What causes an abscess in the mouth?
Dental abscesses can be caused by a number of things but most commonly occur due to tooth decay. Contrary to popular belief tooth decay in its early stages often does not hurt. It is usually only when the decay has progressed into the pulp (nerve) of the tooth that toothache occurs. Once the pulp has been infected by tooth decay an infection can develop at the end of the root and this is called a dental abscess.
Another cause of a dental abscess is dental trauma. This means that if you have bashed a tooth in the past due to an accident such as falling over then this can damage the nerve of the tooth which can cause a dental abscess.
There are different types of abscesses in the mouth. Another common type of abscess is a periodontal or gum abscess which is different from a dental abscess because it develops within a gum pocket often due to chronic gum disease (periodontitis).
If you attend Mossley Dental Care with an abscess our dentists will be able to diagnose the problem and prescribe appropriate treatment.
How do you know whether you have an abscess?
Symptoms of abscess can range from severe pain to no pain at all and minor swelling around a tooth to very large swellings on your face or neck which can be very serious to your general health.
The dentists at Mossley Dental Care (Mr Winston and Mr Watson) are both very experienced at diagnosing such problems and we are able to offer an emergency dental service to new or existing patients.
It is important if you think you have a dental abscess that you see a dentist as quickly as possible to minimise any possible complications and we will do our best to see you in a timely manner should such a situation arise.
What are the symptoms of an abscess in the mouth?
Symptoms include but are not limited to:
– Pain
– Swelling
– Toothache
– Tenderness on biting on the affected tooth
– Fever
– Difficulty or painful swallowing
If you think you have an abscess in your mouth call our reception on 01457 837361 and we will do our best to offer you an emergency dentist appointment as soon as possible.
How long can you leave an abscessed tooth untreated?
If you are suffering from a dental abscess it does require timely treatment. We would not advise that you try and ignore it.
We see many patients at Mossley Dental Care who have had abscesses for a long time left untreated but the reality is that these could cause severe problems at any time.
If you have a dental abscess your immune system is fighting to keep it under control and even if you are not getting any severe symptoms from it we recommend that they are best not left untreated.
At Mossley Dental Care our dentists offer a free initial consultation and we can assess your problem, provide you with a treatment plan to resolve your dental problems and get started with any necessary treatment whenever convenient.