Dentures: Facts, Figures and Friendly Advice for Seniors

How You Can Deal With A Tooth Abscess At Home

7 July 2016

Herman Kim

Have you ever experienced a persistent, throbbing toothache radiating through your jawbone? If yes, that might have been the pain caused by a tooth abscess. A tooth or a periapical abscess is an infection that affects the root of the tooth. The infection, which is a lump of pus, normally occurs when the nerve of the tooth is dying or when the nerve is dead. It starts at the tip of the root and spreads to the bone surrounding the tooth with time.

How Do You Treat A Tooth Abscess?

Before you rush to a dentist, there are a couple of household items you can use to treat the infection. Salt water, for instance, may be able to calm down the pain and slow down the spreading of the infection. To come up with an effective prescription, stir a teaspoon of salt in a glass of warm of water. Rinse your mouth with the solution three to five times in a day.  Salt water kills the bacteria in the mouth that causes the infection.

Another homemade medicine is a paste of turmeric. Mix half a tablespoon of the powder with a tablespoon of warm water and apply a little of the paste on the affected area. Turmeric is a natural antibiotic and hence it will counter the bacteria that cause the infection.  

What Are The Symptoms Of A Tooth Abscess?

The most obvious sign that tells of a tooth abscess is the lump of pus that forms on the tooth. On top of that, you may also experience a persistent toothache radiating to the neck, ear and jawbone area. The infection may also be accompanied by fever and increased tooth sensitivity. And if the pus manages to burst, a foul smell may come out of your mouth.

What Can You Do To Prevent A Tooth Abscess?

Because the disease is caused by bacteria, always observe proper dental hygiene to keep the bacteria out of your mouth. Proper hygiene includes involves brushing your teeth on regular occasions. Also, avoid frequent consumption of diets that are highly rich in sugar such as soda; diets that are loaded with sugars lead to dental cavities, which may in turn lead to tooth abscesses.

If you do not deal with an abscess right away, pain could be the least of your concerns because the infection will damage the surrounding teeth and bone. Worse than that, though, the condition may lead to sepsis, which is a deadly infection that spreads throughout the body. So if you have a tooth abscess, it is important to visit an emergency dentist as soon as you can.

Share

Search