A small area of pus filled with living and dead bacteria, white blood cells, and a lot of waste products, surrounded by inflamed tissues.
Causes and Prognosis:
- Bacteria from caries infect the pulp (innermost layer of the tooth) and invade its tiny nerves and blood vessels.
- If left untreated, the infection spreads, killing the tissues within the tooth pulp, forming pus.
- Pressure of the growing pus result in escape of the pus to the jawbone beneath the root of the tooth forming an abscess and causing severe pain.
- The abscess looks for a way to spread; it moves into the surrounding weak bone, and then it moves onto the gum and the mouth.
- The abscess becomes chronic as it continues to form openings discharging pus into the mouth, causing infections all over the body.
Treatment steps:
- An antibiotic treatment is administered. Hot packs are applied to the outside of the face over the area of infection to increase blood circulation.
- Root Canal Treatment, to eliminate the source of bacteria.
- Patient is asked to strengthen the body’s resistance through rest and nutrition.
- Dental abscess is drained through an incision, to discharge the pus.