Tooth Abscesses: Causes, Symptoms & How To Treat It
Your mouth hurts. It could be for a variety of reasons – sensitive gums, receding gums, or even tooth decay. There’s another thing to consider – a tooth abscess. Before you go see your Upper Arlington’s dentist, it’s a good idea to know what signs to look for.
Not to worry. We are here to help. Read on to learn the signs of tooth abscesses and how you can prevent one from even happening.
What Is an Abscessed Tooth?
This is what happens when pus forms around the root of your tooth when it becomes infected. This can happen to you at any age, whether you are a child or a great-grandparent. You don’t want to wait and hope it gets better on its own. It’s not a situation where that will happen.
Another reason to get it taken care of quickly is that if you do wait, the infection can go to other parts of your jaw and then the bacteria can go into your bloodstream and cause a variety of other serious health conditions requiring emergency medical care. .
What Causes It?
There are a few things that can cause the soft pulp inside of your hard tooth to get infected. You might have a cavity. Periodontal disease can also be a culprit. Your tooth may be cracked, which allows bacteria to get in and cause an infection.
You might get an abscess at the top of the tooth’s root or it might get deeper and hit the bone next to your tooth. There can be multiple abscesses.
What Are The Symptoms
There are several different ways that you might be able to tell if you possibly have a tooth abscess.
- A certain area around your tooth hurts. It might be a sharp pain and especially hurts if there is any pressure put on the tooth
- Your jaw might hurt, which could mean that the abscess is spreading
- You see swelling
- There might be redness around the gums
- You taste something bad – that could be the pus
- You have a fever
- You have swollen lymph nodes
- You have trouble breathing or swallowing
- Your teeth are sensitive to hot or cold
- Your gums are puffy
- You smell a bad odor when you bite with that tooth
While all of the above indicate that you need immediate dental care, the lymph nodes and trouble breathing or swallowing make it an emergency. Also, if you see what looks like a pimple on your gums and stuff oozes out, that is an abscess.
How Is It Treated?
As mentioned before, this is not something that you can just wait out. Your Dublin dentist will have to treat it. Things include:
- Antibiotics – This will attack the infection and help you heal.
- Extraction – There are times that the tooth is beyond saving. This will get rid of the infection.
- Root Canal – This also gets rid of the infected pulp and root. Dentist will put a crown on top.
- Surgery – This will be necessary if the dentist needs to drain the abscess.
How To Prevent It
The best way to prevent this from happening is to brush your teeth twice a day and floss once a day. Do it thoroughly, for two minutes at a time. An electric toothbrush is an excellent thing to help you here. Use fluoride toothpaste. Flossing will keep food particles from getting stuck in between your teeth and gums. This is an important thing to do.
You need to also see your dentist twice a year for checkups. They can catch things like gum disease in its early, reversible stages. The cleanings can keep the bacteria from possibly getting under your gums.
An abscessed tooth can be quite uncomfortable. This is not something that you can just take pain relievers and get on with your life. As it progresses, it can affect all areas of yours, including your overall long-term health. If you see any of the symptoms above, you should be contacting your dentist. It’s that important.
If you are worried that you might have an abscessed tooth, contact us today at US Dental Medical. Our staff is knowledgeable about how to handle the situation. You will be pain-free before you know. Call us today to make an appointment: 614-252- 3181.
US Dental and Medical Care
949 E Livingston Ave,
Columbus, OH 43205
Phone: (614) 252-3181
Website: https://usdentalmedical.com
