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Abscessed Tooth Center - Watsonville, CA

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Watsonville, California

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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 Watsonville

  • In case of Emergency, call 911

Nearby Watsonville Hospitals *

Watsonville Community Hospital
75 Nielson St
Watsonville, CA 95076
(831)724-4741

Saint Louise Regional Hospital
9400 No Name Uno
Gilroy, CA 95020
(408)848-2000

Sutter Maternity & Surgery Center
2900 Chanticleer Ave
Santa Cruz, CA 95065
(831)477-2200

Dominican Hospital
1555 Soquel Dr
Santa Cruz, CA 95065
(831)462-7700

Natividad Medical Center
1441 Constitution Blvd
Salinas, CA 93906
(831)755-4111

Salinas Valley Memorial Healthcare System
450 E Romie Ln
Salinas, CA 93901
(831)757-4333

Hazel Hawkins Memorial Hospital
911 Sunset Dr
Hollister, CA 95023
(831)637-5711

Kaiser Permanente San Jose Medical Center
250 Hospital Pkwy
San Jose, CA 95119
(408)972-7000

Community Hospital of the Monterey Peninsula
23625 Holman Hwy
Monterey, CA 93940
(831)624-5311

Good Samaritan Hospital Mission Oaks
15891 Los Gatos Almaden Rd
Los Gatos, CA 95032
(408)356-4111

Good Samaritan Hospital San Jose
2425 Samaritan Dr
San Jose, CA 95124
(408)559-2011

El Camino Hospital of Los Gatos
815 Pollard Rd
Los Gatos, CA 95032
(408)378-6131

Santa Clara Valley Medical Center
751 S Bascom Ave
San Jose, CA 95128
(408)885-5000

O'Connor Hospital
2105 Forest Ave
San Jose, CA 95128
(408)947-2500

Regional Medical Center of San Jose
225 N Jackson Ave
San Jose, CA 95116
(408)259-5000

Kaiser Permanente Santa Clara Medical Center
700 Lawrence Expy
Santa Clara, CA 95051
(408)851-1000

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