Dental Abscess: Signs, Symptoms and When to Call an Emergency Dentist
A dental abscess is not a problem that takes care of itself. It is a bacterial infection that produces a pocket of pus, and it will keep growing until a dentist drains it and addresses the source. Here is how to recognize one, understand the risks, and know when to call.
What Is a Dental Abscess?
There are two main types:
Periapical abscess: Forms at the tip of the tooth root. Usually caused by untreated decay that has reached the nerve, allowing bacteria into the root canal system. This is the most common type.
Periodontal abscess: Forms in the gum tissue next to a tooth root. Often related to gum disease or food/debris trapped deep in a gum pocket. More common in patients with existing periodontal disease.
Both types produce similar symptoms, and both require professional treatment. Learn more about treatment on our dental abscess treatment page.
Symptoms
- Severe, throbbing pain: Often constant and pulsing. It may wake you at night. The pain can radiate to your ear, jaw, and neck on the same side.
- Swelling: In the face, cheek, or under the jaw. The area may feel warm to the touch. In serious cases, swelling can close an eye or push into the floor of the mouth.
- Fever: A temperature above 100.4 F suggests the infection is triggering a systemic response.
- Bad taste in your mouth: This happens when the abscess ruptures and pus drains. The pain may temporarily decrease, but the infection is still present.
- Sensitivity to hot and cold: Often more severe with hot beverages. The affected tooth may hurt to touch or bite on.
- Swollen lymph nodes: The lymph nodes under your jaw or in your neck on the affected side may feel tender and enlarged.
- Difficulty opening your mouth: Trismus can occur when infection or swelling affects the muscles that open and close the jaw.
Why It Will Not Go Away on Its Own
Your immune system can contain an abscess temporarily. You may even feel it "burst" and notice the pain decrease as pus drains. But the source of infection is still there: dead nerve tissue inside a tooth, or bacteria trapped in a deep gum pocket. Until that source is removed, the infection cycles between flare-ups and temporary improvement.
Each cycle typically gets worse. The infection erodes bone. It weakens the tooth. It can create a fistula (a permanent drainage channel through the gum). Antibiotics slow it down but cannot cure it because they cannot reach the dead tissue inside the tooth where bacteria live.
Danger Signs: When to Go Straight to the ER
- Swelling spreading to the neck, under the tongue, or around the throat
- Difficulty breathing or swallowing
- High fever with chills, rapid heart rate, or confusion
- Swelling near or closing the eye on the affected side
These signs suggest the infection is spreading beyond the mouth. Call 911 or go to the nearest ER.
What Treatment Involves
Treatment follows a predictable sequence:
- Drainage: The dentist makes a small incision to release trapped pus. Relief is often immediate.
- Antibiotics: Prescribed to help your body fight the remaining infection.
- Definitive treatment: A root canal to save the tooth, or extraction if the tooth cannot be saved. This is the step that prevents recurrence.
- Follow-up: A check to confirm the infection has cleared and to place any permanent restorations.
Read more about what to expect: How Long Can a Dental Infection Go Untreated?
Frequently Asked Questions
Can a dental abscess kill you?
In rare cases, yes. An untreated dental abscess can spread to the neck (Ludwig's angina), bloodstream (sepsis), or brain. These complications are rare but serious. The vast majority of dental abscesses are easily treated when addressed promptly. Do not delay.
How long does it take for a dental abscess to become dangerous?
An abscess can spread within days if left untreated. Most serious complications develop within 1 to 3 weeks of symptom onset, but some can progress faster, especially in people with compromised immune systems.
Can I take antibiotics for a dental abscess without seeing a dentist?
Antibiotics reduce bacterial activity but cannot drain the pus or remove the source of infection (dead tissue, trapped bacteria). The abscess will return once antibiotics run out. You need professional drainage and treatment of the underlying cause.
Do not wait on a dental abscess. Call (954) 807-1840 for same-day treatment at our Fort Lauderdale clinic.