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 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 is made in the gum to drain the abscess
Local anaesthetic will usually be used to numb your mouth for these procedures. More extensive operations may be carried out under general anaesthetic .
Antibiotics aren’t routinely prescribed for dental abscesses, but may be used if the infection spreads or is particularly severe.
How Do You Treat An Infection From An Oral Piercing
An infection from an oral piercing can be treated by a dental professional. It is important to seek medical attention immediately if you suspect you may have an oral infection. Catching the infection early is important, and the infection can be easily managed. Typically antibiotics will be needed, and in some cases depending on the severity of the infection the piercing may have to be removed. This will help the infection heal quicker.
Bacterial Mouth Infection: Good Vs Bad Bacteria
The mouth is full of bacteria and thats mostly a good thing even though it can sound a bit scary at first. The good bacteria is the one that behaves on behalf of the human health and is helpful to keep the oral balance.
But there are also types of bacteria that dont keep your mouth and teeth happy those are non-beneficial bacteria that can ultimately lead to mouth infections and further issues such as periodontitis. This is an advanced gum infection where your gum begins to separate from your teeth. Read our article on periodontitis to learn more.
Zendium contains natural enzymes and proteins. The enzymes and proteins in saliva, and those in Zendium, help keep a healthy balance between good and bad bacteria in the mouth. Bad bacteria are the source of oral health problems including cavities, gum issues and bad breath. Good bacteria can help protect your mouth. The enzymes and proteins in Zendium work to both boost good bacteria that promote gum health and target problem-causing bad bacteria*.
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Is A Staph Infection In The Mouth Contagious
The bacteria that cause a staph infection are contagious. That means that they can be spread from person to person.
Someone with staph bacteria colonizing their mouth may spread it to other people by coughing or talking. Additionally, you may get it by coming into contact with a contaminated object or surface and touching your face or mouth.
Even if youre colonized with staph, it doesnt mean youll get sick. Staph bacteria are opportunistic and often only cause infections under specific circumstances, such as the presence of an open wound or an underlying health condition.
Most people colonized with staph dont get sick. Staph is opportunistic. It typically takes advantage of a specific situation to cause infection.
You may be more likely to get an oral staph infection if you have:
- an open wound in your mouth
- had a recent oral procedure or surgery
- recently stayed in a hospital or other healthcare facility
- an underlying health condition like cancer or diabetes
- a compromised immune system
Preventing Future Mouth Ulcers
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Treatment For Mouth Ulcers
Most mouth ulcers are usually harmless and resolve by themselves within 10 to 14 days. Other types of mouth ulcers, such as the aphthous variety or those caused by herpes simplex infection, need topical treatment .
Its not possible to speed up the recovery of ulcers, but the symptoms can be managed and the risk of complications reduced.
Treatment options for mouth ulcers include:
- Avoid spicy and sour foods until the ulcers heal.
- Drink plenty of fluids.
- Keep your mouth clean.
- Apply antiseptic gel to the ulcers.
- Regularly rinse your mouth out with warm, slightly salted water, keeping the rinse in your mouth for up to 4 minutes at a time.
- Use an alcohol-free medicated mouthwash twice daily.
- Use a topical alcohol-free steroid mouthwash or ointment this is generally prescribed by your dentist or oral medicine specialist.
- If required in severe cases, immunosuppressant medication may be prescribed by your oral health professional.
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 24 service who can give you details of dental services in your area
- your local clinical commissioning group who can tell you the phone number of your local dental access helpline
- your local accident and emergency 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.
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How Is An Abscessed Tooth Treated
Goals of treatment are to eliminate the infection and prevent complications. Treatment options include:
- Incision and drainage: Your dentist makes a small incision in the abscess to drain the pus. Sometimes a small rubber drain is placed to keep the area open for drainage.
