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Abscessed Tooth Center - Lubbock, TX

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Lubbock, Texas

Lubbock is an American city in the state of Texas. Located in the northwestern part of the state, a region known historically as the Llano Estacado, it is the county seat of Lubbock County, and the home of Texas Tech University. Lubbock's nickname is the "Hub City" which derives from being the economic, education, and health care hub of a multi-county region commonly called the South Plains. The area is the largest contiguous cotton-growing region in the world and is heavily dependent on irrigation water drawn from the Ogallala Aquifer.
(Source: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Lubbock,_Texas)

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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 Lubbock

  • In case of Emergency, call 911
  • Police (919) 996-3335
  • Fire (919) 996-6115

Nearby Lubbock Hospitals *

Southwest Regional Medical Complex
1409 9th St
Lubbock, TX 79401
(806)767-9133

University Medical Center
602 Indiana Ave
Lubbock, TX 79415
(806)775-8200

Covenant Health System
3615 19th St
Lubbock, TX 79410
(806)725-1011

Covenant Children's Hospital
3610 21st St
Lubbock, TX 79410
(806)725-0030

Covenant Womens Hospital
4000 24th St
Lubbock, TX 79413
(806)725-6000

Highland Medical Center
2412 50th St
Lubbock, TX 79412
(806)788-4100

Lubbock Heart Hospital
4810 N Loop 289
Lubbock, TX 79416
(806)687-7777

Sunrise Canyon Hospital
1950 Aspen Ave
Lubbock, TX 79404
(806)740-1400

Covenant Hospital Levelland
1900 S College Ave
Levelland, TX 79336
(806)894-4963

Lynn County Hospital District
2600 Lockwood Hwy
Tahoka, TX 79373
(806)998-4533

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