Emergency Dentist London

Dental Abscess

Dental abscess is a collection of pus that can form in the teeth or gums as a result of a bacterial infection when cavities are left untreated. At our London emergency dental practice we can treat your dental abscess and get you out of pain in one hour.

Plaque damages teeth and gums and can eventually infect the soft tissue inside a tooth or gums, forming an abscess.

There are two types of dental abscess:

• Periapical abscess (the most common type), when bacteria infect the inside of the tooth as a result of dental decay
• Periodontal abscess, when bacteria infect the gums

Why it occurs

A dental abscess occurs when bacteria infect and spread inside a tooth or your gums.

The bacteria responsible for this are found in plaque, which also contains food particles left over from eating combined with saliva.

Periapical abscesses are much more common than periodontal abscesses.

When a periapical abscess occurs, plaque bacteria infect your tooth as a result of dental caries (tiny holes caused by tooth decay) that form in the hard outer layer of your tooth (the enamel).

A periodontal abscess occurs when plaque bacteria affect your gums, causing gum disease (known as periodontitis).

Treatment of Dental Abscess

Dental procedures

The first and most important step in treating a dental abscess is to cut out the abscess and drain away the pus that contains the infectious bacteria. These procedures are usually carried out under local anaesthetic, which means you will be awake but the affected area will be numb.

If you have a periapical abscess, the abscess will be removed using root canal treatment. Your dentist will drill into your dead tooth to release the pus and remove any damaged tissue from the centre (pulp). A root filling is then inserted into the space to prevent further infection.

If you have a periodontal abscess, your dentist will drain it to release the pus and thoroughly clean out the periodontal pocket. Your dentist will then smooth out the surfaces of the root of your tooth by scaling and planing (filing) below your gum line to help your tooth heal and to prevent further infection.

Painkillers

A dental abscess can be very painful, but you can use over-the-counter painkillers from your local pharmacy to control the pain while you are waiting to receive dental treatment. Always read and follow the information on the packet about how much to take and how often, and do not exceed the maximum dose.

Painkillers cannot treat or cure a dental abscess, so they should not be used to delay dental treatment.

Antibiotics

Antibiotics for a dental abscess are used to prevent the spread of the infection and can be taken alongside painkillers.

• Your dentist or GP may prescribe an antibiotic, such as amoxicillin or metronidazole, if:
• Your face is swollen (this may indicate that the infection is spreading to the surrounding areas)
• You are showing signs of severe infection, such as a fever or swollen glands
• You have a weakened immune system (for example, because you are having chemotherapy)
• You have an increased risk of complications (for example, because you are diabetic)