Dental abscesses are often painful, but aren't always. In either case, they should be looked at by a dentist. It's important to get help as soon as possible, because abscesses don't go away on their own. They can sometimes spread to other parts of the body and make you ill.
When to see a doctor. See your dentist promptly if you have any signs or symptoms of a tooth abscess. If you have a fever and swelling in your face and you can't reach your dentist, go to an emergency room. Also go to the emergency room if you have trouble breathing or swallowing.
Time Span of an Untreated Abscess
In case a person does not treat a dental abscess in its initial stage, then the infection may last anywhere between 5 months to 12 months or even more. Moreover, if no treatment is meted out to the condition, the precious dental pulp will die away and may get another abscess.
Oral antibiotics can kill the bacteria causing the infection and keep the infection from spreading or reinfecting the area. This may also reduce swelling and pain in the area. Antibiotics are not a replacement for dental work, however, and they will not cure the abscess.
In nearly all cases, dental abscesses cause intense pain and swelling and they are considered a dental emergency. If not treated in a timely manner, the consequences are dire. Not only can this infection cause tooth loss, it can travel to surrounding lymph nodes, the heart and even the brain.
If you're wondering, “Will an abscess eventually burst?”, the answer is almost always, “Yes!” Untreated oral abscesses very rarely resolve on their own, meaning that your immune system will continue to generate white blood cells — and they will continue to die, leading to more puss.
You might be wondering what to do next after the gum abscess popped by itself. It's possible that you find yourself dealing with a mixture of pus, blood, and bad odor from your mouth when the abscess bursts. You should take the necessary steps to drain the pus, keeping the area clean.
A dental abscess can form in a matter of a few days. This infection does not go away on its own. Without treatment, an abscess can continue for several months, possibly even years. Most abscesses cause intense tooth pain, indicating to a patient that prompt treatment is needed.
If the infection spreads, you may also develop a high temperature (fever) and feel generally unwell. In severe cases, you may find it hard to fully open your mouth and have difficulty swallowing or breathing.
Tooth abscesses don't form overnight—there are multiple stages to formation, starting with enamel erosion and progressing to dentin decay, pulp decay, and finally abscess formation.
A periodontal abscess looks like a boil or pimple on your gums. It's usually darker than other areas of your gum and looks swollen. The swelling can range from mild to severe.
Emergency rooms are meant for specific dire situations. If you have an abscess in your mouth that has become infected, then you will need to head to the closest emergency room. If the pain is unbearable and seems to feel like it is spreading along your jaw or neck, then you should go to the ER.
What does a gum abscess look like? It may start as a shiny, reddened area of your gum tissue. As the abscess progresses, a tiny white or yellow dot may appear on your gums, gradually getting larger as the abscess fills with pus. Eventually, the abscess will resemble a pimple on the gum.
Don't stop your oral hygiene routine: Continue to brush and floss. Don't be fooled if your dental abscess stops hurting: Pain associated with a dental abscess may go away if the tooth root has died. But a dead tooth root doesn't mean the infection is gone. In fact, the infection from a dental abscess can still spread.
Q: Can a dental abscess be hard? A: While most abscesses are usually soft and warm to the touch, occasionally they can feel firm or even hard to the touch. Anyone with a suspected abscess, jaw swelling, jaw pain or tooth pain who feels a hard lump in the mouth should see a dentist as soon as possible.
Warm saltwater rinses: If an abscess erupts by itself, you can use a warm saltwater rinse to help soothe and clean your mouth and encourage drainage until you can see your dentist. Your dentist also may recommend rinses during the treatment recovery time to reduce discomfort and promote healing.
The pain from a mouth abscess comes when the infection reaches your nerve. The infection of your tooth has gotten so bad, it has created a pocket of pus under your gumline. The pus pocket at the nerve ending is what causes such severe pain.
Abscesses in the mouth are relatively common and can occur for various reasons. They can be unpleasant and cause the sufferer a significant amount of pain.
While it is rare for a tooth infection or “tooth abscess” to spread to other parts of your body, it can happen. And, if it does happen, the consequences can be quite severe. If you suspect that a tooth infection spread, you do not want to put off seeing your dentist , call for dental treatment as soon as possible.
It is rare for a tooth infection to spread to other parts of the body. However, if this does happen, the consequences can be severe. The following symptoms could indicate that a tooth infection has spread to another part of the body.
While it takes a long time for a tooth infection to become fatal, it's possible for a tooth infection to develop into sepsis if left untreated. Typically, this process takes a few months. And even though it may feel like your pain subsides when the abscess bursts, don't be fooled.