Sonic Tooth Care Article
Abscessed Teeth
An abscess in the tooth refers to an infection that was caused by a pocket of
pus residing in the tissue around the tooth. Abscesses are very serious
conditions, and can lead to serious matters if they aren’t treated immediately.
When the pulp of a tooth dies due to damage or decay, bacteria will begin to
grow from the dead tissue that is left. This bacteria will eventually spread
from the root of the dead tooth into the tissue that is below and create a
pocket of pus - the abscess.
Gum disease is also a cause for a tooth becoming abscessed. Gum diseases causes
the gums to 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 become apparent will swelling as it gets bigger and spreads.
Once the infection has started to spread, 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.
The symptoms of an abscessed tooth are easy to see, as they include severe pain
in the affected area, red or swollen gums, a bad taste in your mouth, swelling
around the area or the jaw, and possibly a high fever. Pain is excruciating with
an abscess, normally affecting the area in a bad way. No matter what you do, the
pain seems to intensify.
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.
The dentist can also perform a root canal, in an attempt to remove dead or
decayed tissue. Last but not least, he can also drill a hole in the tooth to
give the infection a chance to drain and try to remove any dead pulp. The most
common treatment with an abscess is to use antibiotics to kill the infection,
then get the tooth removed. You should never let it get that bad - as an abscess
is something that can destroy your jawbone.
