Gum Abscess: Pictures, Treatment, Symptoms, Causes, and ...

A gum abscess occurs when bacteria in the mouth causes an infection in the space between the teeth and the gums. Some gum abscesses result ... HealthConditionsDiscoverPlanConnectShopSubscribeGumAbscessMedicallyreviewedbyChristineFrank,DDS—WrittenbyValenciaHiguera—UpdatedonMarch7,2019CausesSymptomsDiagnosisTreatmentComplicationsPreventionOutlookWeincludeproductswethinkareusefulforourreaders.Ifyoubuythroughlinksonthispage,wemayearnasmallcommission.Here’sourprocess.Whatisagumabscess?Anabscessisapocketofpusthatcandeveloponmanypartsofyourbody,includingtheinsideofyourmouth.Somepeopledevelopatoothabscessthataffectstheareasurroundingthetooth.Butsometimes,anabscesscanformonthegums.Alsocalledaperiodontalabscess,agumabscessisapainfulconditionthatcanleadtoseriouscomplications.It’simportanttorecognizethesignsofagumabscessandgetmedicaltreatmentifyoudevelopone.CausesofagumabscessAgumabscessoccurswhenbacteriainthemouthcausesaninfectioninthespacebetweentheteethandthegums.Somegumabscessesresultfromperiodontitisdisease,whichiscausedbypoororalhygiene.Periodontitisdiseaseisaninflammatoryconditionofthegumsthatdevelopswhenplaqueaccumulatesunderthegums.Plaqueisasticky,colorlessfilmofbacteria.Whenitisn’tremovedfromteeththroughregularbrushingandflossing,aninfectioncanoccurinthesurroundingtissue.Thiscanresultintheformationofanabscess.Agumabscesscanalsooccurduetoadeepperiodontalpocket.Aperiodontalpocketisaspacethatdevelopsaroundtheteethfromgumdisease.Bacteriacanliveinthisspace.Iffoodandplaquebecomeembeddedinthisspace,bacteriacanthrive.Havingaweakerimmunesystemcanalsocontributetoagumabscessbecauseyourimmunesystemisunabletofightoffinfections.Factorsthatmayreduceyourbody’sdefensesincludebeingtired,stressed,orhavingachronicillness.SymptomsofagumabscessSomeoralconditionsofthemouthandgumscangounnoticedandcauselittlesymptomsinearlystages.Thisisnotthecasewithagumabscess.Theseabscessescancausepersistent,severepainintheaffectedarea.Ifyouopenyourmouthandobservethearea,youmayalsonoticeswellingandredness.Othersignsofagumabscessinclude:sensitivitytoheatorcoldfoodsanddrinkspainwhilechewingaloosetoothbadtasteinthemouth(frompusdischarge)pusdischargefeverHowtodiagnoseagumabscessIfyouexperiencegumpain,tenderness,ortastespusinyourmouth,don’tignorethesesigns.Makeanappointmentwithyourdentistassoonaspossible.Yourdentistmaybeabletoidentifyagumabscess(ormakeanotherdiagnosis)basedonyoursymptoms.Duringthisappointment,yourdentistmayexamineyourgumsandlookforsignsofaninfection.Theseincludepain,swelling,andredness.Alongwithvisualobservationofyourgums,yourdoctormayorderadentalX-raytocheckforperiodontaldiseaseoraninfectedtooth(duetopulpinfection).AnX-raycanalsohelpyourdoctorassesswhetheryouhavebonelossfromtheinfection.Symptomsofagumabscessmayimproveslightlyintime.Butevenifanabscessrupturesanddrains,youshouldstillseeadentisttotreattheinfection.TreatmentforagumabscessKeepinmindthatagumabscesswillnotcompletelyhealonitsown.It’simportantthatyouseeadentisttobegintreatment.Treatmentforagumabscessinvolvesdrainingtheabscessandremovinganydebrisinyourperiodontalpocket.Yourdentistmaysuggestadeepcleaningprocedurecalledscalingandrootplanning.Thisprocedureremovesplaqueandtartarfromaboveandbeneaththegumline.Drainingtheabscessisnecessarytoremovetheinfectionandpreventcomplications.Thisprocedureinvolvescuttinganincisionintheabscess.Yourdentistmayapplynumbingcreamtotheareabeforebeginningtheprocedure.YourdoctorcanuseyourdentalX-raytodeterminewhetheryourgumabscesshasresultedinboneloss.Dependingontheextentofboneloss,yourdentistmaychoosetoextractatooth.Theymayalsorecommendaproceduretoregeneratelostboneorgumtissue.Agumabscesscansometimesaffectthepulp,whichisthecenterofthetooth.Thepulpismadeupofbloodvessels,nerves,andconnectivetissue.Ifthepulpisaffected,youmayneedarootcanaltoremovethedamagedsectionofthetooth.MedicationsInadditiontothesedentalprocedurestoremoveandtreatinfection,yourdentistmayprescribeacourseofantibiotics.Antibioticscanhelpwithswellingifyourdentistisunabletocompletelydraintheabscess.Thismedicationcanalsopreventreoccurrenceandstoptheinfectionfromspreadingtootherareasofyourbody.Ifyouexperiencepain,yourdentistcanprescribepainmedication.There’snowaytotreatagumabscessathome.Toreducepainandsensitivityuntilyouseeadentist,rinseyourmouthwithwarmsaltwaterortakeover-the-countermedicationlikeibuprofentoreduceinflammation.ComplicationsofagumabscessDon’tignoreagumabscess.Ifleftuntreated,theinfectioncanspreaddeeperintothegumtissueandaffectsurroundingteethandbones.Thiscancauseincreasedpainandswelling,andtheinfectioncouldtraveltootherpartsofyourfaceandbody.Inrarecases,aguminfectioncantraveltothebloodstreamandcausealife-threateningcomplicationknownassepsis.Sepsissymptomsinclude:atemperatureabove101˚F(38˚C)difficultybreathingabdominalpainhighheartrateHowtopreventagumabscessPracticegoodoralhygienetopreventagumabscess.Thisincludesbrushingandflossingyourteethonaregularbasis.Brushyourteethtwotothreetimesaday,particularlyaftermeals.Thisreducestheamountofplaquethataccumulatesonyourteethandunderthegumline.Also,flossatleastonceadaytoremovefoodandplaquestuckinthegums.Makesureyouscheduleregulardentalcleanings.Getyourteethprofessionallycleanedeverysixmonths.Yourdentistcanobservethehealthofyourteethandgums,anddiagnoseoralproblemsearlytopreventdiseaseandinfections.Shopfortoothbrushesanddentalfloss.OutlookforagumabscessWithearlytreatment,theoutlookforagumabscessispositive.Yourdentistcandrainthepusandremovetheinfection,reducingtheriskofcomplications.Butifleftuntreated,agumabscesscanworsenandleadtoapotentiallylife-threateninginfection.Consultyourdentistifyoudevelopanypain,swelling,ordischargeinyourgums.LastmedicallyreviewedonFebruary26,20183sourcescollapsedHealthlinehasstrictsourcingguidelinesandreliesonpeer-reviewedstudies,academicresearchinstitutions,andmedicalassociations.Weavoidusingtertiaryreferences.Youcanlearnmoreabouthowweensureourcontentisaccurateandcurrentbyreadingoureditorialpolicy.Abscess-Dental.(n.d.).ndcs.com.sg/ForPatientsAndVisitors/ConditionsAndTreatments/Glossary/Pages/Abscess%20-%20Dental.aspxFineJB.(n.d.).Whentoreceivegumabscesstreatment.colgate.com/en-us/oral-health/life-stages/adult-oral-care/when-to-receive-gum-abscess-treatment-1015VályiP,etal.(2004).Periodontalabscess:Etiology,diagnosisandtreatment.DOI:ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/15495540FEEDBACK:MedicallyreviewedbyChristineFrank,DDS—WrittenbyValenciaHiguera—UpdatedonMarch7,2019ReadthisnextGumBiopsyMedicallyreviewedbyChristineFrank,DDSAgumbiopsyisaprocedurethatremovesgumtissueforanalysisinalaboratory.Here’swhattoexpect.READMOREItchyGumsMedicallyreviewedbyJudithMarcin,M.D.READMOREGingivitis(GumDisease)OverviewMedicallyreviewedbyJenniferArchibald,DDSGingivitisisaninflammationofthegumscausedbyabacterialinfection.Ifleftuntreated,itcanbecomeaseriousinfectionknownasperiodontitis.READMOREWhat'stheDifferenceBetweenGingivitisandPeriodontitis?MedicallyreviewedbyChristineFrank,DDSGingivitisistheearlieststageofperiodontitisandcanbetreatedandmanagedwithoralcare.Periodontitisrequiresmoreinterventionand…READMOREIsGingivitisContagious?MedicallyreviewedbyJenniferArchibald,DDSGingivitisiscausedbyabacterialinfectioninthegums.We'lldiscusswhetherit'scontagiousornot.READMOREHowtoTreatSwollenGumswithBracesMedicallyreviewedbyRoozKhosravi,DMD,PhD,MSDSwollengumsareacommonoccurrencewhenyou'renewtobraces,butitcouldbealsobeasignofgumdisease.READMOREHowtoGetQuickRelieffromGumPainMedicallyreviewedbyDebraRoseWilson,Ph.D.,MSN,R.N.,IBCLC,AHN-BC,CHTGumpainisanannoyingissuethathappensforanumberofreasons.Readonforremediesthatcanprovidequickrelieffromgumpain.READMOREWhatWeKnowAbouttheLinkBetweenGumDiseaseandYourRiskofaStrokeNewresearchfindsgumdisease(akaperiodontitisorperiodontaldisease)waslinkedtoahigherrateofstrokescausedbyhardeningoflargearteries…READMOREWhatIsGumContouringandWhyIsItDone?MedicallyreviewedbyJenniferArchibald,DDSGumcontouringisatypeofdentalsurgerythatinvolvesreshapingthegumline.Itcaninvolvegumreductionorrestoringgumtissuethat’sbeenlost…READMOREWhatIsDentalPlaque?MedicallyreviewedbyChristineFrank,DDSWeallhaveplaqueonourteeth.It'sagroupofbacteriathatlivesinyourmouthandformsbetweenbrushings.Thebestwaytokeepplaqueincheck…READMORE