FACE & MOUTH
Tooth Abscess: Symptoms, Causes, & Treatment
June 16, 2020
Symptom Guides > Face & Mouth > Tooth Abscess: Symptoms, Causes, & Treatment

by
Dr. Chesney Fowler
Dr. Fowler is an emergency medicine physician and received her MD from George Washington University. She completed her residency in emergency medicine at Christiana Care Health System. In addition to her work at K Health, Dr. Fowler is a practicing emergency medicine physician in Washington, DC.
An abscess is a localized pocket of pus that forms in soft tissue as the result of an infection. Abscesses can develop on the skin, particularly around the trunk, underarms, and genitals, and on the hands and feet. They can also develop on internal organs like the stomach, kidneys, brain, and inside the mouth.
A dental abscess is a collection of pus that forms in or around someone’s teeth as the result of a dental infection. Dental abscesses can develop inside a tooth, inside the gums, or inside the jaw bone. If an abscess is inside any part of the tooth, it can also be called a tooth abscess.
Dental abscess symptoms can vary from patient to patient but may include throbbing pain, tooth sensitivity, shiny, red or swollen gums, fever, and facial swelling. Tooth abscess symptoms may also include a discolored or loose tooth, bad breath, or a bad taste in your mouth. In rare, severe cases, patients may experience difficulty opening their mouths, breathing, or swallowing.
In this article, I’ll answer questions like: What is an abscessed tooth? What does an abscessed tooth look like? What causes an abscessed tooth in the first place? I’ll also answer other basic questions about how to identify, manage, and most importantly, treat an abscessed tooth successfully.
“In general, tooth abscess home remedies are not reliable and should not be used to delay treatment.”
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by
Dr. Chesney Fowler
Dr. Fowler is an emergency medicine physician and received her MD from George Washington University. She completed her residency in emergency medicine at Christiana Care Health System. In addition to her work at K Health, Dr. Fowler is a practicing emergency medicine physician in Washington, DC.
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