The number of emergency room visits for tooth-related pain almost doubled between 2000 and 2010 (from 1.1 million to 2.1 million). Many of these visits were due to painful toothaches or tooth abscesses that had become unbearable. And while pain relief is usually the driving factor, there’s an even more important reason to seek treatment right away: An untreated toothache or abscess can be fatal. However, emergency dental care will not only relieve your pain but also potentially save your life. Learn more below about the signs of a tooth abscess and how it can be prevented and treated.
What Is a Tooth Abscess and What Are the Signs?
A tooth abscess is a collection of pus around an infected tooth. Here are some of the signs and symptoms you may notice:
- Swelling in the lips or cheeks
- A pimple-like bump on the gums
- A throbbing sensation
- Pain that radiates to the ear, neck or jaw
- Fever
- Pain that keeps you from eating, sleeping or going to work
How Can You Prevent a Toothache and Abscess?
The best way to prevent major dental problems like toothaches is to get regular checkups. This allows a dentist to monitor your teeth, gums and existing dental work so they can find small issues before they start causing pain. It’s also important to maintain your oral hygiene at home with reasonably good brushing and flossing habits. Generally speaking, the cleaner you keep your teeth and gums, the fewer dental problems you’ll have.
How Is a Severe Toothache or Abscess Treated?
A severe toothache and/or abscess is the result of an infected nerve in the center of a tooth. Once the infection sets in, the only treatment options are usually root canal therapy or pulling the tooth. Without treatment, the infection can spread to other areas of the body such as the brain and become fatal. That’s why it’s so important to call an emergency dentist right away to schedule the first available appointment.
And since every natural tooth is so valuable, dentists only recommend extractions as an absolute last resort. Although there are great replacement options such as dental implants, nothing is quite as good as your own teeth.
A root canal saves a tooth by removing the infected nerve (the source of the abscess) while preserving the rest of the tooth structure. This not only treats the infection but also relieves your pain. And keep in mind – the first thing a dentist will do is make sure you’re completely numb (and also has sedation options), so root canals are much easier than you may think!
A tooth abscess can be very dangerous. But with emergency dental care, you’ll feel better fast and avoid all the serious risks that come with it.
About the Author
Dr. Luke Lumpkin is a general, cosmetic and restorative dentist and a graduate of the University of Oklahoma College of Dentistry. With over 15 years of experience, he’s performed countless root canals to get his patients out of pain, treat their infection, and save their teeth from being extracted. If you’re suffering from a tooth abscess or toothache or have any questions, you can reach Dr. Lumpkin via his website.