Think you might have an abscessed tooth? If your tooth is hurting and the gums around the tooth are starting to swell, there is a possibility that you are dealing with a dental abscess. You would need to make an appointment to see the dentist and find out for sure, then receive the right treatment to eliminate your discomfort.

What Are the Signs to Be Aware Of?

If you have an abscessed tooth, you are probably experiencing a lot of pain. Your tooth and the gums near that specific tooth are likely inflamed, swollen, and causing you a lot of pain that is hard for you to deal with. Even if you have taken an over-the-counter pain reliever, you might still feel uncomfortable. Some people will experience a lot of swelling on one side of the mouth when dealing with an abscessed tooth. These symptoms might not seem that serious, but an abscessed tooth can cause major problems and possibly even lead to death if it goes untreated, which is why you need to make sure you are seeing a dentist for this problem.

How Does This Happen?

Unfortunately, a dental abscess can occur for several reasons. It is often caused by severe tooth decay. Even if you have had a filling on your tooth, it is still possible for that tooth to decay even further in the future, causing a dental abscess to develop. It is the bacteria within the decay that can lead to the pain and swelling that you are experiencing. The decay may initially occur as a result of poor oral hygiene. However, those that do take good care of their teeth can still end up with tooth decay based on genetics and the specific foods and beverages they consume. Aside from decay, it is possible for those with gum disease to end up with a dental abscess, too. You could potentially have gum disease and not know it if you have not visited the dental office in many years.

What Can the Dentist Do?

Treatment at the dental office is a must when you have an abscessed tooth. Never wait to visit the office because your pain will probably only continue to get much worse over the next few hours and days. If you go to the dental office for treatment, you can have your tooth cleaned out and treated properly to eliminate the pain and prevent any additional health problems.

When you have an abscessed tooth, you will need to have the pocket of pus drained out. Your dentist will prescribe antibiotics that you will need to take for a week or longer to help fight off any infection. Taking the antibiotics is incredibly important because an infection could lead to other health risks that you want to avoid. While drainage is one of the first steps to treating a dental abscess, the dentist may have more work to do based on the condition of your teeth. You could potentially need a root canal or an extraction where the dentist would pull the tooth from your mouth.

You could potentially have an abscessed tooth if you are experiencing a lot of pain and swelling in your mouth. You can find out what is going on by allowing a dentist to perform an examination. A dental abscess can occur when a person has tooth decay or even gum disease. Knowing if this is the problem you are experiencing is important because then you can receive treatment and possibly get help with saving the tooth. The dentist can provide different type of treatment options that will depend primarily on the condition of your tooth and the severity of the abscess.