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Abscessed Tooth Center - Auburn, WA

WebMD Physician Directory

Auburn, Washington

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Abscessed Tooth

What are the symptoms of an abscessed tooth?

A toothache that is severe and continuous and results in gnawing or throbbing pain or sharp or shooting pain are common symptoms of an abscessed tooth. Other symptoms may include:

What does an abscessed tooth look like?
  • Fever
  • Pain when chewing
  • Sensitivity of the teeth to hot or cold
  • Bitter taste in the mouth
  • Foul smell to the breath
  • Swollen neck glands
  • General discomfort, uneasiness, or ill feeling
  • Redness and swelling of the gums
  • Swollen area of the upper or lower jaw
  • An open, draining sore on the side of the gum

If the root of the tooth dies as a result of infection, the toothache may stop. However, this doesn't mean the infection has healed; the infection remains active and continues to spread and destroy tissue. Therefore, if you experience any of the above listed symptoms, it is important to see a dentist even if the pain subsides.

How is an abscessed tooth diagnosed?

Your dentist will probe your teeth with a dental instrument. If you have an abscessed tooth, you will feel pain when the tooth is tapped by your dentist's probe. Your dentist will also ask you if your pain increases when you bite down or when you close your mouth tightly. In addition, your dentist may suspect an abscessed tooth because your gums may be swollen and red.

Your dentist may also take X-rays to look for erosion of the bone around the abscess.

How is an abscessed tooth treated?

Strategies to eliminate the infection, preserve the tooth, and prevent complications are the goals of treatment for an abscessed tooth.

To eliminate infec...

Recommended Reading Related to Abscessed Tooth

Problems With Dental Fillings »

Introduction

Tooth sensitivity following placement of a filling is fairly common. A tooth may be sensitive to pressure, air, sweet foods, or temperature. Usually, the sensitivity resolves on its own within a few weeks. During this time, avoid those things that are causing the sensitivity. Pain relievers are generally not required.

Contact your dentist if the sensitivity does not subside within 2 to 4 weeks or if your tooth is extremely sensitive. He or she may recommend you use a desensitizing toothpaste, may apply a desensitizing agent to the tooth, or possibly suggest a root canal procedure.

Pain Around Fillings

There are several explanations for pain around fillings, each resulting from a different cause.

  1. Pain when you bite. With this type of pain, the pain occurs when you bite down. The pain is noticed soon after the anesthesia wears off and continues over time. In this case, the...

Emergency Contact for Auburn

  • In case of Emergency, call 911

Nearby Auburn Hospitals *

Auburn Regional Medical Center
202 N Division St
Auburn, WA 98001
(253)833-7711

St Francis Hospital
34515 Ninth Ave S
Federal Way, WA 98003
(253)944-8100

Good Samaritan Hospital & Community Healthcare
407 14th Ave SE
Puyallup, WA 98372
(253)848-6661

Valley Medical Center
400 S 43rd St
Renton, WA 98055
(425)228-3450

Mary Bridge Children's Hospital & Health Center
317 Martin Luther King Jr Way
Tacoma, WA 98405
(253)403-1400

Pierce County Human Services
3580 Pacific Ave
Tacoma, WA 98418
(253)798-4500

Tacoma General Hospital
315 Martin Luther King Jr Way
Tacoma, WA 98405
(253)403-1000

St Joseph Medical Center
1717 South J St
Tacoma, WA 98405
(253)426-4101

Highline Medical Center Main Campus
16251 Sylvester Rd SW
Burien, WA 98166
(206)244-9970

Allenmore Hospital
1901 S Union Ave
Tacoma, WA 98405
(253)459-6633

Highline Medical Center Specialty Campus
12844 Military Rd S
Tukwila, WA 98168
(206)244-0180

The Regional Hospital for Respiratory & Complex Care
12844 Military Rd S
Seattle, WA 98168
(206)248-4548

Enumclaw Regional Hospital
1450 Battersby Ave
Enumclaw, WA 98022
(360)825-2505

Schick Shadel Hospital
12101 Ambaum Blvd
Seattle, WA 98146
(206)244-8100

Saint Clare Hospital
11315 Bridgeport Way SW
Lakewood, WA 98499
(253)588-1711

West Seattle Psychiatric Hospital
2600 SW Holden St
Seattle, WA 98126
(206)933-7199

VA Puget Sound Health Care System
1660 S Columbian Way
Seattle, WA 98108
(206)762-1010

Harborview Medical Center
325 Ninth Ave
Seattle, WA 98104
(744)731-3000

Swedish Medical Center Cherry Hill Campus
500 17th Ave
Seattle, WA 98122
(206)320-2000

Swedish Medical Center First Hill Campus
747 Broadway
Seattle, WA 98122
(206)386-6000

Virginia Mason Medical Center
1100 9th Ave
Seattle, WA 98101
(206)223-6600

Overlake Hospital Medical Center
1035 116th Ave NE
Bellevue, WA 98004
(425)688-5000

Group Health Central Hospital
201 16th Ave E
Seattle, WA 98112
(206)326-3000

Seattle Cancer Care Alliance
825 Eastlake Ave E
Seattle, WA 98109
(206)288-1400

Group Health Eastside Hospital
2700 152nd Ave NE
Redmond, WA 98052
(425)883-5151

University of Washington Medical Center
1959 NE Pacific St
Seattle, WA 98195
(206)598-6555

Children's Hospital & Regional Medical Center
4800 Sand Point Way NE
Seattle, WA 98105
(206)987-2000

Swedish Medical Center Ballard Campus
5300 Tallman Ave NW
Seattle, WA 98107
(206)782-2700

Harrison Medical Center
2520 Cherry Ave
Bremerton, WA 98310
(360)377-3911

Kindred Hospital Seattle
10631 8th Ave NE
Seattle, WA 98125
(206)364-2050

Evergreen Hospital Medical Center
12040 NE 128th St
Kirkland, WA 98034
(425)899-1000

Fairfax Hospital
10200 NE 132nd St
Kirkland, WA 98034
(425)821-2000

Northwest Hospital & Medical Center
1550 N 115th St
Seattle, WA 98133
(206)364-0500

Providence St Peter Hospital
413 Lilly Rd NE
Olympia, WA 98506
(360)491-9480

Stevens Hospital
21601 76th Ave W
Edmonds, WA 98026
(425)640-4000

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