If you are thinking of popping your gum abscess at home, do not do it. Popping abscesses is much more complicated and risky than opening a simple superficial wound. The abscess is caused by dead or infected nerves inside your tooth. It is one of the symptoms of serious oral infections and can negatively affect both your dental and general health if not intervened in time.
Is it safe to pop a gum abscess at home?
It is not safe to pop a gum abscess at home. The accumulated pus is part of the body's response to fight infection, but when this pus is trapped in a confined space, it creates pressure and causes severe pain. If the abscess bursts uncontrollably, the risk of spreading the infection increases. Particularly in abscesses of bacterial origin, when the pus deposit bursts, the bacteria can spread into the oral cavity and the infection can affect a wider area. The safe drainage of an abscess should only be performed by a dentist in a sterile environment. According to studies, dental abscesses can lead to wider infections, rarely even sepsis, if not treated properly. Therefore, it is of great importance to seek professional help to drain the abscess.
What to do when a tooth abscess pops?
If your tooth abscess pops, rinse your mouth immediately with warm salt water to protect your oral health. This may be the first step to prevent the spread of infection. However, this condition is considered a dental emergency and you should contact your dentist as soon as possible. Your dentist will prescribe antibiotics that will ensure that the abscess is drained correctly and speed up your healing process.
Can popping a gum abscess kill you?
If a gum abscess is left untreated, it can spread throughout the body and lead to sepsis, a life-threatening infection. If not intervened in time, in addition to tooth loss, the inflammation progresses to deep tissues, causing loss of soft tissues in the jaw bone and soft gums, causing inflammation in these areas. The rate of spread of abscess is closely related to the immune system of the person. In people with low body resistance, if poor oral hygiene accompanies this picture, the rate of spread and the area of spread of the abscess increases even more. In addition, this condition is accompanied by changes in the blood picture of the person.
The spread area of the abscess varies according to the area where the tooth is located. While teeth in the lower jaw cause swelling on the floor of the mouth, cheek and jaw corner, teeth in the upper jaw cause swelling under the eye, hard palate and cheek depending on the location of the tooth. If the abscess is left untreated, it spreads to the cavities in the jaw and facial region called the box and when it spreads to this region, the floor of the mouth lifts upwards and the patient has difficulty in swallowing and breathing. When such a situation develops, the patient must be hospitalised and especially strong antibiotic treatment must be started intravenously.
What should someone with a tooth abscess do at home?
First of all, you can do a simple test. Firstly, take any object with a long metal handle such as a fork, knife and spoon from the kitchen and stand in front of the mirror. Examine the tooth you think is abscess in front of the mirror. Check if there is anything like a cavity, caries or a large filling in the tooth. Then, with the back of the fork and spoon we take in our hands, hit the tooth perpendicular to the tooth, not too hard, little by little. If you do not feel a very big pain, you probably do not have a tooth abscess.
What those who do not feel pain think of a tooth abscess is most likely gingivitis or gingival swelling. Quickly check whether there is a food residue or something else stuck next to your tooth. If necessary, clean between your teeth with dental floss. A salt water mouthwash will be very useful. If the problem is a simple gum swelling, it will gradually recover.
If you feel severe pain when you hit your tooth and there is a condition such as a large cavity, it is most likely associated with a tooth abscess. If you already have a tooth abscess, you have felt the slightest touch with a fork or spoon like a hammer. Before moving on to very important advice for people who experience this situation, let's understand what a tooth abscess is.
A tooth abscess is an infection that starts inside your tooth and gradually spreads out through the hole at the extreme point of the root and tries to spread to your entire jaw. Sometimes it causes holes in the gums. The abscess is caused by dead or infected nerves. This is similar to when you get a splinter in your hand and an abscess or inflammation forms around the splinter. It may go away if you take medicine or apply ointment, but it will always recur unless the splinter is removed. A dead or infected nerve is just like a splinter in your finger and needs to be removed medically. However, for those who are watching at home, there are a few tips to ease your pain.
Pain Management and Temporary Relief Methods for Tooth Abscess?
- First of all, you feel pain as the tooth abscess grows and presses on its surroundings. Ice application not exceeding 10-12 minutes helps to relieve some of the pressure in that area and relieve your pain.
- Secondly, tooth abscess hurts most when we lie down at night. This is because the blood pressure to our head increases in the lying position and increases the pressure of the abscess. If you keep your head above your heart level with a few pillows, you will spend the night more comfortably.
- It is important to ensure and maintain oral hygiene, but you should be careful when brushing or flossing the abscessed area. It is important to be gentle to avoid applying excessive pressure to prevent the abscess from bursting or making the condition worse.
- Over-the-counter painkillers with anti-inflammatory effects, such as ibuprofen or paracetamol, can reduce inflammation. When using antibiotics, it is important to remember that antibiotics should only be used on the advice of a doctor, otherwise incorrect or unnecessary use can lead to health problems.
- The most effective home remedies for relieving symptoms include drinking plenty of water, gargling with salt water, being careful when chewing to avoid putting too much pressure on the aching tooth, and choosing soft foods.
How is it treated?
Dentists specialise in draining the abscess and controlling the infection. During this procedure, local anaesthesia is used to relieve pain and the abscess is carefully drained. The dentist may then administer antibiotic treatment to clear the infection. In clinical studies, antibiotic treatment has proven effective in stopping the spread of bacterial infections associated with abscesses. However, the use of antibiotics should only be directed by a healthcare professional. Unnecessary use of antibiotics can lead to antibiotic resistance, which can make it difficult to treat infections in the future.
Once a tooth abscess has formed, it will not heal completely, neither with medication nor on its own. To prevent recurrence, the dead nerves that are the source of the abscess must be removed and the tooth must be cleaned of bacteria. This process is called root canal treatment. This treatment is the only way to get rid of the abscess and save the tooth.