Dental Abscess: Symptoms and Causes of Dental Abscess

An abscess is a collection of pus. Pus is a thick fluid that usually contains white blood cells, dead tissue and bacteria (germs). The usual cause of an abscess is an infection with bacteria. A dental abscess is an infection in the centre of a tooth which spreads through the tooth to infect supporting bone and other nearby tissues. Dental abscess is common. It may develop as a complication of tooth decay (caries), or from an infection in the gums.

Bacteria from a cavity can extend into the gums, the cheek, the throat, beneath the tongue, or even into the jaw or facial bones. A dental abscess can become very painful when tissues become inflamed.

A dentoalveolar abscess is an acute lesion characterized by localization of pus in the structures that surround the teeth. Most patients are treated easily with analgesia, antibiotics, drainage, and/or referral to a dentist or oral-maxillofacial surgeon. However, the physician should be aware of potential complications of simple dentoalveolar abscess.

Symptoms of Dental Abscess

Pain is gnawing and continuous. The involved tooth is painful when percussed (tapped), and often the teeth cannot close without added discomfort. Hot foods may increase the pain.

Symptoms of a dental abscess typically include pain, swelling, and redness of the mouth and face. With an advanced infection, you can suffer nausea, vomiting, fever, chills, and diarrhea.

If the root of the tooth dies as a result of infection, the toothache may stop. However, this doesn't mean the infection has healed; the infection remains active and continues to spread and destroy tissue. Therefore, if you experience any of the above listed symptoms, it is important to see a dentist even if the pain subsides.

Severe throbbing pain in a tooth is the hallmark of dental abscess. Chewing or eating hot or cold foods may severely increase the pain. The surrounding gum may appear inflamed. Tender, swollen lymph nodes in the neck may develop and fever may occur. If the abscess ruptures through the gum, a small quantity of pus may drain. It usually has a foul taste and rancid smell.

Causes of Dental Abscess

The cause of these infections is direct growth of the bacteria from an existing cavity into the soft tissues and bones of the face and neck.

Infection results in a collection of pus (dead tissue, live and dead bacteria, white blood cells) and swelling of the tissues within the tooth. This causes a painful toothache. If the root of the tooth dies, the toothache may stop, unless an abscess develops. This is especially true if the infection remains active and continues to spread and destroy tissue.

chronic abscess may be painless, with the patient completely unaware of its presence even as it continues to grow inside the jawbone. Or the area of infection may be walled off by a fibrous sac, forming a granuloma, which contains non-infectious (sterile) tissue but not pus.

Dental abscesses often get their start when bacteria invade a decayed tooth; the decay may then travel to the gums or jawbone. Decay can also begin in the mouth when teeth are not brushed or flossed properly.

A tooth abscess is a complication of tooth decay . It may also result from trauma to the tooth, such as when a tooth is broken or chipped. Openings in the tooth enamel allow bacteria to infect the center of the tooth (the pulp). Infection may spread out from the root of the tooth and to the bones supporting the tooth.

About the Author/Author Bio

Read about Ask Questions, Share Answer. Also read about Natural Remedies, Natural Cure, Herbal Remedies and Home Remedies Natural Home Remedy

Listed below are more articles related to the above article from the "Gum Disease" article category.

People interested in the above article "Dental Abscess: Symptoms and Causes of Dental Abscess" are also interested in the related articles listed below:

Gum Disease: An Early Pathway to Teeth Loss

Your gums are practically cesspools for bacteria. It is extremely easy for your gums to come down with diseases that are quite unpleasant. These gum disease affect up to 80 per cent of people, according to the Mayo Clinic's website. Imagine that many people, each ignoring their gums and reaping the consequences in the form of strange and horrible problems. This is an issue that can, and does lead to tooth loss. Dentists say that gum disease also leads to more serious health conditions, as it creates a pathway for viruses and bacteria to enter the body directly through the area that gets the most traffic - the mouth.

Know the Gingivitis Information

Gingivitis or gum disease is caused by bacteria in your mouth. You can’t get rid of those germs forever; they’re just a fact of life as a human being. These bacteria feed upon the same things we do, literally the things we eat and drink. They hide in all the little nooks and crannies inside your mouth, even below the gum line. When you brush, you clean out some of those germs, but you can’t reach all of them.

Prompt Ways to eradicate Gingivitis

Gingivitis is an inflammation of the gum tissue due to a build of plaque or tartar around the gumline and if treated can be reversed. If left untreated gingivitis can lead to periodontitis which is far more serious and is irreversible but can be stopped from progressing any further. If you think you may have gingivitis it is important you go to your dentist.

How to Get Rid Of Gum Disease

Brush, brush, brush. Do it at least twice a day with a soft toothbrush and fluoride toothpaste. Although brushing and flossing are equally important, brushing eliminates only the plaque from the surfaces of the teeth that the brush can reach. Flossing, on the other hand, removes plaque from in between the teeth and under the gumline.

The Degenerative Diseases and Focal Infections

Quite often Price referred to the high number of "rheumatic group lesions" which resulted from dental infections. That terminology produced some confusion as it placed extreme emphasis on rheumatism and arthritis.

The Gum Crevices Surrounding Every Tooth between Teeth are Loaded with Bacteria

Not only should these foci sources be repeatedly considered by heart disease patients and their doctors, but also by the average person, for the oral cavity environment is a daily possible source of bacteria which can threaten body organs or tissues.

Dental Health - 8 Tips for Healthier Gums

Some people tend to take bleeding gums as a natural result of brushing their teeth. However, this can be an indication of a much more serious condition that can put your dental health at risk!