What to do if an abscess is formed on the gum?

Abscess on the gums looks like a small pouch, a cavity that is filled with pus. It is formed due to various reasons. Also If to use a medical term, such formation can be called as an “abscess”

An abscess is a consequence of infection in a healthy tissue. White blood cells are responsible for the destruction of hostile cells after their capture stays at the same place, dying. This constant accumulation of infected and dead cells is shown in an accumulation of pus.

If such entities appear there is a need to see a doctor, otherwise it can lead to quite serious consequences.

Causes of occurrence

There are a few causes of abscess occurrence in the gums in oral cavity. But there is a need to give only two main reasons. The fact is that the appearance of these reasons happens due to the presence of many factors, different in each case.

Infectious focus on the top of the tooth root

Such disease in which the formation and development of the outbreak of acute infection at the root take place is called periodontitis.

The main factors influencing its development are:

• caries, which is not cured in a timely manner;
• pulpitis in the running form, not to be treated;
• poorly conducted dentist medical manipulations – incomplete cleaning of channels and lack of filling, which happens quite often.

At the initial stage, the abscess appears inside the gums. For a long time, there are absolutely no symptoms, so the diagnosis is very difficult to set.

Although already at that time a granuloma or cyst is forming near the roots. These two tumors vary in nature but appear for similar reasons.

If the formation becomes visible on the outside of the gums, and a sharp pain appears, it means that there was an exacerbation of the disease. It can be caused by so many factors, such as stress, cold, a viral infection in an organism, a general weakening of immunity.

Periodontal or gum disease

In this disease, a pocket depth forms between the surface of the tooth root and the most varying, which is called periodontal. In these pockets, there collect subgingival dental deposits. They eventually become the main reason that the inflammatory processes and abscess begin in gums.

Part of the gums, which is immediately adjacent to the tooth may become edematous and bleed slightly. Sometimes, a certain amount of pus on pressure and spontaneously can be allocated there.

If the pocket is formed very deep in the gum, it may be the cause for drainage of pus from it. This is when a purulent abscess is formed. When it arrives at the point swelling abscess can be seen where the projection pocket is formed.

To cause the gum abscess there can be other causes, such as gastrointestinal disease, a permanent plaque on the teeth and tongue and so on, but they all eventually lead to the two described above.

Consequences

The severity of the consequences not treating or not in time treatment does not depend on the size of the abscess. It may have a diameter of a few millimeters and up to one and a half or two centimeters.

Advanced forms of the disease can cause general blood poisoning. With the development of the disease, it can also develop into chronic periodontitis. This festering loses a clear location and appears already on the whole gum.

Sometimes abscesses eventually move to the next stage – flux. Then the inflammation extends entirely on the cheek.

It is worth remembering, that the facial muscles and nerves are located in close proximity, as well as the meninges, which can also be affected by the spread of infection and activation of the purulent process.

Abscess, which does not hurt

If a person suffers from severe pain, which provokes an abscess, he/she will certainly go to the dentist. However, due to the small formation that looks like an abscess, which does not cause pain and discomfort, people are not in a hurry to address to the expert.

This behavior is completely wrong because the abscess can quickly develop into a much more problematic stage.

The causes of abscesses that do not cause the pain vary.

Small white abscesses can be possibly a cyst

Such formation could be a cyst. It is distinguished by the almost complete absence of any symptoms, including pain. It is a preserved inside the gum abscess, which may not come out.

The cyst gives a great risk for complications, so the physician must assign radiography. It may be due to the common cold gum tissue and tooth tissue infections and root canals or something else.

Benign tumor or wen

Similar to a cyst – a small size on the hardening. Wen is composed of fatty tissue. It is not dangerous until it begins to increase. After its discovery, you should look for a medical advice for the purpose of fixing the existing size and follow-up.

With the growth of Wen, change shape and color requires an urgent inspection by a specialist. In any case, you cannot independently try to get rid of it, or let the abscess burst on the gums, or perform in relation to it any other actions. It can run an active process of growth.

Reddish abscess

Most likely, such a formation suggests that the gum has begun the process of inflammation. At an early stage, such abscess does not cause pain and may be treated successfully with antibiotics and special rinses.

However, inflammation can lead to the surgery, tooth loss, and even more serious complications.

Inflammation of the root

In addition to previous versions, a small painless formation about the sealed teeth can be caused by inflammation arising in the area of the top of the tooth root.

Most often, in this case, there is no pain, because it is both a fistula courses through which the excess pus depart.

The fact that the pus comes out does not mean that you can let it go and not to go to the doctor, because the consequences can be very severe, for example, the transition to an open form of further infection and other nearby tissues.

How to treat?

Treatment of abscess is a whole range of measures. It is desirable that a specialist deals with it, as self-treatment can cause inflammation and aggravation.

• The first step, in any case, is the rehabilitation of the oral cavity – the removal of plaque, stone, treatment of caries, a professional cleaning, filling, if necessary, and more.

  All kinds of pollution in the form of a stone plaque on the teeth and tongue do not allow the process of inflammation fade away, all the while feeding it, so they are to be removed.

• The abscess should be opened surgically. Before that, it is necessary to carefully inspect, disinfect it. Most of the time an injection of anesthetic is required.
• Abscess cavity should be completely cleaned and disinfected.
• After such intervention antibiotics are usually prescribed in order to avoid the resumption of the process and a new infection. In addition, a variety of drugs is needed to help provide healing and regenerating effect, and rinsing.
• When the abscess had strongly grown, you may need to remove part of the root crown or the whole tooth, if the damage was too great and it is not subject to further treatment.

Features of treatment of a child

Treatment of abscess on the gums of children may be different from treatment of the same disease in adults. This is due to the fact that the teeth of children can be both indigenous and milk.

In a case of purulent formation about a milk tooth abscess itself is treated in the same way as an adult. But the tooth is required to be removed.

The fact that the inflammation may affect healthy rudiments of permanent molars, making them viable and grow further.

An untimely visit to the doctor can cause septicemia, inflammation of lymph nodes, close, and other unpleasant consequences. Be sure to control how a child performs required hygienic procedures.

Prevention

Among the preventive methods, almost all relate to exclusively oral hygiene and general.

• Regular brushing of the teeth morning and night. It is advisable to clean or rinse your teeth after every meal.
• Compliance with the general rules of hygiene – personal, food and so on.
• Preventive checkups every six months (better – once a quarter) at the dental therapist.
• Refusal of bad habits, sleep, and adherence to diet, maintaining a healthy lifestyle.
• Maintenance of the healthy immune system.

You also need to monitor your own in the absence of any external changes in the gums and the entire oral cavity. When they appear you need to immediately make an appointment to the dentist.