Treatment
Tooth Abscess
An abscess is an active infection with somewhere to spread, which makes it urgent rather than routine.
A pocket of pus caused by bacterial infection, either at the root tip of a tooth whose nerve has died, or in the gum alongside it. Often visible as a swelling or a gum boil.
The priority is draining the infection and relieving pressure, with antibiotics if it has spread into surrounding tissue. Then the cause is treated, by root canal or extraction.
It stops an infection that has already broken out of the tooth. Antibiotics alone do not resolve an abscess, because the source inside the tooth is still there.
FAQ
Frequently Asked Questions
Common questions about tooth abscess.
Anyone with facial or gum swelling, a bad taste, a tooth that feels raised or tender to bite on, or a gum boil that keeps appearing and bursting.
Relief is usually noticeable and fast once the pressure is released. Getting an infected area numb can be harder than usual, so we take extra care with that.
An urgent visit of thirty to sixty minutes to drain and settle it. Definitive treatment follows, either at the same visit or shortly after.
Swelling spreading toward the eye or down the neck, fever, or trouble swallowing or breathing means the emergency room immediately, not an appointment. We are also closed Friday through Sunday, so an abscess that flares over a weekend should go to an emergency room rather than wait for Monday.
Improvement within a day or two, and finish the entire antibiotic course. The tooth still needs treating, since the abscess will return if the source is left alone.
Come and see us
We would love to meet you
Call the office or ask for a time online. We will come back to you within a business day, and tell you what it costs first.