Dental Abscess

Dental Abscess Overview

A dental abscess is an infection of the mouth, face, jaw, or throat that begins as a tooth infection or cavity. These infections are common in people with poor dental health and result from lack of proper and timely dental care.

• Bacteria from a cavity can extend into the gums, the cheek, the throat, beneath the tongue, or even into the jaw or facial bones. A dental abscess can become very painful when tissues become inflamed.

• Pus collects at the site of the infection and will become progressively more painful until it either ruptures and drains on its own or is drained surgically.

• Sometimes the infection can progress to the point where swelling threatens to block the airway, causing difficulty breathing. Dental abscesses can also make you generally ill, with nausea, vomiting, fevers, chills, and sweats.

Dental Abscess Causes

The cause of these infections is direct growth of the bacteria from an existing cavity into the soft tissues and bones of the face and neck.

An infected tooth that has not received appropriate dental care can cause a dental abscess to form. Poor oral hygiene, (such as not brushing and flossing properly or often enough) can cause cavities to form in your teeth. The infection then may spread to the gums and adjacent areas and become a painful dental abscess.

Dental Abscess Symptoms

• Symptoms of a dental abscess typically include pain, swelling, and redness of the mouth and face. With an advanced infection, you can suffer nausea, vomiting, fever, chills, and diarrhea.
• The signs of dental abscess typically include, but are not limited to, cavities, gum inflammation, oral swelling, tenderness with touch, pus drainage, and sometimes difficulty fully opening your mouth or swallowing.

When to Seek Medical Care

If you think you have an abscess, call your dentist. If you cannot reach a dentist, go to a hospital's Emergency Department for evaluation, especially if you feel sick.

• If an infection becomes so painful that it cannot be managed by nonprescription medicines, see your doctor or dentist for drainage.

• If you develop fever, chills, nausea, vomiting, or diarrhea as a result of a dental abscess, see your doctor.

If you have intolerable pain, difficulty breathing or swallowing, any of the symptoms of a dental abscess, or you cannot reach your doctor or dentist during off hours, go to a hospital's emergency department for evaluation and treatment. By seeking treatment before your symptoms progress to this stage, you can avoid emergency department visits.

Exams and Tests

A doctor or dentist can determine by physical examination if you have a drainable abscess. X-rays of the teeth may be necessary to show small abscesses that are at the deepest part of the tooth. Signs observed by the doctor, including nausea, vomiting, fever, chills, or diarrhea, may indicate that the infection has progressed to the point where it is making your whole body sick.