110 – Can a Tooth Abscess Heal

Can a Tooth Abscess Heal?
With proper medical and dental invention, yes, a tooth abscess can heal. However, it will not heal on its own. A dental abscess needs to be treated appropriately as soon as possible. Even if you are afraid of the dentist, it is important to do everything possible to obtain treatment for your abscess and its cause as quickly as possible. Without treatment, it can lead to the destruction of dental supporting structures. There is no healing or spontaneous cessation of the disease without dental or medical intervention. To calm a dental abscess while waiting for the intervention of the dentist:
* It is possible to take a painkiller such as paracetamol or an antiseptic gel to relieve the symptoms
* On the other hand, no anti-inflammatory!
* It is possible to make mouthwashes
* To brush your teeth, use a toothbrush with very soft bristles, morning and evening.
If the dental abscess is not taken care of quickly, it can progress to a rupture of the wall of the abscess and a fistulisation (formation of a channel to evacuate the pus), or even a destruction of the bone that surrounds the tooth, which can lead to its eventual loss. The infection can spread to surrounding structures : tongue, throat, sinuses, etc., or even to the brain if spread through the blood. Ultimately, the infection can reach:
* the heart,
* lungs,
* the digestive system,
* kidneys,
* the joints (with great risks in people with a hip or knee prosthesis, for example).
What treatment to cure a dental abscess?
What treatment in case of dental abscess?
A tooth abscess never heals on its own and, if left untreated, can lead to complications. This is why it absolutely must be treated by a dental surgeon. After a careful examination of the oral cavity and the teeth and possibly X-rays of the tooth concerned, the practitioner proceeds, most of the time, to the drainage of the abscess, which consists in evacuating the pus. This operation takes place in two stages:
1. cleaning the canals of the tooth (located in the roots of the tooth) which often contain infected tissue (or “pulp”);
2. placement of a paste in place of the removed pulp, to prevent further dental infection.
Certain situations require special treatment:
* if the abscess is declared at the level of the gum , it is necessary to clean the space between the tooth and the affected gum;
* if the dental abscess is severe, extraction of the tooth may be necessary.
The dental surgeon performs local anesthesia to avoid pain. Thus, you will only feel numbness on the numb side of the mouth. If the infection has spread, if you have a chronic disease such as diabetes, heart valve disease or if you are immunocompromised, the dental surgeon will prescribe an anti-infective treatment with antibiotics which is therefore not systematic. Indeed, drainage of the abscess is usually the most effective treatment. In any case, do not start antibiotic treatment on your own initiative and follow the treatment well in order to limit the risk of antibiotic resistance.