Do you have a swollen face, pain, or constant throbbing? Are you suffering from a tender bite? If so, you might just have a tooth abscess.
A dental abscess is caused by an infection inside a tooth or between the gum and tooth. It can develop very quickly, often within 1-3 days from the start of the infection. For this reason as soon as you feel any pain or discomfort, it’s important that you come and see us for abscess tooth treatment. Unless treated any discomfort won’t go away.
So what causes an abscessed tooth?
There are a number of reasons. The most common one is down to advanced tooth decay. A diet high in sugar, such as frequently eating a lot of sweets and drinking fizzy drinks can lead to decay. If left it can eventually cause infection and turn into an abscessed tooth. Other reasons include trauma to the affected tooth from an accident or injury, biting down too hard on something such as a boiled sweet or cherry pit, or a cracked tooth where bacteria has entered. In addition, not following a strict oral hygiene routine at home can also increase the risk of further gum problems and infection.
How do I know if I have a tooth abscess?
Patients usually experience severe toothache. This may be constant and throbbing, or a sharp pain every time you bite down. You may even have a very swollen and tender face. Other symptoms include:
Even if you have been experiencing the above symptoms but then the pain goes away, you’ll still need treatment. It may be that the abscess has burst allowing the infection to drain, but the issue is that it will come back if it’s not treated. If you are experiencing any of the above symptoms, don’t delay. Make sure you book in to see us as soon as possible. We guarantee that you’ll be in safe and capable hands.
Abscess Tooth Treatment – How We Can Help
We can usually see a tooth which has a dental abscess from an examination of your teeth, but we may still carry out a few further tests. These include tapping the tooth lightly to check for pain or pressure, or taking dental x-rays. The good news is that an area of infection can usually be clearly seen on an X-ray and will show up as a dark circle around the root of your tooth.
If we determine you have a tooth abscess, we may initially prescribe a course of antibiotics to help fight the infection. We may also help the abscess to drain, which should immediately relieve any pain you might have.
In addition, root canal treatment may be advised at a later date once the infection has settled; or the worst case scenario is that you may need to have the tooth extracted. We would also recommend taking over-the-counter painkillers and doing gentle mouthwashes with warm salty water. If you’re worried about a tooth or you’re in pain and suspect a tooth abscess then please contact us on 0161 485 7376, e-mail us, or even book online. Our Emergency Dentist Manchester team are here to get you out of pain and dentally fit, fast!