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Abscessed Tooth Center - Joplin, MO

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Joplin, Missouri

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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 Joplin

  • In case of Emergency, call 911

Nearby Joplin Hospitals *

St John's Regional Medical Center Joplin
2727 McClelland Blvd
Joplin, MO 64804
(417)781-2727

Freeman Health System
1102 W 32nd St
Joplin, MO 64804
(417)347-1111

Freeman East Hospital
932 E 34th St
Joplin, MO 64804
(417)347-1111

Landmark Hospital of Joplin
2040 W 32nd St
Joplin, MO 64804
(417)627-1300

McCune Brooks Regional Hospital
3125 Dr Russell Smith Way
Carthage, MO 64836
(417)358-8121

Freeman Neosho Hospital
113 W Hickory St
Neosho, MO 64850
(417)451-1234

St John's Maude Norton Memorial Hospital
220 N Pennsylvania St
Columbus, KS 66725
(620)429-2545

Mt Carmel Regional Medical Center
1102 E Centennial
Pittsburg, KS 66762
(620)231-6100

INTEGRIS Baptist Regional Health Center
200 Second Ave SW
Miami, OK 74354
(918)542-6611

Willow Crest Hospital
130 A St SW
Miami, OK 74354
(918)542-1836

Barton County Memorial Hospital
29 NW 1st Ln
Lamar, MO 64759
(417)682-6081

Oswego Medical Center
800 Barker Dr
Oswego, KS 67356
(620)795-2921

Cox Monett Hospital
801 Lincoln Ave
Monett, MO 65708
(417)235-3144

Girard Medical Center
302 N Hospital Dr
Girard, KS 66743
(620)724-8291

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