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Abscessed Tooth Center - Elkhart, IN

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Elkhart, Indiana

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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 Elkhart

  • In case of Emergency, call 911

Nearby Elkhart Hospitals *

Oaklawn Psychiatric Center
330 Lakeview Dr
Goshen, IN 46528
(574)533-1234

Goshen General Hospital
200 High Park Ave
Goshen, IN 46526
(574)533-2141

Elkhart General Hospital
600 East Blvd
Elkhart, IN 46514
(574)294-2621

Saint Joseph Regional Medical Center Mishawaka
215 W 4th St
Mishawaka, IN 46544
(574)259-2431

Community Hospital of Bremen
1020 High Rd
Bremen, IN 46506
(574)546-2211

Doctor's Hospital
411 S Whitlock St
Bremen, IN 46506
(574)546-3830

LaGrange Community Hospital
207 N Townline Rd
Lagrange, IN 46761
(260)463-2143

Our Lady of Peace Hospital
801 E LaSalle Ave
South Bend, IN 46617
(574)280-5822

Saint Joseph Regional Medical Center South Bend
801 E LaSalle Ave
South Bend, IN 46617
(574)237-7111

Madison Center & Hospital
403 E Madison St
South Bend, IN 46617
(574)234-0061

Riverside Hospital
533 N Niles Ave
South Bend, IN 46617
(574)283-1104

Memorial Hospital of South Bend
615 N Michigan St
South Bend, IN 46601
(574)647-1000

Sturgis Hospital
916 Myrtle Ave
Sturgis, MI 49091
(269)651-7824

Lakeland Medical Center Niles
31 N St Joseph Ave
Niles, MI 49120
(269)683-5510

Three Rivers Health
701 S Health Pkwy
Three Rivers, MI 49093
(269)278-1145

Parkview Noble Hospital
401 Sawyer Rd
Kendallville, IN 46755
(260)347-8700

Borgess Lee Memorial Hospital
420 W High St
Dowagiac, MI 49047
(269)782-8681

Michiana Behavioral Health Center
1800 N Oak Rd
Plymouth, IN 46563
(574)936-3784

Saint Joseph Regional Medical Center Plymouth
1915 Lake Ave
Plymouth, IN 46563
(574)936-3181

Parkview Whitley Hospital
353 N Oak St
Columbia City, IN 46725
(260)248-9000

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