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Abscessed Tooth Center - Kentwood, MI

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Kentwood, 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 Kentwood

  • In case of Emergency, call 911

Nearby Kentwood Hospitals *

Pine Rest Christian Mental Health Services
300 68th St SE
Grand Rapids, MI 49548
(616)455-5000

Forest View Hospital
1055 Medical Park Dr SE
Grand Rapids, MI 49546
(616)942-9610

Spectrum Health Blodgett Campus
1840 Wealthy St SE
East Grand Rapids, MI 49506
(616)774-7444

Metro Health Hospital
5900 Byron Center Ave SW
Wyoming, MI 49519
(616)252-7200

Mary Free Bed Rehabilitation Hospital
235 Wealthy St SE
Grand Rapids, MI 49503
(800)528-8989

Saint Mary's Health Care
200 Jefferson Ave SE
Grand Rapids, MI 49503
(616)685-6090

Spectrum Health Kent Community Campus
750 Fuller Ave NE
Grand Rapids, MI 49503
(616)486-3000

Helen DeVos Children's Hospital
100 Michigan St NE
Grand Rapids, MI 49503
(616)391-9000

Spectrum Health Butterworth Campus
100 Michigan St NE
Grand Rapids, MI 49503
(616)391-1774

Zeeland Community Hospital
8333 Felch St
Zeeland, MI 49464
(616)772-4644

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

Spectrum Health United Hospital
615 S Bower St
Greenville, MI 48838
(616)754-4691

Holland Hospital
602 Michigan Ave
Holland, MI 49423
(616)392-5141

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

Ionia County Memorial Hospital & Health System
479 Lafayette St
Ionia, MI 48846
(616)527-4200

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

North Ottawa Community Hospital
1309 Sheldon Rd
Grand Haven, MI 49417
(616)842-3600

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