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Abscessed Tooth Center - Provo, UT

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Provo, Utah

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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

Toothache »

What is a toothache?

"Toothache" usually refers to pain around the teeth or jaws primarily as a result of a dental condition. In most instances, toothaches are caused by tooth problems, such as a dental cavity, a cracked tooth, an exposed tooth root, or gum disease. However, disorders of the jaw joint (temporo-mandibular joint) can also cause pain that is referred to as "toothache." The severity of a toothache can range from chronic and mild to sharp and excruciating. The pain may be aggravated by chewing or by cold or heat. A thorough oral examination, which includes dental X-rays, can help determine whether the toothache is coming from a tooth or jaw problem and the cause.

Sometimes, a toothache may be caused by a problem not originating from a tooth or the jaw. Pain around the teeth and the jaws can be symptoms of diseases of the heart (such as angina or heart attack), ears (such as inner or external ear infections), and sinuses (air passages of the cheekb...

Emergency Contact for Provo

  • In case of Emergency, call 911

Nearby Provo Hospitals *

Utah Valley Regional Medical Center
1034 N 500 West
Provo, UT 84604
(801)357-7850

Utah State Hospital
1300 E Center St
Provo, UT 84606
(801)344-4400

Orem Community Hospital
331 N 400 West
Orem, UT 84057
(801)224-4080

Timpanogos Regional Hospital
750 W 800 North
Orem, UT 84057
(801)714-6000

American Fork Hospital
170 N 1100 East
American Fork, UT 84003
(801)855-3300

Mountain View Hospital
1000 E 100 North
Payson, UT 84651
(801)465-7000

Heber Valley Medical Center
1485 S Hwy 40
Heber City, UT 84032
(435)654-2500

Alta View Hospital
9660 S 1300 East
Sandy, UT 84094
(801)501-2600

HEALTHSOUTH Rehabilitation Hospital of Utah
8074 S 1300 East
Sandy, UT 84094
(801)561-3400

Highland Ridge Hospital
7309 South 180 W
Midvale, UT 84047
(801)569-2153

Jordan Valley Medical Center
3580 W 9000 South
West Jordan, UT 84088
(801)561-8888

Intermountain Medical Center
5121 S Cottenwood St
Salt Lake City, UT 84157
(801)507-7000

St Mark's Hospital
1200 E 3900 South
Salt Lake City, UT 84124
(801)268-7111

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