Abscesses

What is an abscess? An abscessed tooth is an infection caused by tooth decay, periodontal dis-ease or a cracked tooth. These problems can let bacteria enter the pulp (the soft tissue of the tooth that contains nerves, blood vessels and connective tissue) and can lead to pulp death. When pus builds up at the root tip in the jaw bone, it forms a pus pocket called an abscess. If the abscess is left untreated, it can lead to a serious infection in the jaw bone, teeth and surrounding tissues. Some symptoms of an abscess are pain, swelling, redness in the gums, bad metallic taste in mouth and sometimes fever.
An abscessed tooth can be treated with various treatments depending on the severity of the infection. The dentist may consider prescribing antibiotics to destroy the bacteria causing infection, drainage of the infection, scaling the space between the tooth and the gum if the cause is from periodontal disease and placing antibiotics directly on the area, root canal treatment if the abscess is caused by decay or cracked tooth. If you experience any of these symptoms, please see your dentist as soon as possible.
Following good oral hygiene practices and routine will significantly reduce your risk of developing a tooth abscess.
For any questions or concerns, you can call Dr. Kimberly A. Rosen’s dental office at (661)255-2545.