by Malavi Sivakanesan • 11 February 2025 • 5 min read
A dental abscess is more like pus pockets, resulting from the gum infection. When not treated, it can damage all your oral tissues and spread to the whole mouth and other body parts. This can bring serious health conditions in chronic cases. Since this condition does not heal naturally, you will need immediate and professional dental care to cure it. In case you are wondering about abscess, what causes it, you must explore this post for details.
What does Mean by Teeth Abscess and What are its Types?
As mentioned above, teeth or dental abscesses contain pus pockets that are formed due to an infection or gum disease. They generally look like a pimple, boil, swollen, and red bump. It not only affects the infected tooth but can spread to the neighbouring teeth, surrounding bone, and tissues. According to leading dental hygienists, dental abscesses can occur in any place within the mouth.
Speaking about the types, dental abscesses include:Speaking about the types, it can have the following:
- Periodontal: This dental infection usually starts from the tissues and bones that provide support to a tooth. If you have gum disease, you are more likely to develop periodontal abscess in your mouth.
- Periapical: This infection type is seen in the fractured or decayed tooth where bacterial infection is developed and affects the tooth, its roots, and the pulp. If you do not treat this, it can adversely affect the surrounding bone and tissues.
- Gingival: Again, this abscess infection starts from the gum line and gradually affects the supporting structures and involved tooth. The abscess tooth side effects are that they can affect the whole mouth when not treated properly and promptly.
What Causes Oral Abscess?
Any dental issue that can form an entry point for bacteria into gums or teeth can result in dental abscess. Before you opt for air flow teeth cleaning or any dental treatment, you must know the following common causes for abscesses:
- Severe cavities: A tooth decay or severe cavity is one of the biggest destructions that can occur when bacterial infections impact the enamels.
- Cracked, chipped, and broken teeth: When you have a damaged tooth, bacteria can easily seep into the open spot and affect the pulp adversely. This is yet another reason for teeth abscesses.
- Mouth or tooth injury: A trauma or injury in the mouth, inner pulp, or tooth can lead to a bacterial infection. When this happens, you can have a dental abscess.
- Gum disease or periodontal: Gum disease causes inflammation and infection in the tissues surrounding your teeth. This condition is more susceptible to a tooth abscess.
How to Manage and Treat Teeth Abscess?
Professional medical help is needed to manage the symptoms of dental abscess and treat it. In general, the following are advised for a tooth abscess:
- Drainage: A dentist will cut the affected area a bit to drain the substance or pus. They will leave that incision open for some time so that the infection can be drained out.
- Root Canal: When you want to prevent the tooth and eliminate the bacterial infection, dentists will suggest the root canal treatment. After the procedure, they will also place a crown to prevent further damage.
- Extraction of the Tooth: In severe cases, infected teeth cannot be saved even after the air flow teeth cleaning. Thus, extraction is the only method left to stop the bacterial spread and save the rest of the teeth from the infection.
- Antibiotics: If there are some chances to save the tooth from the infection with medication, you will be prescribed some. This will not only eliminate the present issue but also keep the surrounding tissues and teeth safe.
Summary
In case you need more details regarding the causes and symptoms or you want immediate assistance from an expert dental hygienist, you can contact Complete Smiles. By booking your dental check, you can get instant medical help to prevent dental abscesses and other oral health issues.
Malavi Sivakanesan
Malavi Sivakanesan is the principal dentist and co-founder at Complete Smiles in Harrow, Greater London. She is responsible for establishing the Complete Smiles brand throughout the United Kingdom and Europe and has 5 successful practices under her strong leadership.