Dental abscess
Overview
A dental abscess is a build-up of pus in the teeth or gums caused by an infection. It needs urgent treatment by a dentist. A dental abscess will not go away on its own.
Symptoms
Signs of a dental abscess include: intensetoothacheor pain in your gumsredness inside the mouth, or outside the mouth on the face or jawsensitivity to hot or cold food and drink in the affected areaa bad taste in your mouthdifficulty opening your mouth and chewing fooda swollen face or jawa high temperature
Causes
There are some things you can do to help with the pain until you can get dental treatment. take painkillers, such asibuprofenorparacetamol(children under 16 should not take aspirin) take painkillers, such asibuprofenorparacetamol(children under 16 should not take aspirin) eat soft foods like soup, scrambled eggs, mashed potatoes and yoghurt eat soft foods like soup, scrambled eggs, mashed potatoes and yoghurt use a soft toothbrush to clean your teeth use a soft toothbrush to clean your teeth avoid having sugary, or very hot or cold, foods and drinks avoid having sugary, or very hot or cold, foods and drinks Dental abscesses usually happen when pus builds up beneath your teeth or gums when you have an infection in your mouth. You may get a dental abscess if: you have a tooth that has not grown out of your gums properly (an impacted tooth)you havetooth decayorgum diseaseyou have injured your teeth, gums or mouthyou're havingradiotherapyorchemotherapy
Treatment
Dental abscesses are usually treated by a dentist. The dentist will drain away the pus. If a problem with your tooth has caused the abscess, you may needroot canal treatment, or the tooth may be removed. You'll be given a local anaesthetic, so you do not feel any pain. You may be offered painkillers to take for a few days after treatment and may also be given antibiotics.
Prevention
There are some things you can do to help prevent dental abscesses. brush your teeth with fluoride toothpaste at least twice a day - spit after brushing, do not rinse brush your teeth with fluoride toothpaste at least twice a day - spit after brushing, do not rinse clean in between your teeth every day using floss or interdental brushes clean in between your teeth every day using floss or interdental brushes replace your toothbrush every 1 to 3 months replace your toothbrush every 1 to 3 months have regulardental check-upsso problems can be spotted early have regulardental check-upsso problems can be spotted early do not use mouthwash straight after brushing your teeth do not use mouthwash straight after brushing your teeth do not smoke do not smoke
When to see a doctor
call your dentist – if they're closed, their answerphone may tell you what to do call 111 orget help from 111 online– they can tell you where you can get help for your symptomsfind a dentist near you– ask if you can have an emergency appointment You may have to pay for your appointment. Find out more aboutNHS dental charges.