Abscess Tooth: Causes & Removal

An abscess tooth is one of the main dental complications that many can people face at some point of their lives. Getting a tooth abscess treated is easy if you know where to find the perfect dentist or oral surgeon. But before going to a professional dentist to get the work done for your tooth, it will benefit you to learn more about your dental health condition (i.e., abscess).

Abscess Tooth treatment
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Usually, anyone from a young child to an older person can get a tooth abscess depending on various factors. Why is abscess tooth removal and treatment necessary? The primary reason behind its treatment and removal is to prevent tooth root infection in other body parts, such as the neck and jaw. The abscess itself is a packet of pus that builds up around the tooth root that’s infected. Here’s what causes tooth root infection and then abscess.

What’re the Main Causes of Abscess Tooth?

You may know that enamel is the hardest tissue inside your body, i.e., the white surface of your teeth. It has a soft pulp of small nerves hidden inside bound by connective tissue and highly sensitive blood vessels. However, an abscess forms when the soft pulp tissue with blood vessels and nerves gets infected. Here’s how a tooth root infection forms:

Tooth decay
A cracked tooth that causes swelling
Periodontal or other gum diseases
A deep cavity

The infection begins by affecting the nerves, blood vessels, and connective tissue inside your tooth’s enamel. It starts from the soft pulp tissue and then moves towards the tooth’s root causing a root canal infection and abscess. Check out the two main types of abscesses below:

Periodontal Abscess: affects the bone surrounding the infected tooth
Periapical abscess: affects the tooth root’s tip and spreads from there

An individual can get more than one abscess as it travels through the bone and infects other spots on your jaw and gum line. The most common triggers that lead to abscesses include not brushing twice daily, eating a lot of sugary treats, and taking drinks that support the growth of bacteria.

How Do Professionals Treat Abscess Tooth?

Depending on the cause that led to the tooth abscess in your mouth and the level of discomfort you’re facing currently, a professional oral surgeon or dentist can choose various treatments. The most common types of treatments that professionals choose include:

· Root Canal

The surgeon drills into your tooth, clean the pulp, removes the infected tissue, and fills up the empty tooth socket. You may get a crown at the end of a root canal treatment.

Best treatment for an abscess tooth
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· Antibiotics

Antibiotics help prevent pain and the spread of abscesses to other sites such as your jaw and further down your body if you were late at getting the necessary treatment.

· Extraction

If your tooth isn’t recoverable, the oral surgeon might suggest complete removal of the abscessed tooth.

You should never ignore a toothache as it may signify a highly problematic oral health issue. Contact your oral surgeon and discuss your treatment options with them right away.