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Home  › Health A-Z  › Dental abscess

Dental abscess

A dental abscess is a collection of pus that can form inside the

teeth, in the gums, or in the bone that holds the teeth in place.
Page contents
It’s caused by a bacterial infection.

Symptoms of a dental
abscess An abscess at the end of a tooth is called a periapical abscess.
An abscess in the gum is called a periodontal abscess.
What to do if you have a
dental abscess
Dental abscesses are often painful, but aren’t always. In either
Relieving your symptoms
case, they should be looked at by a dentist.
Treatments for a dental
abscess It's important to get help as soon as possible, because abscesses
What causes dental don't go away on their own. They can sometimes spread to
abscesses? other parts of the body and make you ill.
Preventing dental abscesses

Symptoms of a dental abscess

Symptoms of an abscess in your tooth or gum may include:

an intense, throbbing pain in the affected tooth or gum that

may come on suddenly and gets gradually worse

pain that spreads to your ear, jaw and neck on the same side
as the affected tooth or gum

pain that's worse when lying down, which may disturb your
sleep

redness and swelling in your face

a tender, discoloured and/or loose tooth

shiny, red and swollen gums

sensitivity to hot or cold food and drink

bad breath and/or an unpleasant taste in your mouth

If the infection spreads, you may also develop a high

temperature (fever) and feel generally unwell. In severe cases,
you may find it hard to fully open your mouth and have
difficulty swallowing or breathing.

What to do if you have a dental

abscess
You should see a dentist as soon as possible if you think you
have a dental abscess. Avoid visiting your GP, as there is little
they can do to help.

You can get help from:

your registered dentist – if it's out of hours, they should have

an answerphone message with details of how to access out-
of-hours dental treatment

NHS 111 – who can give you details of dental services in your

area

your local accident and emergency (A&E) department – if

there are no other options or you're having difficulty
breathing

You may have to pay for emergency NHS dental treatment,

depending on your circumstances. Read about NHS dental
charges.

Relieving your symptoms
While you're waiting to see a dentist, painkillers can help
control your pain.

Ibuprofen is the preferred painkiller for dental abscesses, but if

you're unable to take it for medical reasons, you can take
paracetamol instead. Aspirin shouldn't be given to children
under 16.

If one painkiller doesn't relieve the pain, taking both

paracetamol and ibuprofen at the doses shown in the medicine
leaflet may help. This is safe for adults, but not for children
under 16.

It may also help to:

avoid hot or cold food and drink if it makes the pain worse

try eating cool, soft foods if possible, using the opposite side
of your mouth

use a soft toothbrush and temporarily avoid flossing around

the affected tooth

These measures can help relieve your symptoms temporarily,

but you shouldn't use them to delay getting help from a
dentist.

Treatments for a dental abscess

Dental abscesses are treated by removing the source of the
infection and draining away the pus.

Depending on the location of the abscess and how severe the

infection is, possible treatments include:

removing the affected tooth (extraction) – this may be

necessary if root canal treatment isn't possible

root canal treatment – a procedure to remove the abscess

from the root of an affected tooth before filling and sealing
it

incision and drainage – where a small cut (incision) is made

in the gum to drain the abscess (this is usually only a
temporary solution and further treatment may be needed)

Local anaesthetic will usually be used to numb your mouth for

these procedures. More extensive operations may be carried
out under general anaesthetic (where you're asleep).

Antibiotics aren't routinely prescribed for dental abscesses, but

may be used if the infection spreads or is particularly severe.

What causes dental abscesses?

Your mouth is full of bacteria, which form a sticky film on your
teeth called plaque.

If you don't keep your teeth clean, acids produced by the

bacteria in plaque can damage your teeth and gums, leading
to tooth decay or gum disease.

The following can increase your chances of developing a dental

abscess:

poor oral hygiene – plaque can build-up on your teeth if you

don't floss and brush your teeth regularly

consuming lots of sugary or starchy food and drink – these

can encourage the growth of bacteria in plaque and may
lead to decay that can result in an abscess

an injury or previous surgery to your teeth or gums –

bacteria can get into any damaged parts of the teeth or
gums

having a weakened immune system – this includes people

with certain underlying health conditions, such
as diabetes, and those having treatment, including steroid
medication or chemotherapy 

Preventing dental abscesses
You can reduce your risk of developing dental abscesses by
keeping your teeth and gums as healthy as possible.

To do this, you should:

use floss or an interdental brush at least once a day to clean

between your teeth and under the gum line

brush your teeth with a fluoride toothpaste twice a day –

 spending at least two minutes each time

avoid rinsing your mouth with water or mouthwash after

brushing because this washes the protective toothpaste away
– just spit out any excess toothpaste

cut down on sugary and starchy food and drinks –

 particularly between meals or shortly before going to bed

visit your dentist regularly – your dentist can suggest how

often you should have a check-up, based on your oral health 

Read more on how to keep your teeth clean and dental check-

ups.

Page last reviewed: 23/03/2016

Next review due: 31/12/2018

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