Are you suddenly experiencing pain when you eat or drink something hot or cold? Has one of your teeth suddenly started aching? Have you noticed that one of your cheeks looks slightly swollen? If you’re experiencing any of these issues, you may have an infection known as a dental abscess. Let’s talk more about the dental abscess symptoms to watch out for, and how the experts at Country Club Dental can treat this condition.
What does a tooth abscess look and feel like?
A dental abscess starts with a bacterial infection in the mouth. The infection causes a pocket of pus to form inside your tooth and gums, causing severe irritation and discomfort. You might notice an oozing blister or pimple on your gums, or have dark red, swollen gums.
There are three different types of dental abscesses:
Periapical Abscess
This type of abscess occurs when the pulp inside a tooth becomes infected, and is the most common type of dental abscess. The infection starts when bacteria can get inside a cracked or chipped tooth, or because of decay from cavities.
Periodontal Abscess
When bacteria infect the gums around a tooth, it is known as a periodontal abscess. Gum disease makes the gums pull away from the tooth, allowing bacteria to invade and infect the area between the gums and the tooth, forming pockets of pus that turn into an abscess.
Gingival Abscess
This type of abscess also occurs in the gums. However, a gingival abscess happens when something gets stuck in your gums, like food debris or a chip from a broken tooth.
Dental Abscess Symptoms
No matter which type of dental abscess you have, the symptoms are usually the same:
- Persistent pain in your teeth or jaw
- Gum inflammation
- Hot and cold sensitivity
- Difficulty chewing and/or swallowing
- Swelling in the cheeks or other facial areas
- Fever and/or chills
- Bad taste in your mouth
Will a tooth abscess go away on its own?
Unfortunately, an abscess will not disappear on its own. In fact, because a dental abscess is a bacterial infection, if it goes untreated, there is a chance that the infection will spread into the rest of your mouth, your jaw and neck, and even to other parts of your body. This can cause serious problems for your blood vessels, bones, and immune system.
Dental abscesses can also be very painful, and the longer you wait to seek treatment, the worse the pain will get. If your dentist diagnoses a dental abscess, they will drain the pus and clean the area to provide pain relief and remove bacteria from the body. They might also prescribe an antibiotic medication to clear up the infection, and a pain reliever to help with the discomfort.
Dental Abscess Treatment in Flagstaff, Arizona
Remember, a tooth abscess is a dental emergency, and it requires examination and treatment right away. Waiting will only cause you unnecessary pain and leave your body vulnerable to further infection. If you have any dental abscess symptoms or signs, don’t wait! Call Country Club Dental in Flagstaff today at 928-526-4314.
Images used under creative commons license – commercial use (6/6/22). Photo by Andrea Piacquadio on Pexels
