A dental abscess is a pus pocket that develops around the root of a tooth that’s infected. Everyone is at risk of developing one, including children and the elderly. This is a dental condition that requires professional treatment. If you fail to have it treated promptly, then the infection could spread past your jaw and into your head, neck, or another body part. At Lovett Dental Conroe, we offer dental abscess treatment and other specialty dental services.
Are Abscesses Preventable?
The best way to prevent dental problems is to keep your teeth and gums healthy. Do this by making sure that you go to your dental checkups and have your teeth cleaned. Also, brush your teeth in the morning and at night using fluoride toothpaste. Be sure to floss your teeth daily, and visit your dentist if you spot a cracked tooth or one that feels loose. Ingest sugary foods and drinks on a limited basis since they can cause cavities, which may result in an abscess. Try to avoid snacking between your meals. If you need dental infection treatment in Conroe, TX, then contact us. At Lovett Dental Conroe, we offer a variety of dental services, including:
What Causes a Dental Abscess?
A tooth is solid and hard on the outside, but the interior of a tooth is full of a pulp that includes connective tissue, blood vessels, and nerves. Sometimes, this pulp can become infected. When an infection occurs, it’s usually from tooth decay, a deep cavity, gum disease, or a cracked tooth. If you are unaware of the infection and fail to treat it, then it will start to kill the pulp and cause an abscess to develop.
There are two common abscess types. One is referred to as a periapical abscess, and this forms at the root’s tip. The other type is called a periodontal abscess, and when it develops, it affects the bone located near the tooth. More than one abscess may form in this case. Also, an abscess may move through the bone and materialize in several areas. However, each area is from just one tooth.
How Do You Know That You Have an Abscessed Tooth?
You may have an abscess if you’re experiencing symptoms like:
- Pain
- Red gums
- An unpleasant taste
- Swelling
- Tooth sensitivity when eating
- Pain in your jaw
- A fever
- Trouble swallowing or breathing
In some abscess cases, pimple-like swelling forms along the gums. If you push on it and liquid leaks out, then it’s probably an abscessed tooth. The liquid oozing out is pus.
Dental Abscess Treatment Options
The common signs of an abscess are pain and swelling, but some people don’t have these symptoms. In this case, the pus pocket is draining someplace else. If you’re not experiencing symptoms, then your dentist may see it on the X-rays that he or she takes during a routine dental exam. Your dentist may tap the tooth to see if it’s painful.
Dental infection treatment at Lovett Dental Conroe may entail the use of antibiotics. If the infection has made its way past the site of the abscess and into your jaw or other areas of your body, then you’ll need antibiotics. While the medication will eliminate the infection, they can’t remove the abscess. For that, you’ll need a root canal. Your dentist will attempt to save the tooth. To do this, he or she will drill into the affected tooth and remove the pulp from its interior as well as from the root canals that spread into your gums.
Your dentist will then fill and seal these canals. If he or she can save the tooth, then it will get a filling. If the tooth is unsalvageable, you’ll need a crown. Don’t worry about getting a crown; it will look and feel like a natural tooth.
Quality Dental Abscess Treatment at Lovett Dental Conroe
If you’re experiencing tooth pain, then you’ll need quality dental care. We can treat your abscess as well as any other tooth care problem that you may have. If you have questions or want to make an appointment, contact Lovett Dental Conroe at 936-760-2400.