- Root canal: This option helps to eliminate the infection and save your tooth. This common procedure removes the tooths infected inner pulp, and fills the space with material to prevent another infection. The inner pulp is important when the tooth is growing but once its mature, the tooth can survive without the pulp. After the procedure, your tooth should be back to normal, though you may need a crown to protect the root canal. If you care for the restored tooth properly, it can last a lifetime.
- Tooth extraction: Sometimes the tooth cannot be saved, and your dentist may need to pull or extract the tooth allowing pus to drain from the socket.
- Antibiotics: If the infection is limited to the abscessed area, you many not require antibiotics, but sometimes your dentist may recommend them to assist with your dental treatment. It is important to know, that while this medication may help fight off remaining bacteria, it will not get rid of the cause of the infection, which is the affected tooth.
Symptoms Of Mouth Ulcers
The symptoms of a mouth ulcer depend on the cause, but may include:
- One or more painful sores on part of the skin lining the mouth.
- Swollen skin around the sores.
- Problems with chewing or tooth brushing because of the tenderness.
- Irritation of the sores by salty, spicy or sour foods.
- Loss of appetite.
Aphthous ulcers generally occur on the softer mouth lining of the lips, cheeks, sides of the tongue, floor of the mouth, back of the roof of the mouth and around the tonsil area. These ulcers are usually no larger than 5mm. You may develop more than one aphthous ulcer at a time, and sometimes these ulcers are joined together.
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Take These Steps Immediately If Your Tooth Is Infected
A tooth infection or abscess can spread the surrounding bone and gum tissue, and the pain can become more severe. If you are experiencing signs of an infected tooth, you should see your dentist as soon as possible. Though treatment is necessary to resolve the issue, you can take steps to manage your pain until then.
Whats The Most Common Type Of Mouth Sore
Cold sores and canker sores are among the most common types of mouth lesions. About 20% of people will develop canker sores at some point in their lives. And while over half of Americans have been infected with the virus that causes cold sores, only 20 to 40% of people develop cold sores as a result.
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Folate Deficiency And Anemia
A folate deficiency is caused by not having enough folate, also known as vitamin B9. Folate is an important B vitamin used to make and repair DNA. Its critical to proper development in embryos. Being deficient in folate can also lead to folate deficiency anemia.
Anemia occurs when your supply of red blood cells is too low. When your red blood cells are reduced, damaged, or impaired, you may have problems transporting enough oxygen throughout your body. It can have an impact on different organ systems in your body.
Both folate deficiency and anemia can cause mouth sores. While folate deficiency can cause anemia, other types of anemia, like iron deficiency anemia, can cause mouth sores as well. These sores may look like small mouth ulcers or canker sores and be white, gray, yellow, or red in color.
- gastrointestinal conditions such as ulcers, IBS, and cancer
Chronic anemia may be related to autoimmune diseases, inherited genetic conditions, overexposure to lead, and other conditions.
How Is An Abscessed Tooth Diagnosed
In addition to examining the tooth and surrounding tissue for signs of infection, your dentist may:
- Recommend an X-ray. This can help identify sources of dental disease that may have led to the infection. Your dentist can also use X-rays to determine if the infection has spread and may be affecting other areas.
- Recommend a CT scan. If the infection has spread to other areas within the neck, this will help to identify the extent of the infection.
- Tap and press on your teeth. A tooth with an abscess is often sensitive to touch or pressure.
- Thermal tests. These tests will help your dentist determine the health of your pulpal tissues.
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Facial Swelling From A Tooth Infection
Swelling of the face may occur a few days after an untreated gum boil appears or it may take longer. It all depends on how well your body can naturally fight the infection and if you are using any home remedies to slow down the infection.
Treatment of facial swelling will require a visit to the dentist, which includes draining the abscess under local anesthesia and also taking prescribed antibiotics. There is no way to avoid antibiotics when your face swells up because home remedies are not potent enough to clear a tooth infection of that size.
Draining a tooth abscess of this size is usually a very painful procedure even with local anesthesia so our dentists in long island city do not recommend letting it get to this stage. Please see a dentist as soon as the gum boil stage of the abscess is reached!
