Dental Abscess
A dental abscess is a pocket of pus caused by bacterial infection, either at the root tip of a tooth or in a deep gum pocket. It causes severe, throbbing pain and needs draining — antibiotics alone won't resolve it.
Ready to book your appointment?
Send us your details and we'll be in touch — usually within one working day.
The pressure has to be released.
Pain from an abscess comes from pus trapped in a confined space. Until that pressure is released and the source treated, the infection will keep returning however many antibiotics you take.
We keep same-day emergency appointments for exactly this. Most patients get substantial relief within the appointment itself.
Symptoms of an abscess.
The signs vary, but most people notice one or more of these:
- 01Severe, throbbing, constant pain
- 02Swelling of the gum, face or jaw
- 03Pain that spreads to the ear or neck
- 04A tooth that feels raised or tender to touch
- 05Bad taste or discharge of pus
- 06Fever and feeling generally unwell
Where it comes from.
The most common culprits:
Don't wait it out.
Speak to your our practice dentist if you're experiencing any of the following — book an appointment as soon as you can:
- —You have throbbing pain that painkillers barely touch.
- —There's swelling in the gum, cheek or jaw.
- —A bad taste keeps returning.
- —You feel feverish or unwell alongside dental pain.
In discomfort right now?
Swelling that closes your eye, crosses your neck, or affects swallowing or breathing is a medical emergency — go straight to A&E.
A plan, not a quick fix.
We locate the source with an examination and X-ray, drain the abscess, then treat the cause with root canal treatment, periodontal cleaning or extraction.
