Tooth Abscess

What is an Abscess? What Does It Look Like?

How to Recognize a Tooth Abscess?

Symptoms of a tooth abscess include:

• Constant throbbing pain;
• Pain in the jaw and head;
• Discomfort from hot or cold food;
• Elevated body temperature;
• Sharp pain when pressing or chewing;
• Swelling, redness, and bleeding of the gums;
• Change in the color of the teeth, loosening of the tooth;
• Unpleasant taste in the mouth.

How Does a Pustule Develop?

Symptoms of a tooth abscess include:

1. An infection penetrates the soft tissue, forming an inflammatory focus with pus at the tooth or implant. A protective capsule forms around the abscess.
2. At the site of inflammation, bacteria and lymph accumulate, forming a blister under the gum. The infection destroys bone tissue. The inflamed area can be painful.
3. An abscess causes swelling and redness of the skin. The pus stretches the tissue, forming a boil on the mucous membrane. This can lead to symptoms of intoxication and impairments in chewing, swallowing, and breathing.
4. Pus escapes through a fistula in the gum. Without treatment, the inflammation becomes chronic.

Causes

1. Deep caries. Bacteria penetrate the pulp through destroyed tooth material.
2. Injury. Scratches on the mucosa from brushing teeth or impacts can lead to infection.
3. Periodontitis. Inflamed gums create conditions for the accumulation of pathogenic microorganisms.
4. Complications after tooth extraction. Failure to follow dental advice leads to infections in the socket.
5. Incomplete root canal filling. Bacteria multiply in cavities, infecting the soft tissue.
6. Pericoronitis. Infection under the mucosal cap when the wisdom tooth emerges.

Types of Abscesses

• Pericoronal. Pus forms in the gum over the emerging tooth, often over the wisdom tooth.
• Periapical. Inflammation in the root canals, pus accumulates at the root tip, forming a bump or fistula.
• Periodontal. The infection develops in the gum, between the bone and soft tissue, pus accumulates in a pocket, untreated it affects healthy tissues and bone.
• Gingival. Inflammation occurs on the surface of the gums, easy to treat, but can quickly spread, affecting the bone and adjacent teeth.

Stages of Pathology Development

The development process of an abscess:

• Initial gum inflammation;
• Formation of a small fluid-filled blister, 1-5 mm in diameter;
• Creation of a hollow pocket in the gum, accumulation of pus;
• Appearance of a fistula on the gum surface.

Without treatment, the abscess becomes chronic.

• Acute Stage. Symptoms are pronounced: severe pain, swelling of the pus-filled area, constant discomfort when eating and during temperature changes.
• Chronic Stage. The disease is less noticeable, pain is milder. Instead of a pus-filled area, a fistula forms. The infection remains, and the abscess can return.

What Happens If Not Treated in Time?

1. Sinusitis. The infection penetrates the mucous membrane of the nasal sinuses, causing inflammation.
2. Meningitis. An untreated abscess can reach the brain, which is dangerous and can lead to death.
3. Sepsis. Blood poisoning due to infection. Symptoms include high fever, chills, mental disturbances, breathing difficulties, rapid heartbeat, and pain. Can be fatal.
4. Phlebitis/Thrombophlebitis. Inflammation of veins and vessels due to purulent inflammation. Bacteria from the gum surface enter the blood, causing fever, pain, and weakness.
5. Osteomyelitis. Bacteria from tooth roots spread to bone tissue, causing bone deformation.

Diagnosis

How is an Abscess Treated?

Steps in treating an abscess:

Draining the Pus

1. For a gingival abscess, the doctor makes a small incision to remove the pus. The cavity is flushed with antiseptic or saline solution. A small rubber drain may be temporarily placed.

Surgical Intervention

2. Depending on the type of abscess:

• For a periodontal abscess, an incision is made to access the infection. Pus is removed through additional channels to prevent the spread of infection. Curettage of the periodontal pocket and treatment of periodontitis are performed.
• To treat a pericoronal abscess, tissue obstructing the tooth's eruption is removed.

3. Root canal treatment. For a periapical abscess, the infection is removed from the tooth. This involves opening, removing diseased pulp, draining, treating, and filling the canals. A crown may be placed if necessary. A follow-up examination is scheduled.

4. Tooth extraction. If the tooth cannot be saved, it is removed, and the pus-filled abscess is drained.

Conservative Treatment

1. Inflammation

To combat the infection, medications with antimicrobial and, if possible, pain-relieving effects are used. The goal is to eliminate harmful microorganisms, clean the wound, and promote its healing.

2. Wound Process

The wound is covered with healthy granulation tissue, which bleeds easily. In case of complications, the tissue is covered with a coating that slows down healing. In this situation, antibacterial ointments are applied.

3. Scar Formation

It is recommended to treat the mucous membrane around the wound to prevent reinfection.

Treating an Abscess at Home

Home treatment cannot completely cure an abscess. Incorrect treatment can lead to complications. At home, one can only alleviate pain or clean pus if the pimple has burst.

What to Do Before Visiting the Dentist?

If it's not possible to visit a dentist immediately, you can alleviate symptoms at home. Do not use hot compresses and rinses, as they can worsen the inflammation.

• Use baths made from salt and baking soda solutions to disinfect, reduce inflammation, and draw out pus.
• Use chamomile or marigold decoctions for their antibacterial and soothing properties.
• A cleaned aloe leaf helps to draw pus from the gums.

Prevention