I think I’ve got an abscess in my mouth! What do I do now?

Have you woken up to throbbing pain and a swollen face?

Or have you got a raised lump on your gum that hurts? Perhaps you feel like you’ve got a temperature too?

Getting an abscess is hard, as it can cause swelling and pain. You may be able to reduce the pain temporarily, but it must be checked as infection can spread.

Be especially careful of infection if you have other issues, such as a heart condition or diabetes. If your dentist is not available, check NHS 111 online to find out where the nearest emergency dental facility is.

An abscess is a condition that needs treatment. It’s likely that a health professional will prescribe antibiotics for you until a dental appointment is available.

How do I know if it is an abscess in my mouth?

If you’re experiencing throbbing pain in your mouth, and there’s swelling, then the chances are you have an abscess in your mouth. An oral abscess is a pocket of pus caused by bacterial infection. It’s painful and needs treatment.

• pain, tenderness and swelling around the infected area in the mouth.
• pain spreading to the jaw, ear or neck.
• gums may be swollen and red.
• teeth will feel especially sensitive to pressure and temperature.
• pus may ooze between the infected tooth and the gum line.

What do I do now?

The first thing to do is get professional help. An abscess won’t go away without treatment. During the practice’s opening hours, your dentist should be able to fit you in for an emergency appointment the same day, but call early as the spaces soon fill up. Practices usually have special arrangements too for patients who need treatment out of hours. If you subscribe to a monthly payment plan with your dental practice, that usually covers emergency call-out charges too. Even out of hours, it’s a good idea to call your own practice, as the answer phone will offer helpful information. Remember – if you have swelling that is continuing to increase and threatens your breathing, treat it as a dental emergency. Because an abscess is a bacterial infection, it’s important to get it seen as soon as possible so that treatment can begin. Don’t be tempted to delay, take a few pain-killers, and hope it’ll go away.

• Although sepsis is rare, it is a real consequence of infection, including oral infections, and can be dangerous.

Why do abscesses happen?

There are several reasons why you may have got an abscess in your mouth. Most often it’s a sign your oral care isn’t meeting your needs. There’s no need to feel embarrassed about that, as people need different levels of oral hygiene according to the condition of their dental enamel and their general health. That said, we should all maintain a minimum regime of brushing for two minutes last thing at night, and at one other time during the day, as well as a daily floss. Because an abscess occurs when bacteria penetrate the pulp of a tooth (periapical abscess) or colonise the margins between the tooth and gum (periodontal abscess):

• a diet that is too sugary increases bacterial growth in the mouth.
• broken or chipped teeth open pathways for infection.
• sensitive teeth have tiny cracks that allow bacteria to penetrate through the tough enamel into dental pulp.
• symptoms of gum disease, such as bleeding and soreness, were disregarded.
• difficult to clean wisdom teeth become infected.
• a dental procedure can also cause infection.

What will my dentist do next?

Root canal therapy can often save an infected tooth.

Your dentist will clear the infection by draining the abscess, and may prescribe a course of appropriate antibiotics. Moving forward, sometimes the tooth can be saved with root canal therapy. In some cases, however, removing the tooth is the only safe option.

• Answers to your root canal treatment concerns

As everyone has individual dental needs, your dentist is the best person to assess the condition of your teeth and gums, plan your treatment, and restore your oral health.

Will I lose my tooth?

In some cases an extraction is the most straightforward solution. Your dentist will always take times to discuss your options with you.

“Abscess in gum above loose crown: Saw my dentist after I developed an abscess in my gum above a loose crown which had an infection in the root! Had my crown and tooth pulled out with a squirt of anaesthetic and I hardly felt it had been done! Had hardly any bleeding and no pain afterwards, a brilliant job done!” JJ – a SpaDental Plymouth patient

If you do need to have an extraction, your dentist will let you know how the gap can be replaced by either a fixed or removable restoration, such as a bridge, a denture or an implant, depending on each individual case.

• Somerset? SpaDental Chard emergency
• Devon or Cornwall? SpaDental Plymouth
• Gloucestershire? SpaDental Tewkesbury emergency
• Shropshire or Staffordshire? SpaDental Whitchurch

Why are dental checks important?

Surprisingly, knowing how painful an abscess can be, in some cases it is possible to be unaware that you have a dental abscess. Sometimes an abscess is only spotted by a dentist in an x-ray. Left untreated the abscess can go on to cause further infections. Regular visits to the dentist will help you to maintain optimum oral health. During every check up, your dentist will do a systematic review of your mouth, looking for any signs of dental decay, gum disease or ulcerations. Check-ups are the way to keep dentally fit with individually tailored and monitored care.

How do I stop an abscess happening again?

To prevent another dental abscess, it’s important to review your oral hygiene practices. Your dentist and dental hygienist can help put you back on track to improved oral health. Many dental practices offer patients the opportunity to pay for regular check-ups and hygiene appointments on a monthly basis. It’s worth finding out how to become a plan patient as many people, especially those who avoid dentists, find that if they make the financial investment they are more likely to attend regular appointments.

People also ask:

• • My filling fell out. What do I do?
  • I’ve knocked out a tooth. What do I do?
  • Can an oral infection cause sepsis?
  • My gums are bleeding. Is it serious?

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