How to Deal with an Abscess After Tooth Extraction

If you have ever had a toothache, you know how painful and uncomfortable it can be. Sometimes, the cause of the toothache is an abscess, which can be described as a pus-filled pocket that develops on your gums due to a bacterial infection. An abscess can cause swelling, redness, fever, and bad breath, and it can also damage your tooth and the surrounding bone and tissue.

Why Tooth Extraction May Be Necessary for an Abscess

Your dentist will always try to protect your tooth, if possible, but sometimes, the damage is too severe to be repaired. This may happen if the abscess has reached the root of your tooth, making it impossible to clean and fill the tooth. In this case, tooth extraction in Pleasant Hill may be the best way to get rid of the infection and relieve your pain.

Tooth extraction, a surgical procedure, requires removing the tooth from its socket in the jawbone. Your Pleasant Hill dentist will numb the area with local anesthesia and use special tools to loosen and pull out the tooth. You may feel some pressure and hear some noises, but you should not feel any pain during the procedure.

How the Abscess Heals After Tooth Extraction

After the tooth extraction, your body will start to heal the abscess naturally. Your immune system will fight off the bacteria and gradually reduce the swelling and inflammation. The pus pocket will also shrink and disappear over time. Depending on the size and severity of the abscess, the healing process may take from a few days to several weeks.

To help your body heal faster, you need to follow the aftercare instructions that your local dentist will give you. These may include:

• Putting a cold pack on your cheek to help with swelling and pain.
• Changing the gauze over the spot where the tooth was as you’re told to.
• Taking pain medicine and antibiotics your dentist gives you.
• Not smoking, drinking alcohol, or using a straw for at least a day.
• Eating soft diet and drinking lots of water.
• Brushing your teeth softly and staying away from where the tooth was pulled out.
• Rinsing your mouth with a little warm salt water a few times a day.

By following these steps, you can prevent infection and promote healing of the abscess after tooth extraction near you.

Possible Complications of Abscess After Tooth Extraction

Even though most of the time abscesses heal fine after pulling out a tooth, sometimes there can be issues. Here are some problems that might happen:

Dry socket: It takes place when the blood clot that should form in the hole where the tooth was pulled out falls out or dissolves too quickly. This leaves the bone and nerve without cover, which can be very painful and slow down healing. To stop dry sockets, don’t do things that could disturb the clot, like smoking, drinking with a straw, or spitting hard. If you get a dry socket, your dentist might put medicine in the hole to help with the pain and protect it.

Infection: Pulling out the tooth gets rid of the infection source, but sometimes the abscess can get infected again. This can make it hurt, swell, give you a fever, and cause pus to come out. To avoid getting an infection, take the antibiotics your dentist gives you and keep the area where the tooth was pulled out clean. If you think it’s getting infected, call your dentist right away.

Nerve damage: The nerves close to where the tooth was pulled out can sometimes get hurt during the procedure. This might make your mouth or face feel numb, tingly, or burn. These feelings could last a short time or be permanent, depending on how much they’re hurt. To prevent nerve damage, make sure a skilled and experienced dentist pulls out your tooth.

What to Do Next

In summary, an abscess is a serious dental problem that can lead to a lot of pain and complications. Sometimes, tooth extraction is the best way to treat an abscess and prevent further damage. After the tooth extraction, the abscess will heal on its own, but you need to take good care of your mouth to avoid infection and other problems. If you have any questions or concerns, you should always consult your dentist.

At Grafton Dental, we are committed to providing you with the best dental care possible. We have a team of skilled and compassionate dentists who can handle any dental issue, including tooth extraction and abscess treatment. We will carefully explain the procedure to you in detail and make sure you are comfortable and relaxed throughout the process. We will also give you clear and helpful aftercare directions and follow up with you to ensure your recovery is smooth and successful. If you have an abscess or any other dental problem, don’t hesitate to contact us today. We are here to help you achieve and maintain a healthy and beautiful smile.