Tooth abscesses are deep infections that form in your gums or around the lower parts of your tooth (the part under the gum). An abscess happens when bacteria invade these areas, causing infections and forming pockets of pus that are swollen and painful.
While any type of tooth or gum problem needs to be treated promptly, timely treatment is especially important for an abscess, since the bacteria that cause the infection can migrate to other areas — even your heart.
New York City patients can count on the team at Compassionate Endodontists New York/NYC to diagnose and treat abscesses using the most advanced therapies, relieving symptoms, eliminating bacteria, and preventing the infection from spreading. If you have an abscessed tooth, here’s why having it treated is so critical.
Abscess infections can happen to anyone, but they’re more common among people who:
Millions of people have gum disease and untreated cavities, and preventing serious, deep infections is a big reason why it’s so important to have these issues treated early.
Abscesses cause a variety of symptoms, depending in part on the infection’s location and severity. Some of the most common symptoms include:
Because abscesses can spread, you may also have other symptoms, like body aches or fever, especially if the infection spreads to your jaw.
Abscess treatment depends in part on where the abscess is located. In every case, the focus will be on relieving your pain, treating the existing infection, and focusing on ways to prevent it from recurring.
If the abscess is located in your gum tissue, treatment typically focuses on numbing your gum and then making a tiny incision in the abscess to drain it. Afterward, you’ll take a course of antibiotics to clear up the infection.
For abscesses in the tooth itself, the treatment is a little different. Sometimes, an abscess forms as a result of untreated tooth decay. These infections are treated by removing the decayed part of the tooth, treating the infection, and restoring the tooth to prevent future issues. Many abscessed teeth benefit from root canal treatment.
If the abscess is in the lower part of the tooth around the tip of the root, you may need a treatment called an apicoectomy. In this procedure, we remove the lower part of the tooth root, seal it off, and eliminate any infected tissue surrounding the root. As with an abscess located in your gum tissue, abscessed teeth also benefit from a course of antibiotics to destroy any remaining bacteria.
Abscesses require prompt treatment to prevent more serious problems, including widespread infection. If you have an abscess or any type of pain or swelling in your tooth or gums, call 929-344-0932 or book an appointment online at Compassionate Endodontists New York/NYC today.
