A pus-filled bump on your gums. Pain. Redness. These are some of the most common symptoms of a dental abscess. If you are experiencing these problems right now, contact the dental team at Beachside Smiles in Manhattan Beach, CA, immediately for an emergency dental appointment. Without professional treatment, a dental abscess can quickly develop into serious complications that threaten oral health and overall wellness.
Symptoms of a Dental Abscess
A dental abscess is always an emergency. If you are experiencing the following symptoms, contact your Manhattan Beach dentist immediately:
- Pus build-up under the gum
- Swollen gums
- Pain
- Tender, warm gums
- Sensitive gums
- Red gums
- Bad breath
- Fever or chills
- Bad breath
It’s easy to diagnose a dental abscess because the symptoms are obvious. However, some of the complications also mimic other oral health problems. The safest move is to see your dentist right away so you can undergo the proper treatment as quickly as possible.
Causes of a Dental Abscess
When an infection forms inside the pulp of a tooth, serious problems begin. As the infection spreads to the tooth root, it can be corrected, but sometimes the window for this kind of restoration is missed or the infection is too severe and develops an abscess. Bacteria multiply and lead to a dental emergency.
Bacteria is at the root of every dental abscess. The cause of this problem could include the following:
- Untreated tooth decay is the most common cause of a dental abscess.
- Bacterial infection can develop as an abscess because of a mouth injury.
- Deteriorating dental work could be responsible for the growth of an abscess.
- All the above circumstances allow unwanted particles to enter a tooth and cause serious problems.
Why a Dental Abscess Is an Emergency
There is no waiting for a dental abscess to get better once it’s developed. You need an experienced dentist to treat the problem. It’s also dangerous to address an abscess yourself. One of the worst things anyone can do for their oral health is pop an abscess. This effort might rid you of the pus-filled area in your gums while also reducing pain but, if you’re successful, it will also release bacteria into the mouth and entire body.
The raised area on your gums is only one part of the problem – it’s an indication that a deeper complication is happening. The affected tooth will need to be treated too. Simultaneously, the rest of your system must also be addressed. If the abscess ruptures on its own or is not drained properly, infection could spread to the jaw, neck, head, or the rest of your body and potentially cause severe, life-threatening consequences.
Options for Treating a Tooth Abscess
The first course of action when dealing with a dental abscess is to make the pain stop right away and prevent the problem from spreading. Once the immediate threat of the abscess is addressed, the damage it has caused must be handled. There are different levels of severity when it comes to this oral health complication, which impacts treatment protocol. Procedures can include:
- Draining: The abscess must be drained and the area must heal before any repairs can be made.
- Antibiotics: An antibiotic is prescribed after a tooth abscess is drained to prevent infection from spreading and help the body fight bacteria.
- Root canal therapy: An abscess begins in a tooth, which means root canal therapy is the most effective way to clean the infected tooth and fill it to prevent future complications.
- Extraction: Sometimes a tooth is so compromised by infection that no treatment can repair it and extraction is the only option to protect the rest of your oral health.
If you suspect you have a dental abscess, contact Beachside Smiles right now for immediate treatment.
