What is a Dental Abscess?
A dental abscess is also called an oral abscess or tooth abscess. It is a localized bacterial infection that results in a collection of pus.
According to Dr. Nandita Lilly, one of NewMouth's in-house dentists, "a dental abscess, if not treated accordingly, can lead to hospitalization. In some cases, it can be fatal."
The long-term build-up of pus inside the gums or teeth triggers an abscess. The infection affects the surrounding structures of teeth and can cause persistent toothaches and other symptoms.
Types of Dental Abscess
Three main types of dental abscesses can form in different regions around a tooth, including:
- Gingival abscess – develops around the gums near the base of the tooth due to the impact of a foreign object
- Periodontal abscess – develops inside the gum tissue and can affect the gums and bone surrounding the tooth
- Periapical abscess – develops in the root of the tooth due to bacteria entering the dental pulp (innermost layer of the tooth) through a cavity, crack, or chip
Summary
A tooth abscess is a painful pocket of pus that develops from a bacterial infection in the mouth. There are three types: gingival, periodontal, and periapical abscesses.
Pictures of Dental Abscesses
Pictures of Dental Abscesses
5 Dental Abscess Stages
A tooth abscess is one of the later stages of tooth decay. Tooth abscess stages include:
1. Enamel Decay
The first stage is enamel damage, the outer layer of teeth. Enamel decay is often caused by plaque build-up on your teeth.
Some people may not experience any symptoms. Others develop tooth sensitivity or decalcified white spots that are more prone to enamel breakdown.
2. Dentin Decay
If you don't treat your enamel decay, it will progress to the next layer of your tooth. Dentin is the yellowish second layer. Many people will experience increased tooth sensitivity in this stage. In others, a small hole in your tooth may develop.
3. Pulp Decay
The soft inner pulp is the deepest layer of your tooth structure. If bacteria reach this layer, they can attack the tooth's nerve.
This often causes severe tooth pain. Eventually, the tooth's nerve dies and the abscess begins to form.
4. Abscess Formation
Once the bacteria makes its way to your pulp, it can start to spread deeper into your gums or jawbone. Your gums may begin to swell, and you may see a small bump on your gums. This may feel like throbbing pain in your teeth, gums, and surrounding tissue.
5. Serious Complications
If you do not treat your tooth abscess, it could lead to serious symptoms. The most common are:
- Tooth loss — severe tooth decay can cause your tooth to break or fall out
- Sepsis — bacteria can spread to your bloodstream and cause sepsis, which is a life-threatening infection
Summary
The six stages of a dental abscess include enamel decay, dentin decay, pulp decay, abscess formation, and complications. Serious complications like sepsis (a deadly blood infection) and/or tooth loss can occur if left untreated.
What Causes Dental Abscesses?
Bacteria build-up from neglected oral hygiene is the primary cause of dental abscesses. Other risk factors include:
Injuries & Damage
Injuries, dental damage, or deep tooth cracks allow bacteria to spread to deeper parts of the teeth or gums. This can cause an abscess.
Underlying Medical Conditions & Medications
People with weaker immune systems or those taking medications for serious health conditions are at a higher risk of developing abscesses. This includes:
- Chemotherapy patients
- People taking steroids
- People with diabetes
Poor Diets High in Sugar
Eating sugary and processed foods results in the build-up of dental plaque and calculus. Without proper brushing, cleaning, and flossing, tooth decay may develop. Untreated decay can result in a dental abscess later on.
Summary
Harmful bacteria cause dental abscesses due to poor oral hygiene. Risk factors include mouth trauma, weakened immune systems, poor diets, and tooth cracks, among others.
Prevention Tips
Good oral hygiene is the best way to prevent oral conditions and diseases.
Dental abscess prevention tips include:
- Brushing your teeth twice a day with fluoride toothpaste. You can either use a regular or electric toothbrush
- Replacing your toothbrush or toothbrush head every 3 to 4 months
- Flossing between your teeth daily with dental floss, floss sticks, or a water flosser
- Using a fluoride or antiseptic mouth rinse daily to help prevent plaque buildup and tooth decay
- Keeping up with professional dental care. This includes visiting your dentist for routine teeth cleanings, x-rays, and dental exams every six months
- Eating a balanced, healthy diet
- Reducing sugar intake
Summary
Optimal oral hygiene is essential for abscess prevention. Also, make sure you keep up with professional teeth cleanings and dental exams every six months.
Symptoms of a Dental Abscess
Depending on the type of dental abscess and how long it has been progressing, common symptoms may include:
- Severe toothache
- Throbbing near the affected tooth that comes and goes spontaneously
- Pain in the gums, roots of the tooth, or referred pain
- Painful, swollen lymph nodes in the neck and/or jaw
- Redness, swelling, and inflammation near the abscess
- Swollen, inflamed, and shiny gums
- Pain that worsens when lying down and interrupts sleep
- Tooth sensitivity to cold, sweet, or hot substances
- Consistent bad breath, even after brushing or rinsing the mouth
- A loose tooth or multiple loose teeth near the infection site
- Severe ear, neck, and/or jaw pain
- Pain when biting down or chewing
- Difficulties swallowing and breathing
- Facial swelling
- Fever
If the abscess ruptures, you may notice a foul taste (salty fluid) and smell in your mouth. You will also feel pain relief in the infected tooth. If this occurs, call your general dentist immediately.