Drugs And Radiation Therapy
The most common drugs causing mouth sores include certain cancer chemotherapy drugs. Drugs containing gold, which were once used to treat rheumatoid arthritis and some other autoimmune disorders, can also cause mouth sores, but these drugs are rarely used because safer and more effective drugs are now available. Radiation therapy is also a common cause of mouth sores. Rarely, people may develop mouth sores after taking antibiotics.
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What Do Mouth Sores Look Like
Different conditions can cause mouth sores, according to the Merck Manual.
They may look different depending on the cause. Mouth sores can appear a different color than the surrounding tissue, including white, yellow, red, or purple.
The following images show different types of mouth sores. These images are not intended to provide a diagnosis. If you have unexplained mouth sores or mouth sores that come back or last for a long time, it is best to visit a doctor for a diagnosis and treatment.
How Dental Insurance Can Help
Dental emergencies happen. Even if you are practicing good dental hygiene and you take care of your teeth, you can still end up with an infected tooth that needs to be dealt with right away. Dental insurance can help cover the costs of things like X-rays, exams, and other treatments, as well as more expensive care like root canals.
This is not dental care advice and should not be substituted for regular consultation with your dentist. If you have any concerns about your dental health, please contact your dentist’s office.
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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
What Is A Mouth Infection
Mouth infections are inflammations of the oral cavity either of your teeth, gums or facial bones.
The most common causes of such inflammations are:
- Bacteria. High levels of bacteria can cause mouth infections and often appear as a dental abscess. Its important to treat a dental infection sooner rather than later as any infection can turn into sepsis if allowed to escalate.
- Fungus. The fungus Candida can cause an infection of oral thrush. It presents with different symptoms to a bacterial infection and needs a different kind of treatment.
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Causes Of Mouth Ulcers
Most single mouth ulcers are caused by things you can try to avoid, such as:
- biting the inside of your cheek
- badly fitting dentures, braces, rough fillings or a sharp tooth
- cuts or burns while eating or drinking for example, hard food or hot drinks
- a food intolerance or allergy
- damaging your gums with a toothbrush or irritating toothpaste
- feeling tired, stressed or anxious
Sometimes they’re triggered by things you cannot always control, such as:
- hormonal changes such as during pregnancy
- your genes some families get mouth ulcers more often
- a vitamin B12 or iron deficiency
- medicines including some NSAIDs, beta blockers or nicorandil
- stopping smoking people may develop mouth ulcers when they first stop smoking
If you have several mouth ulcers, it can be a symptom of:
Mouth Burns In Children
If your child gets a first-degree burn in their mouth, treat the burn like you would for an adult. Start by giving them milk or other cold or frozen liquids. If your child feels a lot of pain, give them appropriate doses of medicines like ibuprofen and acetaminophen. Dont use medicines that contain ingredients that your child is allergic to. Also, use benzocaine sparingly, as it has been shown to cause rare but serious side effects.
The skin may peel for two to three days before it starts healing, and it may cause your child a lot of pain and discomfort. If the symptoms dont improve after two days, take your child to the doctor. If abnormal fluids or pus start leaking from the burn or your child develops a fever, talk to their doctor right away.
If your child gets a second- or third-degree burn, take them to the doctor immediately for treatment and a full assessment. The doctor can also evaluate if there is damage to the nerves or any other tissues.
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Can An Abscessed Tooth Be Prevented
You can reduce the risk of developing a tooth abscess by seeing your dentist routinely and getting regular dental exams and cleanings. Its also important to see your dentist if a tooth becomes loose or chipped. Oral hygiene is very important for dental health. At home, brush teeth twice a day and floss once a day.
A Pharmacist Can Help With Mouth Ulcers
A pharmacist can recommend a treatment to speed up healing, prevent infection or reduce pain, such as:
- antimicrobial mouthwash
- a painkilling tablet, mouthwash, gel or spray
- corticosteroid lozenges
You can buy these without a prescription, but they may not always work.
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