Written By Anita Ginsburg / Reviewed By Ray Spotts

A tooth abscess can be very painful. Inflamed tissue forms a pus center that can appear at various places in your mouth, usually near or on the tooth.

Left untreated, an abscess may enter your bloodstream and cause sepsis, which is harmful and potentially destructive to other parts of your body, including the heart and brain.

If you believe you have a tooth abscess, here are some things to do to find relief.

Contact Your Dentist In Case Of An Abscess

First, contact your dentist to see if emergency treatment is needed. If you don't have a dentist or if your dentist doesn't handle emergencies, you may be referred to an emergency dentist who will advise you on what to do.

Home Remedies For An Abscessed Tooth

While waiting to hear back from the dentist, you can try and relieve pain at least temporarily. You should ask your dentist for tips, but they will likely recommend gargling with salt water.

There are other home treatments as well that may help to somewhat reduce the swelling until you can seek professional emergency care. However, it is best to get your dentist's advice before doing anything you are not sure of.

Emergency Dentist Appointment For An Abscess

Your dentist will direct you to emergency dental services either at their office or at an emergency dentist clinic. You may be advised to take over-the-counter pain medication if needed while waiting for treatment. Try to remain calm and follow the dentist's advice until you are seen for an emergency appointment.

Remember to take your health insurance information with you to the dentist appointment. Let the dentist know of any other medicine you are taking along with the pain medication.

You may be asked a few questions about how the problem developed, although many people don't know. An abscess can occur spontaneously and unexpectedly.

Abscess Aftercare

After your emergency dental visit, follow the advice given. If you receive an antibiotic prescription, read the instructions carefully and complete the entire course of treatment.

Don't stop taking the antibiotic - even if you begin to feel better - or the infection may flare up again. You may be advised to schedule a follow-up appointment in a couple of weeks. Be sure to keep the appointment so the dentist can check to see that the abscess has cleared up.

Dental emergencies don't happen that often, but when they do, be ready to take prompt action. The sooner you treat an abscess by seeing an emergency dentist or following their guidelines for self-treating the abscess at home, the sooner it will clear up.

Don't suffer in silence. Contact your dentist if you suspect you have a tooth abscess.

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Written By:

Anita Ginsburg is a freelance writer from Denver, Colo. She studied at Colorado State University, and now writes articles about health, business, family and finance. A mother of two, she enjoys traveling with her family whenever she isn't writing. You can follow her on Twitter @anitaginsburg.

Reviewed By:    

Founder Ray Spotts has a passion for all things natural and has made a life study of nature as it relates to health and well-being. Ray became a forerunner bringing products to market that are extraordinarily effective and free from potentially harmful chemicals and additives. For this reason Ray formed Trusted Health Products, a company you can trust for clean, effective, and healthy products. Ray is an organic gardener, likes fishing, hiking, and teaching and mentoring people to start new businesses. You can get his book for free, “How To Succeed In Business Based On God’s Word,” at www.rayspotts.com.