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Abscessed Tooth Center - Saginaw, MI

WebMD Physician Directory

Saginaw, 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

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 Saginaw

  • In case of Emergency, call 911

Nearby Saginaw Hospitals *

Saint Mary's of Michigan
800 S Washington Ave
Saginaw, MI 48601
(989)776-8000

Covenant Medical Center Cooper
700 Cooper Ave
Saginaw, MI 48602
(989)583-6000

Covenant Medical Center Harrison
1447 N Harrison St
Saginaw, MI 48602
(989)583-0000

Select Specialty Hospital
1447 N Harrison St
Saginaw, MI 48602
(989)583-4850

Aleda E Lutz VA Medical Center
1500 Weiss St
Saginaw, MI 48602
(989)497-2500

Healthsource Saginaw
3340 Hospital Rd
Saginaw, MI 48603
(989)790-7700

Bay Regional Medical Center East Campus
1900 Columbus Ave
Bay City, MI 48708
(989)894-3000

Bay Regional Medical Center West Campus
3250 E Midland Rd
Bay City, MI 48706
(989)894-3000

MidMichigan Medical Center Midland
4005 Orchard Dr
Midland, MI 48670
(989)839-3000

Caro Community Hospital
401 N Hooper St
Caro, MI 48723
(989)673-3141

McLaren Regional Medical Center
401 S Ballenger Hwy
Flint, MI 48532
(810)342-2000

Select Specialty Hospital
401 S Ballenger Hwy
Flint, MI 48532
(810)342-4545

Hurley Medical Center
One Hurley Plz
Flint, MI 48503
(810)257-9000

Memorial Healthcare
826 W King St
Owosso, MI 48867
(989)723-5211

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