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Abscessed Tooth Center - Waterloo, IA

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Waterloo, Iowa

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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 Waterloo

  • In case of Emergency, call 911

Nearby Waterloo Hospitals *

Covenant Medical Center
3421 W Ninth St
Waterloo, IA 50702
(319)272-8000

Allen Memorial Hospital
1825 Logan Ave
Waterloo, IA 50703
(319)235-3941

Sartori Memorial Hospital
515 College St
Cedar Falls, IA 50613
(319)268-3000

Waverly Health Center
312 Ninth St SW
Waverly, IA 50677
(319)352-4120

Mental Health Institute
2277 Iowa Ave
Independence, IA 50644
(319)334-2583

Grundy County Memorial Hospital
201 East J Ave
Grundy Center, IA 50638
(319)824-5421

Buchanan County Health Center
1600 1st St E
Independence, IA 50644
(319)334-6071

Mercy Hospital Oelwein
201 8th Ave SE
Oelwein, IA 50662
(319)283-6000

Community Memorial Hospital
909 W First St
Sumner, IA 50674
(563)578-3275

Virginia Gay Hospital
502 N Ninth Ave
Vinton, IA 52349
(319)472-6200

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