Urgent Care
Dental Abscess
An infection that spreads if it is left, and does not resolve on its own.
An abscess is a serious infection that can damage the surrounding tissue, teeth and bone. Untreated it may cause facial or jaw swelling and spread to other areas of the body.
Dentistry for the whole household.
About Abscesses
Why an abscess is always urgent
This is the dental problem that most reliably gets worse on its own. The infection is contained at first and then it is not, and the consequences move from the tooth to the bone around it and beyond. If you have swelling with pain, it needs to be seen today rather than next week.
Warning Signs
What to look out for
An abscess does not always announce itself as one, so these are the signals worth acting on.
- Severe or persistent pain A chronic toothache that can indicate infection requiring urgent care.
- Facial or jaw swelling Swelling is a sign the infection is no longer contained.
- Damage to surrounding tissue The infection can affect the tissue, neighboring teeth and the bone.
How It Starts
Where an abscess comes from
An abscess is the result of bacteria establishing themselves somewhere they should not be, usually inside the tooth or in the tissue around its root.
- Untreated decay Decay that reaches the pulp lets bacteria into the center of the tooth.
- A cracked tooth A crack provides the route in, even where the tooth looks sound.
- Trauma An injury can damage the pulp and leave it vulnerable to infection.
- Advanced gum disease Infection can also establish in the tissue around the tooth rather than inside it.
Treatment
How an abscess is treated
Treatment begins with relieving the pain and controlling the infection. What follows depends on the source: where the infection is inside the tooth, root canal treatment removes it and the tooth is kept. Where the tooth cannot be saved, an extraction is carried out, with pain management and support for the healing afterwards.
Getting Seen
If you have swelling with pain
Call the office immediately and say that there is swelling. Talega Dental Group keeps same-day appointments for urgent cases and accepts walk-ins. See emergency dental care for the other situations that warrant an urgent call.
The short answer
A dental abscess is a serious infection, usually inside a tooth or in the tissue around its root, that can damage the surrounding tissue, teeth and bone. Treatment starts by relieving the pain and controlling the infection, then deals with the source: root canal treatment where the infection is inside the tooth, or an extraction where the tooth cannot be saved. An abscess does not resolve on its own, so it is always treated as urgent.
Common Questions
Dental Abscess FAQ
- What is a dental abscess?
A dental abscess is a serious infection that can damage the surrounding tissue, teeth and bone. It forms when bacteria establish themselves somewhere they should not be, usually inside the tooth or in the tissue around its root. Untreated decay, a cracked tooth, an injury or advanced gum disease can all give bacteria that route in. Left untreated, it may cause facial or jaw swelling and spread to other areas of the body.
- Will it clear up on its own?
No. An abscess is an infection that progresses if it is not treated, and it is the dental problem that most reliably gets worse on its own. The infection is contained at first, and then the consequences move from the tooth to the bone around it and beyond. That is why it is always handled as urgent rather than left to see if it settles.
- How quickly do I need to be seen?
An abscess should be seen the same day. If there is swelling alongside the pain, call the office immediately and say that there is swelling, because swelling is a sign the infection is no longer contained. Same-day appointments are kept for urgent cases, and walk-ins are accepted.
- Will I lose the tooth?
Not necessarily. Where the infection is inside the tooth, root canal treatment removes it and the tooth is preserved. Extraction is used only where the tooth cannot be saved, and it is carried out with pain management and support for the healing afterwards. Which applies depends on the source of the infection, which the examination establishes.
- Are antibiotics enough?
Antibiotics may form part of controlling the infection, but on their own they are not enough. The source of the infection still has to be treated, whether that is inside the tooth or in the tissue around it, otherwise the problem returns. That is why treatment moves from controlling the infection to root canal treatment or extraction.
- Can I be seen as a new patient?
Yes. We accept new patients and provide walk-in emergency care, so you do not need to be an existing patient to be seen for an abscess. Call the office, describe what is happening and mention any swelling, so we can see you as quickly as the situation needs.
- Can an abscess drain on its own?
An abscess can appear to drain on its own, but the relief that brings is temporary. The infection remains, and the source still has to be treated for it to clear. That is why a draining abscess needs an appointment rather than a wait.
- Is a dental abscess dangerous?
Yes, it can become dangerous. Untreated, an abscess may cause facial or jaw swelling and spread to other areas of the body, and it can damage the surrounding tissue, neighboring teeth and bone. That is why it is always treated as urgent, and why swelling with pain means calling straight away.
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Plan your visit
We accept new patients and offer walk-in emergency care.
Address
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Your dentist
Dr. Ben Meshkinfam, D.D.S.
University of the Pacific, D.D.S. · Post-doctorate at LAC+USC Medical Center
Insurance & financing
30 HMO and PPO plans accepted
Including Delta Dental, Cigna, UnitedHealthcare, Aetna, Guardian, MetLife and Humana. Estimates in writing before treatment.
