A dental abscess is a serious oral health problem and dental emergency. It’s not a condition that can be waited out until it resolves or relieved with a holistic method at home. You need your dentist’s help to protect your teeth and gums and the rest of your well-being. Get to know the symptoms of a dental abscess – especially the tricky ones that can masquerade as other problems – and learn how to protect yourself from this complication.

Signs of a Dental Abscess

The most obvious signs of a dental abscess are easy to recognize, but other symptoms can look like completely different health complications – to you. Your dentist, on the other hand, has the experience to recognize an abscess for what it is right away. Here are some of the most common signs:

  • Fever or chills: This could be anything, right? The flu, a cold, some other virus. If you’re focused on the fever alone and don’t pay attention to what’s happening in your mouth too, this helpful sign could be easily misread.
  • Bad breath: You ate something with garlic or onions. You haven’t brushed your teeth all day. It’s easy to explain away bad breath but if it’s accompanied by pain too, something is up with your dental health.
  • Sensitivity: Maybe it feels like food is stuck in your gums. Maybe it hurts when you bite down or drink very cold or hot beverages. Sensitivity could be indicative of nothing or a very big something, especially when combined with other symptoms.
  • Redness and warmth: Can gums sometimes be redder than they’re supposed to be? Sure, it happens, but it’s a hallmark of a dental abscess, especially if that part of the face feels warm too.
  • Pain and tenderness: Any pain in your teeth and gums is a major signal that something is wrong. You should always give your dentist the chance to see what’s going on. True tooth pain does not go away on its own.
  • Swollen, pus-filled gums: Damage to the gums, irritation from food or a scratch, and early gum disease could cause swollen gums. But when this swelling is accompanied by an area of pus built-up under the gum, it’s a telltale sign of a dental abscess.

Addressing Dental Emergencies

If you suspect any sort of oral health problem, see your dentist right away. An emergency dental appointment is always the smart move so you can get treatment quickly and avoid unnecessary complications.

Some people will try to tough out a dental abscess, but this will always backfire. If the abscess ruptures, the bacteria inside of it could spread through your entire system, causing health problems beyond the mouth. It’s a dangerous oral health condition to have and one that you want to have treated immediately.

Drainage, root canal therapy, and sometimes even extraction is necessary to correct the problem that has developed, but don’t avoid the dentist because you fear the cure. If you are suffering with any tooth or mouth pain, contact Smiles by the Sea in Hampton, NH, right away for an emergency dental appointment.