A tooth abscess is often very painful and must be treated quickly. Intense pain, difficulty opening your mouth, swelling near a tooth, discharge of pus. Here we explain what it is and how to recognize it. It is essential to consult a dentist as soon as possible, even if the pain is not too severe because dental abscesses can have sometimes serious consequences on your health.

Tooth abscess: what is it?

A tooth abscess is a buildup of bacteria that creates pus in your mouth. There are several types of abscesses depending on their location.

An apical abscess is dental in origin. Its main cause is necrosis of the nerve following significant decay that has not been treated. But the abscess can also appear following an impact on a tooth that has resulted in a fracture.

A periodontal abscess is inflammation of the tissues around the tooth. The various possible causes of such an infection are loosening of a tooth, an ill-fitting prosthesis, periodontal diseases such as gingivitis or periodontitis.

What symptoms should alert you?

There are certain symptoms that can tell if you have a tooth abscess.

• A  continuous accentuated pain when you chew.
• Feeling the presence of a swollen area in your mouth.
• The appearance of pus, yellowish or white.Or significant redness (if the abscess has not yet matured).
• Discharge of pus.
• fever.
• Trouble opening your mouth or swallowing.

If you have these symptoms, make an appointment with your dentist immediately. Do not try to pierce it yourself, and if the abscess is already pierced, go to your dentist anyway, as the infection will not be treated.

Treatment and prevention

Your dentist will drain the pus or curettage the abscess to clean the infected area. He prescribes antibiotics to stop the infection and possibly analgesics to reduce pain which may be severe.

He also provides medical treatment to treat the infection. The affected tooth is treated if the infection is significant, the tooth can be completely extracted. In the case of a periodontal abscess, the dentist will perform a thorough treatment of the periodontal tissue in question.

Lack of oral hygiene is the main cause of the formation of a tooth abscess since it causes cavities and periodontal diseases at the origin of these infections. Regular maintenance helps prevent them.

In addition to regular and scrupulous cleaning, other good habits should be taken to avoid the appearance of dental or tooth abscess such as: going regularly to your dentist for a check-up and/or scaling, adopting a healthy diet (limiting the absorption of sugars, acids but also alcohol) and stop smoking (or at least reduce consumption as much as possible).