Tooth abscess: What are the common symptoms and treatments?

Most people assume a serious cavity or a wisdom tooth when they think of tooth pain. But even tooth infection, also known as tooth abscess or dental abscess, can result in extreme tooth pain.

When it comes to tooth abscess or infection, it is usually caused by bacteria. This means the treatment will likely include antibiotics. However, your dental care provider will recommend you for the right treatment depending on the severity of your tooth abscess.

Whether or not you’re suffering from tooth abscess, it is good to know about the tooth abscess symptoms and treatments. With this knowledge, you will be able to handle tooth abscess effectively if you ever experience it in the future.

Here are some of the common symptoms of tooth abscess.

Well, pain is the most common symptom you may experience during tooth infection or tooth abscess. However, pain is not always related to just tooth infection. Sometimes, it is even associated with gum problem and development of a wisdom tooth. Therefore, here are some of the other symptoms of tooth abscess. 

• Throbbing sensation from the infected tooth or the surrounding area.
• Some people can even experience pain that seems to emit from the jawbone, ear’s base and neck. 
• Pain triggers from eating hot or cold food.
• Increased sensitivity while chewing or taking a bite.
• Swelling on the cheek with infected tooth.
• In severe cases, people can even have pus filled in their infected tooth. 

Treatment option for an abscess tooth 

In case of mild tooth infection, antibiotics prescription by your dental professional is the best treatment. However, in severe cases, the following are the steps involved in treating a tooth abscess. 

• Firstly, your dentist need to drain the pus away. This can be done by making an incision to let the pus escape from the infected tooth. 
• Once the pus has been drained completely, he/she needs to evaluate how much damage has been done and accordingly recommend you the most effective treatment. 
• Undergoing a root canal surgery totally depends on the patient’s wish. In this procedure, the dentist usually drills deep into the infected tooth and completely digs out the infected part. Later, it will be filled and cap or crown might be added to restore the natural appearance of the tooth. 

To conclude 

Please remember, you should never take abscess tooth lightly. If left untreated or the treatment is delayed, you may have to pay a heavy price. This is because the untreated infection may spread to the neighboring teeth, which cause significant damage to your entire teeth.