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A dental abscess is a pocket of pus that’s brought on by a bacterial infection and can occur at different areas of the tooth and gums for different reasons. The most common type of abscess occurs when there’s a breach in the tooth’s enamel (such as a cavity or chipped tooth) where bacteria can enter.
Treatment for an abscess needs to be prompt and may become a dental emergency when the pain becomes acute. At the first sign of an abscess it’s imperative to see the dentist to eliminate the infection
After X-rays and an examination of the site, one of our emergency dentists will numb the area with a local anesthetic and begin treating the infection according to its location and severity.
If the infection is from inside the tooth (periapical abscess) it will require root canal treatment (if the tooth is to be kept). However, if the tooth is too damaged or you opt against root canal treatment, then an extraction must be performed.
If the abscess is located in the area between the tooth and gum (periodontal abscess) it’s treated by cleaning the area, draining the pus and then addressing the reason for the infection. When the procedure is complete, the dentist may give you a prescription for painkillers and antibiotics to control pain and ensure elimination of the infection.
Without treatment, the infection can damage the surrounding bone, teeth and tissue as well as spread to other areas of the body. If your immune system is weakened, there’s an increased risk of the infection spreading. Even if the abscess ruptures, drains and the pain begins to subside— the infection will not go away on its own. In rare cases, the infection can develop into sepsis— a potentially deadly condition that spreads throughout the body.
Bash Dental provides 24-hour emergency dental services in Bucks County, PA for the treatment of dental abscesses and other oral infections. When the pain becomes too much to handle and other practices aren’t available— we’re here for you. Day or night, we’ve got the knowledge and experience to get you out of pain quickly while remedying the underlying cause.
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