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Abscessed Tooth Center - Flint, MI

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Flint, Michigan

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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 Flint

  • In case of Emergency, call 911

Nearby Flint Hospitals *

Hurley Medical Center
One Hurley Plz
Flint, MI 48503
(810)257-9000

McLaren Regional Medical Center
401 S Ballenger Hwy
Flint, MI 48532
(810)342-2000

Select Specialty Hospital
401 S Ballenger Hwy
Flint, MI 48532
(810)342-4545

Genesys Regional Medical Center
1 Genesys Pkwy
Grand Blanc, MI 48439
(810)606-5000

Lapeer Regional Medical Center
1375 N Main St
Lapeer, MI 48446
(810)667-5500

Memorial Healthcare
826 W King St
Owosso, MI 48867
(989)723-5211

St Joseph Mercy Livingston Hospital
620 Byron Rd
Howell, MI 48843
(517)545-6000

Huron Valley-Sinai Hospital
1 William Carls Dr
Commerce, MI 48382
(248)937-3300

Saint Mary's of Michigan
800 S Washington Ave
Saginaw, MI 48601
(989)776-8000

Covenant Medical Center Cooper
700 Cooper Ave
Saginaw, MI 48602
(989)583-6000

Covenant Medical Center Harrison
1447 N Harrison St
Saginaw, MI 48602
(989)583-0000

Select Specialty Hospital
1447 N Harrison St
Saginaw, MI 48602
(989)583-4850

Doctors' Hospital of Michigan
461 W Huron St
Pontiac, MI 48341
(248)857-7200

POH Regional Medical Center
50 N Perry St
Pontiac, MI 48342
(248)338-5000

Havenwyck Hospital
1525 University Dr
Auburn Hills, MI 48326
(248)373-9200

Aleda E Lutz VA Medical Center
1500 Weiss St
Saginaw, MI 48602
(989)497-2500

Select Specialty Hospital Pontiac
44405 Woodward Ave
Pontiac, MI 48341
(248)452-5202

St John Brighton Hospital
12851 E Grand River Ave
Brighton, MI 48116
(810)227-1211

St Joseph Mercy Oakland Hospital
44405 Woodward Ave
Pontiac, MI 48341
(248)858-3000

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