Unfortunately, antibiotics can struggle to cure an abscess if the infection has reached the blood vessels inside the rootThe anatomic portion of the tooth that is covered by cementum and is located in the alveolus (socket) where it is attached by the periodontal apparatus; radicular portion of tooth.
Usually, within 2-3 days, you'll start feeling better and see an improvement in the infection. On average, a full course of antibiotics takes 7 to 14 days to complete depending on the type used.
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.
If a patient visits the dentist with an abscess, just prescribing antibiotics will not provide a long-term treatment. The swelling may subside temporarily, and the patient may believe that his or her condition has improved.
The antibiotics will often cause the swelling and pain to subside within a day or two, but it's important to note that this relief is temporary: antibiotics will not cure the abscess.
How can I tell if the antibiotics are working for tooth infection? If your antibiotics are working, the symptoms of your tooth infection will begin to subside. Your fever, fatigue, pain, and/or swelling will decrease. If your symptoms persist or get worse, contact your dentist right away.
Reduce pain and swelling in your face and jaw by putting ice or a cold pack on the outside of your cheek. Do this for 10 to 20 minutes at a time. Put a thin cloth between the ice and your skin. Avoid using tobacco products.
An antibiotic alone will not heal an infected tooth. This is just one of the reasons it is considered a dental emergency. A dentist has to physically get in there and remove the infected pulp. Generally, there are two ways to do that: a root canal treatment or, if that is not possible, a tooth extraction.
Rinsing with salt water creates a saline mixture to safely begin sterilizing the infection. Mix 1/2 teaspoon of table salt with 1/2 cup of warm tap water. Swish in your mouth for a few minutes before spitting. Repeat every few hours if needed.
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.
Tooth infections that have traveled to the jawbone can lead to severe dental abscesses and jawbone infections. Osteomyelitis in the jaw causes persistent pain, jaw stiffness, swelling, and tenderness. Additionally, bacterial infections of the teeth can also spread to the bloodstream and cause sepsis.
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.
Facial swelling is one of the symptoms of a tooth abscess. This pocket of pus is caused by a bacterial infection. It can happen due to an injury, untreated cavity, or previous dental work.
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. These symptoms may indicate that the infection has spread deeper into your jaw, throat or neck or even to other areas of your body.
Sometimes it's not possible to see a dentist immediately, and if your tooth abscess popped while sleeping, you may have to wait a significant period until working hours. In the meantime, you can take several steps to help safeguard the health of your mouth. Use salty water to rinse your mouth.
If an abscess ruptures by itself, warm water rinses will help cleanse the mouth and encourage drainage. The doctor may decide to cut open the abscess and allow the pus to drain. It can also be drained through the infected tooth at the start of a root canal procedure.
In most cases, the chance of an abscess coming back after proper treatment is very minimal. Taking all of the prescribed antibiotics is the best way to eliminate all of the infection. The abscess could come back in the same spot or elsewhere if the infection wasn't eliminated.
Usually, it takes around 10-15 days to heal a tooth abscess. However, dental abscess healing time depends on the severity of the abscess and the treatment you received for the same. No matter how your dental abscess has been treated, you should protect your mouth.
Relieving your symptoms
While you're waiting to see a dentist, painkillers can help control your pain. Ibuprofen is the preferred painkiller for dental abscesses, but if you're unable to take it for medical reasons, you can take paracetamol instead.
When is tooth extraction not preferred? There are certain situations such as excessive swelling of the face or stretched oral tissue where the dentist would advise against getting an infected tooth extracted. In such conditions, the infection has to be drained first, along with the use of antibiotics.
An abscess usually looks like a red, swollen bump, boil or pimple. It affects the involved tooth, but the infection can also spread to surrounding bone and neighboring teeth. Abscesses can occur in different places around a tooth for different reasons.