What is it?
An abscess forms when bacteria reach the tooth's nerve or a deep gum pocket and pus collects there. Because pressure builds in a closed space the pain is typically throbbing, constant and worse when lying down. The tooth becomes tender to touch and biting.
Pain suddenly stopping does not mean healing; it usually means the nerve has died while the infection quietly continues to spread. Swelling of the face or neck, difficulty swallowing or fever make this an emergency.
Signs
You will not necessarily have all of these at once.
Why does it happen?
- 01
Untreated deep decay
The most common route; bacteria reach the nerve chamber through the cavity.
- 02
A crack or trauma
Even an invisible crack can open a path for bacteria to the nerve.
- 03
Advanced gum disease
Deep periodontal pockets can become a source of abscess in their own right.
How is it treated?
Treatment begins by draining the infection. If the source is the nerve, root canal treatment is opened and the infection drained through the canal; if it is the gum, the pocket is cleaned. Antibiotics alone are not a treatment; untouched, the source brings the infection back.
If the tooth cannot be saved it must be extracted. The gap can later be restored with an implant or a bridge, but that is only planned once the infection has fully resolved.
- Spreading swelling of the face, cheek or under the eye
- Fever, chills or feeling generally unwell
- Difficulty swallowing or breathing: go to an emergency department
- Difficulty opening your mouth
How is it prevented?
- Treat decay before it hurts; most abscesses are postponed cavities
- Have a chipped or cracked tooth checked even if it doesn't hurt
- Don't ignore bleeding gums; deep pockets are an abscess source too
Frequently asked questions
- Can an abscess clear up by itself?
- No. Pus sometimes drains through a hole in the gum and the pain eases, but the source of infection remains and it recurs.
- Are antibiotics enough on their own?
- No. Antibiotics contain the spread but do not remove the source. Root canal treatment or extraction is still needed.
- The pain stopped; do I still need to go?
- Yes, particularly then. Pain stopping often means the nerve has died, and the infection advances silently.
This content is for general information and does not replace an in-person examination. Symptoms overlap between conditions, and a diagnosis can only be made clinically.