Abscess or Dental Infection
A tooth infection is impossible to ignore, and if your child is suffering from an abscess or dental infection it is essential to get the problem addressed immediately. Without aggressive treatment, the infection will grow, develop complications, and potentially threaten your child’s overall wellness. If you suspect a pediatric tooth infection, contact Dr. Mitchell Loeb at Kid Grins Pediatric Dentistry in Edina, MN, for emergency dental care.
Signs of Abscess or Dental Infection in Your Child
It is vital to get an abscess or dental infection diagnosed and treated as soon as possible, especially before the abscess ruptures. If your child voices any of the following complaints, contact your pediatric dentist right away:
- Mouth or jaw pain
- Toothache
- Red, swollen gums
- Pus build-up under the gums
- Tenderness
- Fever or chills
What Is a Dental Abscess?
Children are susceptible to the same dental problems as adults, including serious dental abscess or dental infection. Complications like these begin in the pulp of a tooth and spread to the tooth root. At this point, your child is likely to complain of serious mouth pain or toothache. You may notice an inflamed area on their gum tissue or a pus-filled bump – this is the abscess, caused by a multiplying and spreading infection.
Never pop an abscess on your own. It will not eliminate the problem
and will flood bacteria into your child’s system.
Call your pediatric dentist immediately.
Possible Causes of Abscess or Dental Infection
Common causes of dental abscess or dental infection can include:
- Untreated tooth decay. It’s important to get kids’ teeth treated when they develop a cavity, even if it’s in a baby tooth. Not tending to tooth decay swiftly creates an opening for infection to set in.
- Mouth injury. Kids play hard and live hard. They fall, collide with things, or suffer damage to teeth and gums. Cracked teeth invite bacteria inside which can develop into a dental infection.
- Deteriorating dental work. Children who have fillings, dental crowns, or sealants that break or deteriorate are susceptible to foreign particles entering the tooth and prompting the formation of an abscess.
Emergency Pediatric Dental Care for Dental Infection
When your child has an abscess or dental infection, they need the help of a pediatric dentist right away. This is not a problem that goes away on its own without treatment. Abscess threatens teeth, gums, and your child’s overall health.
Your child’s pediatric dentist will drain the abscess safely to prevent the spread of infection to the jaw, neck, head, or body. After the wound has healed and antibiotics have been taken, it’s necessary to correct the damage done. This might include any of the following treatments:
- Root canal therapy. The infection that causes an abscess starts within the tooth so the roots need to be cleaned out and filled to prevent another infection.
- Porcelain crown. After root canal therapy, a porcelain crown is needed to cover the treated tooth and seal it from any threats.
- Tooth-colored filling. A minor abscess caused by tooth decay may only require a filling to fix the damaged tooth.
- Extraction. A last resort, extraction is done only when a tooth is so damaged it cannot be saved or when its absence is the only way to protect a child’s oral health.
Get Emergency Pediatric Dental Care for Abscess or Infection in Edina
The symptoms of abscess or dental infection can masquerade as other oral health complications, but if something isn’t right with your child’s teeth and gums, it needs to be diagnosed immediately. An abscess will not go away on its own, so if you suspect this problem, contact Kid Grins immediately for an emergency dental appointment.