If you experience severe pain and difficulty breathing, call your local emergency department or 9-1-1.
Summary
The primary symptom of a dental abscess is severe pain near the infection site. Swelling, redness, and inflammation around the abscess are also common.
Dental Abscess Treatment
Three treatment options are available depending on the type and severity of the infection. They include:
Abscess Draining
Abscess draining is typically recommended if the abscess is treated early and hasn’t progressed.
During the procedure, a dentist will make a small incision into the abscess to drain the pus. A dentist cleans the infected area and prescribes antibiotics post-op.
Root Canal Treatment
Root canal treatment is necessary when the bacteria spread to the dental pulp and tooth roots. It is also necessary if there is an abscess at the root of a tooth (periapical abscess).
During the procedure, a dentist removes the infected dental pulp in the patient’s tooth and also drains the abscess. Then the root canal is cleaned, shaped, sealed, and restored with a dental crown.
Tooth Extractions
Tooth extractions might be necessary after teeth are damaged from an injury, disease, or tooth decay. If an abscessed tooth cannot be saved, extraction is necessary.
During the procedure, local anesthesia is administered, and the tooth is removed using small instruments. After extraction, the tooth socket is covered with sterile gauze, and pressure should be applied for about 20 minutes.
Summary
Tooth abscesses must be treated quickly to prevent spreading. Your dentist must drain the infection (never try to do this at home). Root canal treatment and tooth extraction may also be necessary (depending on the severity).
Dental Abscess Healing Time
After an extraction, the infection will drain through the empty socket. Your tooth can take a few weeks to fully heal after a dental abscess treatment.
Your dentist will schedule check-ups with you to ensure you are healing properly. You may still have an infection if you are experiencing:
- Extreme pain even with painkillers
- You had or have a fever
- You had or have difficulty eating, speaking, or breathing
Best Antibiotics For Dental Abscesses
Antibiotics are taken after the root canal or extraction procedure to help clear up the infection. Taking it without removing the infected tooth will not cure a dental abscess.
Commonly prescribed antibiotics for dental abscesses include amoxicillin and penicillin. Other antibiotics prescribed to people with tooth abscesses include:
- Clindamycin
- Ampicillin and sulbactam
- Azithromycin (Zithromax)
- Erythromycin
- Keflex
- Metronidazole
- Ticarcillin and clavulanate
The course of treatment for most antibiotics is 10 to 14 days. They must be taken for the entire course of treatment, even if your symptoms disappear.
Tips for Managing Pain
Ibuprofen and similar over-the-counter (OTC) painkillers can help control dental abscess pain. However, they can't treat the condition.
Only use OTC painkillers that are safe for you and do not prolong their use. Long-term use of OTC painkillers damages your organs.
These are good to take while you wait for your treatment. You can also take them with the antibiotics your dentist prescribes afterward.
Summary
Amoxicillin can be used to treat the underlying bacterial infection. However, antibiotics will not cure an abscess. Professional drainage is still necessary. Over-the-counter medications can be used to manage pain before/after your appointment.
Risk Factors of an Untreated Dental Abscess
Dental abscesses should be treated promptly to avoid the risk of serious complications. These complications include:
- Tooth loss — if the abscessed tooth becomes severely infected or weak, a root canal will not be able to save it. If this is the case, you must get the tooth removed and replaced with a dental implant and dental crown (artificial tooth).
- Bone infection — leaving the tooth untreated can result in an infection that affects the surrounding facial bones.
- Sinus infections — frequent and painful sinus infections and/or oral soft tissue infections can also develop.
- Septicemia — this is a life-threatening condition that occurs when your entire bloodstream becomes infected. A dental abscess can trigger septicemia if left untreated long-term.
- Brain abscess — a dental abscess infection can travel to the brain, resulting in another abscess. This is relatively rare but can occur if the infection becomes severe enough. A brain abscess is dangerous and requires a visit to the emergency room or hospital for treatment.
Summary
A tooth abscess is serious and can be life-threatening (if left untreated). It can lead to tooth loss, bone/sinus infections, septicemia (a deadly blood infection), or a brain abscess (rare).
Dental Abscess FAQs
Can a tooth abscess go away on its own?
A tooth abscess will not go away on its own. If a dentist does not drain the abscess, it can spread to other areas of your body, including the jaw, head, or neck.
Can I pop an abscess on my gum?
You should never try to pop or squeeze a dental or gum abscess. Doing so can push the infection into deeper tissues in your mouth.
How can I treat a gum abscess at home?
You cannot drain a gum abscess at home. However, you can minimize the pain by applying a warm compress to the area 4 times a day for 30 minutes at a time.
How do I know if my tooth abscess is spreading?
Symptoms that a tooth abscess has spread to other parts of your body include fever, swelling, dehydration, increased heart rate, increased breathing rate, and stomach pain.
