Dental Abscess
A dental abscess is a localised collection of pus caused by bacterial infection in a tooth, supporting tissues or gum.
Key takeaways
- Throbbing tooth pain, pain on biting, gum swelling or a bad taste can occur, but dental examination and imaging locate the source.
- Drainage, root-canal treatment or extraction provides source control; antibiotics alone commonly fail to cure the problem.
- Spreading facial or neck swelling, swallowing difficulty or systemic illness is an emergency because infection can threaten the airway.
The listings below do not replace urgent dental treatment; antibiotics are reserved for spreading infection or systemic involvement when indicated.
What a dentist assesses
Testing tooth vitality, percussion and X-rays helps distinguish a root abscess from gum disease, sinus pain or a cracked tooth. A draining sinus may reduce pain without resolving infection. Pain relief should not delay definitive care.
Treatment roles
The abscess is drained through the tooth, gum or an incision according to location. The source tooth is preserved with root-canal treatment when feasible or removed when necessary. Antibiotic choice reflects allergy, spread and severity; repeated courses without dental source control encourage recurrence and resistance.
When to seek urgent care
Seek emergency care for breathing or swallowing difficulty, drooling, rapidly spreading face or neck swelling, eye swelling, severe trismus, confusion, fainting or fever with marked illness.