What is the Right Treatment for an Abscessed Tooth?

Abscessed Tooth

A dental abscess or tooth abscess is a development of bacterial discharge that forms inside the teeth or gums. The abscess is the result of bacterial contamination, one that has collected in the delicate pulp of the tooth.

Plaque which consists of bacteria—a result of food, saliva, and bacterial activity in the mouth—sticks to the teeth and gums and harms them. Plaque that isn’t removed by brushing and flossing regularly may result in bacterial activity spreading inside the sensitive tissue of the teeth or gums. This can lead to a sore also called an abscess. In case you have a tooth abscess, do not ignore it, and consult your dentist immediately.

Types of tooth abscess

Depending upon the region of your abscess, it can be categorised into different types.
The most common types are as follows:

• Gingival abscess: This type of abscess affects the gums.
• Periapical abscess: This type of abscess forms in the delicate pulp of the tooth.
• Periodontal abscess: In this type of abscess, the affected region is the supporting bone tissue structures of the teeth.

Signs & symptoms

• Swelling and redness in the gums
• Tooth sensitivity
• Discoloration of the tooth or loose tooth
• Bad breath
• Fever
• Foul taste in the mouth
• Pain while chewing or biting
• Severe pain that radiates to the neck, jaw, and ear
• Sensitivity to hot and cold temperatures
• Tender and swollen lymph nodes under jaw or neck
• Difficulty breathing and swallowing

Risk factors

These conditions might increase your chances of tooth abscess:
• Not taking proper care of your teeth and gums; for example, not brushing your teeth 2 times a day and not flossing can increase the risk of tooth rot, gum problems, tooth abscess, and other dental and oral problems.
• A diet high in sugar; eating and drinking foods rich in sugar like desserts and soft drinks can add to dental depression and turn into a tooth sore.
• Having a dry mouth increases your risk of tooth abscess. Dry mouth may be a result of specific medications or maturing complications.

Causes of tooth abscess

Anything that encourages the entry of microbes into the tooth or encompassing tissues can result in tooth contamination.

The causes include

• Serious tooth decay : It refers to the damage caused to the hard surface of the teeth. This happens when microbes attack sugars in food and drink and generate plaque that deteriorates the enamel.
• Broken, chipped, or broken teeth : Bacteria may enter through any opening in a tooth and escalate the pulp.
• Gum illness (periodontitis): Gum sickness is the contamination and aggravation of the tissues around the teeth. As gum sickness advances, the microbes may attack further tissues.
• Injury to the tooth :Injury to a tooth can harm the inner pulp regardless of whether there’s a noticeable break or not, making it vulnerable to contamination.

How is a tooth abscess diagnosed?

To see whether you have an abscessed tooth, your dentist will probably:
• Tap on your teeth: If you have any problem, your tooth will hurt when they contact it.

• Take an X-ray: This can tell your dental specialist that you have any problem on the off chance that it has spread to different places in your mouth.

Treatment

The objectives of treatment are to dispose of the contamination and to give you healthy teeth. Treatment options may include:
• Incision and drainage: Your dental specialist will make a small cut in the sore to deplete the discharge. Now and again, a little elastic channel is set to keep the region open for discharge.
• Root canal : This alternative helps in disposing of the disease by eliminating the tooth’s tainted inner pulp, filling the space with material to forestall another contamination, thus saving your tooth.
The inner pulp is useful when the tooth is developing. When it is developed, the pulp is not necessary for the tooth to survive.

After the process, your tooth should return to its original form. However, you might need a crown to ensure that the root canal is protected. If you take good care of your tooth, it will last a long time.

• Tooth extraction: Sometimes the tooth can’t be saved. Your dentist might have to pull out the tooth, permitting discharge to deplete from the attachment.
• Antibiotics :If the contamination is restricted to the sore region, you might not need antibiotics. However, your dental specialist might prescribe them to help with your dental treatment.

Know that while this prescription might assist in battling the remaining microbes, it won’t dispose of the reason for the contamination, which is the impacted tooth.

Complications

If you have an abscessed tooth, consulting your dentist is the best option. Although tooth abscesses can be easily treated, they can sometimes be harmful. So, getting the right treatment at the right time becomes extremely crucial. If the abscess is left untreated, it can escalate to the jawbone, delicate tissues of the face and neck, and further.

However, if the infection travels to the heart or brain, it can be a serious condition, even leading to death. If you experience high fever, confusion, rapid heart rate, facial swelling, or difficulty swallowing, immediately consult your dentist or go to the emergency room.

Prevention

You can reduce the danger of developing a tooth ulcer by seeing your dentist regularly and getting customary dental tests and cleanings. See your dental specialist if a tooth turns out to loosen up or chip. Oral cleanliness is vital for dental well-being. Brush your teeth twice and floss once daily.

Final steps

Having an experienced dentist for regular check-ups is extremely important. At Yashoda Hospital and Research Centre, Nehru Nagar, Ghaziabad, we try to help and guide you in every way possible. In case you have more queries or concerns, access our website https://www.yashodahealthcare.com for more information.