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Abscess Tooth Treatment

What to for an absessed tooth?
(18 Mar 2009)

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A tooth abscess is a painful condition and is caused due to an infection at the tooth root or the area between the gums and the teeth. A tooth abscess is mostly caused due to tooth decay however other causes include severe damage to a tooth in an accident such as chipping or breaking one’s tooth or due to gum disease or gingivitis. Any one of these can cause an opening in the enamel layer of the tooth and allows the infiltration of bacteria into the very centre of the tooth which is known as the pulp.


Once it reaches the centre it can spread into the bones that provide the foundation for the tooth. The best way to treat an abscessed tooth is to first consult your dentist. Using an array of dental instruments the dentist will then probe the infected tooth to check the level of infection that has occurred.


It is highly recommended that you consult a dentist to treat an abscessed tooth as the infection could break through the bone and also infect the soft tissue area right underneath and around the bone. Once it reaches the soft tissue it may spread in an internal or external manner and this depends on which tooth is infected, how thick is the bone around it and what are the muscles that surround the bone. The one thing that is common though is that it will definitely lead to further complications.
 
You can ask your doctor to recommend an antibiotic prescription to help with the pain, however the antibiotics will not help in the long run and you will eventually have to get rid of the abscess. In order to this the dentist has to get to the root of the infection. This is done by drilling a hole in the tooth or the gum in order to drain out the excessive puss and the bacteria growing inside. You may also have to undergo a root canal procedure or have the tooth removed if the inside of the tooth is infected. At present you can reduce the pain or swelling that is caused due a tooth abscess by applying an ice pack to the cheek area of your face .You can also try a variety of over the counter medication such as aspirin or ibuprofen but do not mix medication. Visit your dentist as soon as possible in order to avoid further complications.
answered by M W on 18 Mar 2009, 4:24:55

 

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