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Dental abscesses are painful infections that can form in your teeth or gums. They occur when an infection goes untreated and pus builds up in your gum, either at the side or tip of the tooth’s root. This is not only incredibly painful, but also often leads to swelling.
Many people try to avoid going to see a dentist at all costs, but if you have a dental abscess it’s vital to seek professional help to ensure that it gets treated promptly and effectively. Of course, the longer you leave it, the greater the risk that the infection will spread or your abscess could even burst.
Aside from a very painful toothache, other symptoms of a dental abscess include a fever and a bad smell in your mouth, as well as swollen lymph nodes in your neck or under your jaw.
You may be able to buy amoxicillin for a tooth infection in the UK, but you will still need to see a dental professional, because taking antibiotics alone won’t be enough to clear it up.
What should I do if the abscess bursts?
If your abscess bursts, which can happen as it is only the skin of the gum that is holding the infected pus in, you will likely experience immediate relief in terms of the pain you’re in because the pressure will have been alleviated.
However, you will also have the foul tasting and smelling pus from the abscess in your mouth. The best advice in this case is to gently rinse your mouth with water – ideally warm saltwater – to get rid of the infected material.
Once you’ve done this, it’s essential that you get a dental appointment. If you’ve had an abscess that has burst, you will be classed as experiencing a dental emergency and therefore should not have to wait long to be seen by someone.
But I feel better now, won’t it heal on its own?
Although you’ll get immediate relief when the abscess bursts, the underlying infection will still be in your gum. That means you run the risk of developing another abscess if you don’t see further treatment.
What’s more, if you leave an abscess untreated, you are at risk of developing much more serious conditions, such as sepsis. Sepsis occurs when your body’s immune system overreacts to an infection it’s fighting, which can lead to organ and tissue damage. It is life-threatening, so you certainly want to do all you can to reduce your risk of developing this condition.
What will a dentist do after my abscess has burst?
When you see a dentist after a dental abscess has burst, they will check the site of the abscess to see how inflamed and infected it still looks. Under normal circumstances, dental abscesses are removed through a root canal procedure.
This involves the dentist making an incision in your gum to drain the pus and infected material from the abscess before they then clean out the area that’s been affected with an antibacterial solution.
As your abscess has already burst, your dentist won’t need to perform the drain, but they will still make sure that there isn’t any pus left in the abscess and they will still need to clean out the site of the infection to ensure it doesn’t recur or spread elsewhere.
Once your dentist has cleaned out the infected area, they will fill the site of the root canal with a specialist biocompatible material called gutta-percha. This fills the space that has been left following the removal of the infection and the tooth’s pulp.
However, this isn’t the final stage. A filling is needed to protect this soft inner part of your tooth. In most cases your dentist will fit a temporary filling to your tooth at this stage and then book another appointment at which they can fit a dental crown to your tooth.
Dental crowns are specially made caps that fit over your existing tooth and protect it from further damage. Because they are made specifically for your mouth, it can take a few days before you can return to the dentist to have your crown fitted after a root canal treatment.
In the meantime, your dentist may recommend a course of antibiotics to ensure that the infection doesn’t return.
How long will it take my mouth to heal after a root canal?
Provided you get seen by a dentist quickly, you will usually feel much better within one day of having a root canal procedure and are likely to be back to normal within three days of your treatment.
Common advice to support the healing process includes not smoking, brushing your teeth after every meal and consuming soft foods for the first few days to avoid causing any damage. You can also add an antibacterial mouthwash into your routine if your dentist agrees, to help reduce the risk of a bacterial infection taking hold again.
How can I avoid getting a dental abscess?
The simple daily steps you can take to avoid developing a dental abscess are to brush and floss your teeth daily. Using a fluoride toothpaste is also beneficial as this helps to prevent cavities from forming, which can be a precursor to a dental abscess.
After brushing, resist the urge to rinse out your mouth. Instead just spit and leave the residue of the toothpaste on your teeth because this ensures the fluoride in your toothpaste can do its work.
Seeing your dentist and hygienist for regular appointments is also advised to keep on top of your oral health in general. These professionals will be able to spot any issues before they become serious problems and therefore help you to take action before you develop an abscess.
If you smoke, it is advisable to quit because this will lower your risk of developing a range of oral health conditions, including dental abscesses. Limiting your sugar consumption is also a good idea as this can help you keep your teeth in good condition for longer and, again, reduces the likelihood of an infection turning into an abscess.
