Acute Dental Abscesses Treatment San Diego . Rancho Bernardo . Escondido . Poway

Recognizing the Signs of a Dental Abscess

Identifying an abscess early is crucial. The symptoms are often intense and hard to ignore.

• Intense, Persistent Pain: A severe, throbbing toothache is the most common symptom. This pain may feel like it radiates toward your ear, neck, or jaw on the same side as the affected tooth.
• Visible Swelling: You may notice redness and swelling in the gums near the tooth. In some cases, a small, pimple-like lesion may form on the gum tissue. Swelling can also extend to your cheek and face.
• Sensitivity and Discomfort: The affected tooth may be extremely sensitive to hot or cold temperatures. You might also experience sharp pain when chewing or biting down.
• Unpleasant Taste or Odor: If the abscess drains, you may experience a sudden rush of foul-tasting, salty fluid in your mouth, accompanied by persistent bad breath.
• Systemic Symptoms: As the infection progresses, you might develop a fever, swollen lymph nodes under your jaw, and a general feeling of being unwell (malaise).

How a Tooth Infection Can Impact Your Overall Health

It is a common misconception that a tooth infection is only a problem for your mouth. An untreated abscess can have significant consequences for your entire body. The bacteria from the infection can enter your bloodstream and lead to severe, and in some cases life-threatening, conditions.

Potential systemic complications include:

• Sepsis: A life-threatening response to an infection that has spread throughout the body via the bloodstream.
• Ludwig's Angina: A severe and rapidly spreading infection on the floor of the mouth, which can cause swelling that obstructs the airway.
• Cavernous Sinus Thrombosis: A rare but dangerous blood clot in the sinuses behind your eyes, which can result from an infection spreading from the face.
• Mediastinitis: An infection that spreads to the chest cavity, affecting the area between the lungs.

Professional Treatment for a Dental Abscess

Self-care and over-the-counter pain relievers are not enough to resolve a dental abscess. Professional dental intervention is necessary to eliminate the infection and prevent its spread.

Common treatment approaches include:

• Incision and Drainage: The dentist makes a small cut into the abscess to allow the pus to drain, which provides immediate relief from pressure and pain.
• Root Canal Therapy: This procedure involves removing the infected pulp from inside the tooth, cleaning the area, and sealing it to save the tooth.
• Tooth Extraction: If the tooth is too damaged to be saved, it may need to be removed to allow the infection to drain completely.
• Antibiotics: A dentist may prescribe antibiotics to help control the bacterial infection, especially if it has started to spread. However, antibiotics are typically used alongside a dental procedure, not as a standalone cure.

If you are experiencing symptoms like a high fever, facial swelling that makes it difficult to breathe or swallow, or uncontrollable pain, you should seek emergency medical or dental care immediately.