It looks like a small red ball pushing out of the swollen gum. An abscess can occur with serious gum disease (periodontitis), which causes the gums to pull away from the teeth. This leaves deep pockets where bacteria can grow. If tartar builds up too much, or if food gets stuck in the pockets, pus forms.
Symptoms of a dental abscess
an intense, throbbing pain in the affected tooth or gum that may come on suddenly and gets gradually worse. pain that spreads to your ear, jaw and neck on the same side as the affected tooth or gum. pain that's worse when lying down, which may disturb your sleep.
A dental abscess is a build-up of pus in the teeth or gums caused by an infection. It needs urgent treatment by a dentist. A dental abscess will not go away on its own.
Strictly speaking, a gum abscess occurs in the gums, while a tooth abscess occurs in the tooth itself. However, there is some overlap. For instance, a periodontal abscess often affects both the tooth and the gum. Also, sometimes, an infection in the tooth and pulp may lead to an infection in the gums.
Gum abscesses are slightly different from tooth abscesses, though they may share some of the same symptoms and treatments. A gum abscess is an infected pocket of tissue in the gums. There are two main types of gum abscess: gingival and periodontal.
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.
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.
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.
If the abscess ruptures, the pain may improve a lot, making you think that the problem has gone away — but you still need to get dental treatment. If the abscess doesn't drain, the infection may spread to your jaw and to other areas of your head and neck.
Saltwater rinse
A saltwater rinse will kill off some of the bacteria in your mouth and irrigate your mouth. It can rinse some of the debris out of your mouth and if you have an abscess it can help break up the pus surrounding the tooth. You can use regular table salt and warm tap water to make a basic saltwater rinse.
Is a Tooth Abscess Considered a Dental Emergency? Tooth abscess is absolutely a dental emergency. If you have a tooth abscess, you need to seek treatment immediately. Left untreated, abscess can lead to infection that spreads through the body causing serious and even life-threatening effects.
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.
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.
The infection may grow worse. A popped abscess is an open wound, one that's already compromised by bacteria. Left untreated, there's always the possibility of introducing new types of bacteria into it, making the situation far worse.
Choosing to ignore a dental abscess is extremely unwise and potentially life threatening. An infection in the tooth or gums can lead to: Infection of the surrounding bone. Facial bones, particularly the maxilla and mandible, do not tolerate the long-term presence of infection very well.
When you are suffering from a tooth infection, you may want an easy solution, such as a course of antibiotics. However, antibiotics won't cure your tooth infection. Oral bacterial infections cause abscesses, which are small pockets of pus and dead tissue in the mouth.
Antibiotics are often prescribed to combat an abscess however, it many cases they would not be enough to solve the problem. The antibiotics can prevent the infection from getting worse and spreading, and as a result, they tend to be prescribed as a treatment to reduce pain.
The abscess typically comes from a bacterial infection, often one that has accumulated in the soft pulp of the tooth. Bacteria exist in plaque, a by-product of food, saliva, and bacteria in the mouth, which sticks to the teeth and damages them and the gums.
Saltwater rinse
This easy and affordable solution can provide effective temporary relief of your abscessed tooth. It can also encourage wound healing and healthy gums. Add 1/2 teaspoon of regular table salt to 1/2 cup of warm water. Rinse your mouth with the salt water.
Is It Possible For An Abscess to Drain Naturally? A dental abscess cannot heal away on its own. Professional intervention is necessary to deal with the infection as the insidious dental pulp is involved. Nevertheless, an abscess lasts for months and even a year without being drained.
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.