It is an experience that you don’t want to have, and yet, very few people are aware of the symptoms, dismissing it as a cavity or just bruising, which can prolong the discomfort.
A dental abscess is a serious medical condition that requires urgent treatment to resolve. If it is left untreated, it can develop into sepsis and may require hospitalization, as well as the loss of a tooth.
So, to help prevent that, you may be wondering what are the symptoms of having a dental abscess and what should you do if you suspect that you have one? This article will walk you through the signs to look out for and help you determine your best course of action.
Discomfort
Persistent discomfort around the tooth is the main symptom reported by people with a dental abscess. This can present as something akin to a very severe toothache, but can also feel like bruising when pressure is put onto the tooth or the surrounding gum tissue. If you have noticed that the discomfort you are having is keeping you awake at night, or distracting you at work, then you need to contact an emergency dental team, such as Direct Dental, dental Care in Balham, to make an emergency appointment.
Swelling
Next on the list is swelling. This can present as asymmetry in the face or can look like excessive swelling around the affected tooth. The swelling may feel hot and, in most cases, will also be very tender to touch. Even if you have noticed that you have facial swelling without any associated sensitivity, it is still important that you see an emergency dental team to have the underlying cause ascertained and treated. The swelling that accompanies an abscess is usually due to the collection of pus or dead white blood cells, causing a capsule around the infection, so it needs to be treated urgently.
Foul Taste and Odour
You may also notice that there is a foul taste or odor in your mouth accompanying an oral infection. This is a bit more than just bad breath and can taste very similar to rotting meat. If you notice that you have dental pain accompanied by sudden changes in the taste or odor of your mouth, you need to see urgent dental treatment to investigate what the cause is. It may be a cavity, but in most cases, if it is sudden, it’s an abscess!
Gum Discolouration
If it is not too uncomfortable, try and look at the surrounding gum tissue around the tooth that is hurting. In many cases, if it is a dental abscess, it may look purple, blue, or even have a white circle in the middle, which is the pus. This is a clear indication of dental infection, and you should seek urgent medical treatment.
Sensitivity
Last but certainly not least, you may notice that it physically causes pain when you drink hot or cold beverages. The sensitivity is usually due to the nerve of the tooth being exposed via a cavity which has then let bacteria in to form an abscess. You may have guessed this already, but if you notice sensitivity associated with any of the other symptoms here, you need to call your emergency dentist for same-day treatment.