Is a gum abscess an emergency?
Predicting how a dental infection will spread is difficult, so it is best to assume that a tooth abscess is an emergency. Any visible swelling in the gums, whether it causes pain or not, could be dangerous, and you should seek urgent dental care.
What does a tooth abscess look and feel like?
Most abscesses are warm and soft to the touch. In some cases, they can be firm to the touch.
Will a tooth abscess go away with antibiotics?
Antibiotics alone cannot treat a tooth abscess. An abscess has to be professionally drained by a dentist. Antibiotics may be prescribed if the infection has spread or is very severe.
In this article
FAQs
What is the typical treatment for an abscessed tooth? ›
Dentists will treat a tooth abscess by draining it and getting rid of the infection. They may be able to save your tooth with a root canal treatment. But in some cases the tooth may need to be pulled. Leaving a tooth abscess untreated can lead to serious, even life-threatening, complications.
What is the fastest way to heal an abscess tooth? ›- Open up (incise) and drain the abscess. The dentist makes a small cut into the abscess, allowing the pus to drain out. ...
- Do a root canal. This can help get rid of the infection and save your tooth. ...
- Pull the affected tooth. ...
- Prescribe antibiotics.
Usually, it takes around 10-15 days to heal a tooth abscess. However, dental abscess healing time depends on the severity of the abscess and the treatment you received for the same. No matter how your dental abscess has been treated, you should protect your mouth.
How can I make my abscess stop hurting? ›While you're waiting to see a dentist, painkillers can help control your pain. Ibuprofen is the preferred painkiller for dental abscesses, but if you're unable to take it for medical reasons, you can take paracetamol instead.
How do you get rid of an abscess without going to the dentist? ›Rinse Your Mouth With Baking Soda
Mixing baking soda and water and rinsing for five minutes twice a day is a good way to fight an abscess at home. Baking soda increases the PH in your mouth. Lots of bacteria thrive in acidic conditions.
...
Penicillins are a group of antibiotics including:
- Penicillin.
- Amoxicillin.
- Amoxicillin/potassium clavulanate.
Rinse with salt water
Rinsing with salt water creates a saline mixture to safely begin sterilizing the infection. Mix 1/2 teaspoon of table salt with 1/2 cup of warm tap water. Swish in your mouth for a few minutes before spitting. Repeat every few hours if needed.
You should never attempt to pop an abscess on your own.
How long does it take for an abscess to drain on its own tooth? ›A dental abscess cannot heal away on its own. Professional intervention is necessary to deal with the infection as the insidious dental pulp is involved. Nevertheless, an abscess lasts for months and even a year without being drained.
How do I know if my tooth abscess is spreading? ›Signs of an infection spreading
A person who has a suspected tooth infection and develops any of these symptoms should seek immediate medical attention: a painful tongue and mouth. swelling of the face, cheeks, or neck. difficulty swallowing.
Will a tooth abscess go away with just antibiotics? ›
When you are suffering from a tooth infection, you may want an easy solution, such as a course of antibiotics. However, antibiotics won't cure your tooth infection. Oral bacterial infections cause abscesses, which are small pockets of pus and dead tissue in the mouth.
Will antibiotics get rid of tooth abscess? ›Antibiotics are just one of the many tools dentists have to treat dental infections, like an abscessed tooth. Throughout the world, dentists commonly prescribe amoxicillin for abscessed tooth infections that require antibiotic therapy.
What clears up an abscess? ›Treating an abscess
A small skin abscess may drain naturally, or simply shrink, dry up and disappear without any treatment. However, larger abscesses may need to be treated with antibiotics to clear the infection, and the pus may need to be drained.
ALMOST NEVER APPLY HEAT to your face when experiencing a toothache. If you have an infection the heat may draw that infection out causing more swelling. Apply COLD! If you are experiencing a severe toothache the best thing is ice water in the mouth.
What can make an abscess worse? ›Avoid touching, pushing, popping, or squeezing the abscess because that can spread the infection to other parts of the skin, making things worse.
Will antibiotics alone cure a tooth abscess? ›When you are suffering from a tooth infection, you may want an easy solution, such as a course of antibiotics. However, antibiotics won't cure your tooth infection. Oral bacterial infections cause abscesses, which are small pockets of pus and dead tissue in the mouth.
How long does a tooth abscess last untreated? ›Time Span of an Untreated Abscess
In case a person does not treat a dental abscess in its initial stage, then the infection may last anywhere between 5 months to 12 months or even more. Moreover, if no treatment is meted out to the condition, the precious dental pulp will die away and may get another abscess.
Usually, within 2-3 days, you'll start feeling better and see an improvement in the infection. On average, a full course of antibiotics takes 7 to 14 days to complete depending on the type used.
Does getting an abscessed tooth pulled hurt? ›Yes, getting a tooth pulled can hurt. However, your dentist will typically give you local anesthesia during the procedure to eliminate the pain. Also, following the procedure, dentists usually recommend over-the-counter (OTC) or prescription pain medication to help you manage the pain.