An abscess on the gum: why it occurs and how to deal with it

2023 Author: Alfred Shackley | [email protected]. Last modified: 2023-05-21 13:14

Patients go to dentists for various reasons, it is not always a simple consultation on proper oral care. Often we are led to the doctor's chair by inflammatory processes, which are accompanied by an abscess. An abscess on the gum can signal the pathology of the tooth root or other problems, but only a specialist can find out the cause. Only after that, treatment is prescribed.

What is an abscess on the gum

A purulent inflammatory process on the gums does not always immediately make itself felt. You may feel some discomfort, soreness while eating. The inflammation develops in the periodontal pockets and begins to spread through the soft tissues. As a result, filling with liquid content occurs.

In no case should you ignore a purulent abscess. The process will not go away on its own, it will begin to affect more and more tissues and will lead to the fact that the teeth will gradually begin to loosen and fall out. A purulent abscess is dangerous in that this small sac of white mass can easily cause blood poisoning if not treated.

"Provocateurs" abscess

Many factors can provoke the onset of the inflammatory process, which can end in an abscess, among which the most common culprits are:

1. A large number of pathogenic bacteria in the periodontal pocket. This happens all the time with poor oral hygiene or with crowns and dentures.
2. The presence of periodontitis can also cause the development of a purulent abscess.
3. Dental calculus.
4. Poor oral hygiene.
5. Poorly treated caries.
6. Diseases of the digestive tract.
7. Pulpitis.
8. The formation of boils on the gums.
9. Pathology of the periosteum.
10. Improper tooth extraction.
11. Infectious diseases of the oral cavity.

A white abscess should be treated only by a dentist, so you cannot do without visiting a specialist in order to avoid complications. Even children with milk teeth are not immune from such a pathology, so parents should carefully monitor the state of the child's oral cavity.

How to recognize an abscess on the gums

It is simply impossible not to notice a purulent abscess on the gums. It manifests itself in pronounced signs:

• Toothache appears at the initial stage of development, which becomes stronger at night and with pressure.
• The gums become swollen and red.
• Difficulties arise with food intake and speech, as soreness increases.
• Weakness appears.
• The temperature may rise.
• Chills.
• Fever, especially at night.

After a few days, an abscess with purulent contents appears on the gum. At this time, the cheek may swell, the general condition of the patient worsens. The course of the disease depends on the body's defenses and the pathogenicity of microorganisms. If the abscess breaks out, there is temporary relief, but this does not negate the visit to the dentist.

Treatment of an abscess on the gum

It is not always possible to immediately go to the clinic if a purulent abscess appears on the gum. Then you have to resort to emergency measures at home:

1. You can rinse your mouth with antiseptic agents: potassium permanganate, Furacilin. For these purposes, decoctions of sage, chamomile are suitable. If a baby has an abscess on the gum, then these emergency aids will also work.
2. Applying cold will help relieve swelling and relieve pain a little.
3. To prevent intoxication, you need to consume more fluids.
4. If there is severe pain, then you can take Ketonol, Analgin.

You should not wait for the start of the working day, but urgently call an ambulance if:

• Body temperature is high.
• The pain only intensifies and is not relieved by analgesics.
• There is abundant purulent discharge from the abscess.
• Headache and muscle pain appeared.

Abscess therapy usually includes several areas:

1. Medication.
2. Autopsy of the abscess.
3. Physiotherapy activities.
4. Traditional medicine help.

We treat an abscess with drugs

Complex treatment involves the appointment of several drugs:

• Antibiotics: Amoxicillin, Tetracycline and others.
• The use of antiseptic agents.
• The doctor prescribes local anti-inflammatory drugs: Cholisal gel, Metrogyl Denta.
• It will not be superfluous to take vitamin preparations for the general strengthening of the immune system.
• The reception of sorbents for the elimination of toxic substances is shown.

Autopsy abscess

Medicines can relieve the manifestation of the symptoms of the disease, but in order to completely eliminate the disease, it is necessary to clear the abscess from pus. Such a manipulation is carried out by a doctor using local anesthesia. The cavity is cleaned and then treated with antiseptic agents.

If the process is extensive, then a drainage insertion will be required.

You need to know that the opening of the abscess is carried out only after its full maturation, in order to reduce the risk of relapse. If the situation is too serious, then you will have to remove the abscess along with the tooth.

After opening, pain and discomfort can persist for several days, so you can use physiotherapy procedures and call on folk remedies for help.

After removal of a purulent abscess, physiotherapy procedures can accelerate the healing process, for example:

1. Laser treatment.
2. Infrared radiation.
3. Iontophoresis.

Treatment with folk remedies at home can also be used after the abscess is removed or at the first symptoms of its appearance. The most effective recipes include:

• Rinse pine needles with decoction. For cooking, pour the needles with cold water, cook for 30 minutes, and after cooling down, use for rinsing.
• A compress made from a mixture of linden flowers and oak bark well relieves inflammation of the gums. It is necessary to pre-mix the raw materials in equal proportions, add water, leave for half an hour and strain.
• You can rinse the mouth with a decoction of chamomile and St. John's wort, combined in a 1: 2 ratio. Raw materials must be poured with boiling water and insisted for 40 minutes.
• In the morning and in the evening, you can rinse your mouth with lemon balm and celandine infusion. They must be taken in equal quantities, filled with boiling water and left for 4 hours.
• Fir oil has excellent antiseptic properties. In it, you can moisten a napkin to apply to the site of the abscess.

Drug therapy in combination with folk remedies at home will give a positive result, and soon there will be no trace of the abscess.

How to prevent abscess formation

In order not to have to treat a purulent abscess on the gums, you can take measures to prevent its appearance:

1. Regularly and properly care for the oral cavity. The dentist will tell you which toothpastes are best used for these purposes.
2. After eating, it is advisable to develop the habit of rinsing your mouth to get rid of food debris.
3. When wearing dentures or braces in case of discomfort, it is necessary to inform the dentist in order to exclude trauma to the gums.
4. Treat caries, gingivitis or periodontitis in a timely manner.
5. Every six months it is necessary to visit a doctor in order to timely identify problems and eliminate them.

Do not hope that a small abscess will go away on its own and will not leave any consequences. Often, even small formations become the culprits of osteomyelitis, and sometimes inflammation of the brain.