• What are the symptoms of an abscessed tooth?
• What is the treatment for an abscessed tooth?
• How can I prevent an abscessed tooth?

What are the symptoms of an abscessed tooth?

Not surprisingly, abscessed teeth are usually very painful. You may feel a shooting or throbbing pain every time you bite or chew. The pain may linger even when there is no pressure on the tooth. The tooth may also be extremely sensitive to heat and cold. In addition to pain and sensitivity, you may notice a fever over 100 degrees, redness and swelling in your gums, a bitter taste in your mouth, foul-smelling breath, tender or swollen glands in your neck, or, in very serious cases, swelling in your jaw. Such an infection could spread to other parts of your body and cause serious damage, so an abscessed tooth requires immediate treatment.

What is the treatment for an abscessed tooth?

If you think you may have an abscessed tooth, get to a dentist immediately. Your dentist will examine the tooth and take x-rays. If the pulp of your tooth is infected, you'll probably need a root canal to remove the diseased tissue. After numbing the tooth with anesthetic, the dentist will drill a small hole in the top of the tooth and remove the pulp. Then, using small files, he or she will clean out the narrow canals that held the pulp. The tooth is then topped with a temporary filling. At a later appointment, the dentist will close off each canal and cap the tooth with a permanent crown.

If you have an abscess between a tooth and your gums, your dentist will drain the pocket of pus and clean the area. You may eventually need gum surgery to close the gap in your gums and prevent future infections.

Whatever type of abscess you have, your dentist will probably prescribe antibiotics to treat the infection before doing a dental procedure. He or she may also recommend regularly rinsing the mouth with warm salt water and taking over-the-counter painkillers such as aspirin or paracetamol. Some people are tempted to put aspirin tablets directly on the sore spot, but this will only irritate the gums.

How can I prevent an abscessed tooth?

First of all, do what you can to keep cavities from getting out of control. Brush twice a day, floss daily, and see your dentist regularly. If you break a tooth, get treatment immediately. Prompt treatment can stop infections before they have a chance to start. Once you get any kind of pain in a tooth go to a dentist immediately. The treatment outcome is always better this way.