to kill the bacteria causing the infection. Antibiotics may help for a
while. But to get rid of the abscess, your dentist will need to get rid
off the source of infection. This is done by making hole in the tooth or
gum to drain the infection. Usually this will relieve your pain.
If the inside of your tooth is infected, you will need a
root canal
or to have the tooth removed. A root canal tries to save your tooth by
taking out the infected pulp. If you don't want a root canal or if you
have one and it doesn't work, the dentist may have to remove your tooth.
You and your doctor can decide the best step to take.
You may be able to reduce pain and swelling from an abscessed tooth by
putting an ice pack wrapped in a towel against your cheek. You can also
try over-the-counter pain medicine, including aspirin, acetaminophen
(such as Tylenol) or ibuprofen (such as Advil or Motrin). But you still
need to see your dentist for treatment.
WebMD Medical
Reference from Healthwise
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