Symptoms and Signs of Dental Abscess

Dental Abscess Symptoms

Symptoms of a dental abscess typically include

• pain,
• swelling,
• redness of the mouth and face.

Often one or more teeth will be very sensitive to pressure. With an advanced infection, one can experience other complications such as:

• nausea,
• vomiting,
• fever,
• chills, and
• difficulty swallowing, opening the mouth, or breathing.

If it remains untreated long enough, the infection can spread through the bone and damage adjacent teeth, which would require additional treatment.

The signs often found in conjunction with a dental abscess may include, but are not limited to:

• deep cavities,
• gum inflammation,
• oral or facial swelling,
• tenderness with touch,
• pus drainage, and
• sometimes limited ability to open the mouth (difficulty or pain upon opening the mouth very wide or when swallowing).

If the abscess has spread to a superficial area, there is typically tenderness to palpation (touch) of the infected area. Dental abscesses may range from mild to severe. They may be associated with no symptoms or with severe symptoms. Depending on a number of factors, the abscess may range from chronic to acute, and stable (not changing) to rapidly spreading. The infection can in some cases spread beyond the teeth and bone through the bloodstream to other areas of the body where it can damage organs and even be life-threatening.

Dental Abscess Causes

The cause of these infections is a direct growth of bacteria from within the pulp spaces of a tooth (endodontic) or on the deep root surfaces of a tooth (periodontal) into the supporting soft tissues and bones of the face and neck.