These factors may increase your risk of a tooth abscess:<\/span><\/p>\n

\n
• Poor dental habits and care. Not taking proper care of your teeth and gums \u2014 such as not brushing your teeth twice a day and not flossing \u2014 can increase your risk of dental problems. Problems may include tooth decay, gum disease, tooth abscess, and other dental and mouth complications.<\/span><\/li>\n
• A diet high in sugar. Frequently eating and drinking foods rich in sugar, such as sweets and sodas, can contribute to dental cavities and turn into tooth abscess.<\/span><\/li>\n
• Dry mouth. Having a dry mouth can increase your risk of tooth decay. Dry mouth is often due to the side effect of certain medications or issues related to aging.<\/span><\/li>\n<\/ul>\n

  Complications<\/span><\/h2>\n

  A tooth abscess won’t go away without treatment. If the abscess ruptures, the pain may improve a lot, making you think that the problem has gone away \u2014 but you still need to get dental treatment.<\/span><\/p>\n

  If the abscess doesn’t drain, the infection may spread to your jaw and to other areas of your head and neck and if the tooth is located near the maxillary sinus \u2e3a two large spaces under your eyes and behind your cheeks \u2e3a you can also develop an opening between the tooth abscess and the sinus. This can cause an infection in the sinus cavity. You might even develop sepsis \u2014 a life-threatening infection that spreads throughout your body.<\/span><\/p>\n

  If you have a weakened immune system and you leave a tooth abscess untreated, your risk of a spreading infection increases even more.<\/span><\/p>\n

  Prevention<\/span><\/h2>\n

  Avoiding tooth decay is essential to preventing a tooth abscess. Take good care of your teeth to avoid tooth decay:<\/span><\/p>\n

  \n
  • Drink water that contains fluoride.<\/span><\/li>\n
  • Brush your teeth for two minutes at least twice a day with fluoride toothpaste.<\/span><\/li>\n
  • Use dental floss or a water flosser to clean your teeth on a daily basis.<\/span><\/li>\n
  • Replace your toothbrush every 3 to 4 months, or whenever the bristles are frayed.<\/span><\/li>\n
  • Eat healthy food, limiting sugary items and between-meal snacks.<\/span><\/li>\n
  • Visit your dentist regularly for checkups and professional cleanings.<\/span><\/li>\n
  • Consider using an antiseptic or a fluoride mouth rinse to add an extra layer of protection against tooth decay.<\/span><\/li>\n<\/ul>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"

    A tooth abscess is a pocket of pus that’s caused by a bacterial infection. The abscess can occur in different areas near the tooth for different reasons. A periapical (per-e-AP-ih-kul) abscess occurs at the tip of the root. A periodontal (per-e-o-DON-tul) abscess occurs in the gums at the side of a tooth root. The information […]<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":21,"featured_media":14934,"comment_status":"closed","ping_status":"open","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"_monsterinsights_skip_tracking":false,"_monsterinsights_sitenote_active":false,"_monsterinsights_sitenote_note":"","_monsterinsights_sitenote_category":0,"footnotes":""},"categories":[62],"tags":[118,596],"class_list":["post-14933","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","hentry","category-dental-practice","tag-dental-procedure","tag-periapical-tooth-abscess"],"yoast_head":"\n