Abscessed Teeth
Abscessed teeth are considered medical emergencies especially if you have swelling and a fever with them.
An abscess is caused by an infection inside the tooth, an infection about the tissue of the tooth and sometimes in the gums themselves spreading to the roots of the tooth.
They are considered very serious as the infection can spread and in the worst case cause death. So if you get swelling and pain around a tooth or can see it in your cheek or jaw then make sure you go and get dental help right away.
So what exactly is the mechanism for an abscess to form?
A tooth is infected with bacteria, there has been a break in a tooth, a hole like cavity or something that allows the bacteria to go there and grow in abundance…bacteria then fill in the hole or pocket and become pus filled tissues. The abscess can infect the pulp, the root and the nerves. When the infection kills off the pulp the dead tissue is a great place to breed more bacteria.
The signs and symptoms of a an abscess
- Pain
- Fever
- Redness
- Drainage
- Swollen cheek
- Lump in gum
- Mouth pain
- Loose tooth
- Facial swelling
- Red gums
- Tooth pain
- Difficulty closing mouth
- Swelling in the neck
Another cause that might get a tooth abscessed is gum disease. Gum disease causes the gums to swell and become painful and then pull back and away from teeth, leaving pockets behind. When one of the pockets becomes blocked, the bacteria can grow and spread, or get backed up. When this happens, an abscess will start to form under the surface of the gums and will become apparent with swelling as it gets bigger and spreads.
The infection and the abscess does not just sit there quietly, oh no it spreads and once that happens you may experience new signs such as your jawbone may start to dissolve as it makes room for the swelling in the area that has been infected.
Once the bone starts to dissolve, the pressure will be greatly reduced, although the infection will still be there. Even though you will get relief, the infection will get worse – and the pain will always come back. Once more of the bone has been dissolved, there will be nothing left to support the tooth, meaning that it will become loose and end up needing to be extracted.
Abscesses mostly occur with back teeth, although they can happen in the front as well. Once your tooth has become abscessed, your dentist won’t immediately pull it.
If a tooth that has abscessed is extracted once the infection is still present, it can quickly spread. Your dentist will instead prescribe you some antibiotics that can help to destroy the bacteria.
This will take about two to three days then you will be able to have the tooth pulled. Also because of the infection it is hard to numb up the area and if that is the problem then you will have to have some intravenous sedation to make the extraction less painful.
The dentist may if he thinks it is necessary create a hole in the abscess to let it drain for a few days while taking antibiotics before he pulls the tooth. If he thinks the tooth can be saved and that you can afford it then he may do what is called a root canal in an attempt to remove the decay and the roots. You should never let an abscess get bad as it can spread and destroy your jawbone as well as get into your bloodstream and cause death.
