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Abscessed Tooth Center - Kalamazoo, MI

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Kalamazoo, 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 Kalamazoo

  • In case of Emergency, call 911

Nearby Kalamazoo Hospitals *

Borgess Medical Center
1521 Gull Rd
Kalamazoo, MI 49048
(269)226-7000

Bronson Methodist Hospital
601 John St
Kalamazoo, MI 49007
(269)341-7654

Battle Creek VA Medical Center
5500 Armstrong Rd
Battle Creek, MI 49037
(269)966-5600

Kalamazoo Psychiatric Hospital
1312 Oakland Dr
Kalamazoo, MI 49008
(269)337-3000

Borgess Pipp Hospital
411 Naomi St
Plainwell, MI 49080
(269)685-0700

Fieldstone Center
165 N Washington Ave
Battle Creek, MI 49016
(269)964-7121

Battle Creek Health System
300 North Ave
Battle Creek, MI 49017
(269)966-8000

Southwest Regional Rehabilitation Center
393 E Roosevelt Ave
Battle Creek, MI 49017
(269)965-3206

Bronson Vicksburg Hospital
13326 North Blvd
Vicksburg, MI 49097
(269)649-2321

Pennock Hospital
1009 W Green St
Hastings, MI 49058
(269)945-3451

Allegan General Hospital
555 Linn St
Allegan, MI 49010
(269)673-8424

Bronson LakeView Hospital
408 Hazen St
Paw Paw, MI 49079
(269)657-3141

Oaklawn Hospital
200 N Madison St
Marshall, MI 49068
(269)781-4271

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

Hayes Green Beach Memorial Hospital
321 E Harris St
Charlotte, MI 48813
(517)543-1050

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