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Abscessed Tooth Center - Lacey, WA

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Lacey, Washington

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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 Lacey

  • In case of Emergency, call 911

Nearby Lacey Hospitals *

Providence St Peter Hospital
413 Lilly Rd NE
Olympia, WA 98506
(360)491-9480

Capital Medical Center
3900 Capital Mall Dr SW
Olympia, WA 98502
(360)754-5858

Saint Clare Hospital
11315 Bridgeport Way SW
Lakewood, WA 98499
(253)588-1711

Mason General Hospital
901 Mt View Dr
Shelton, WA 98584
(360)426-1611

Mark Reed Hospital
322 S Birch St
Mccleary, WA 98557
(360)495-3244

Allenmore Hospital
1901 S Union Ave
Tacoma, WA 98405
(253)459-6633

Pierce County Human Services
3580 Pacific Ave
Tacoma, WA 98418
(253)798-4500

St Joseph Medical Center
1717 South J St
Tacoma, WA 98405
(253)426-4101

Mary Bridge Children's Hospital & Health Center
317 Martin Luther King Jr Way
Tacoma, WA 98405
(253)403-1400

Tacoma General Hospital
315 Martin Luther King Jr Way
Tacoma, WA 98405
(253)403-1000

Providence Centralia Hospital
914 S Scheuber Rd
Centralia, WA 98531
(360)736-2803

Good Samaritan Hospital & Community Healthcare
407 14th Ave SE
Puyallup, WA 98372
(253)848-6661

St Francis Hospital
34515 Ninth Ave S
Federal Way, WA 98003
(253)944-8100

Auburn Regional Medical Center
202 N Division St
Auburn, WA 98001
(253)833-7711

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