Family Dentistry Can Prevent a Dental Abscess from Developing

Our patients enjoy the benefits of family dentistry and can avoid many of the oral health issues that plague people throughout the world.  Cavities, gum disease, and dental abscesses can all be painful and cause tooth loss.  By visiting our office on a regular basis we can prevent many of these issues from ever forming.

We recommend that patients have their teeth cleaned at least twice a year.  These regular teeth cleanings allow us to remove bacteria, plaque, and tartar from the teeth and along the gum line.  This is an important step in preventative care because even the most diligent teeth brushers are not able to remove all of the bacteria that can form inside of the mouth.  This is because most bacteria tends to hide in small spaces that are difficult for people to see or reach.  In between visits patients can augment the health care we provide by brushing after every meal, flossing daily, and rinsing with an antiseptic mouthwash to eliminate bacteria before it can cause a cavity.  Our professional teeth cleaning services are the best way to augment at home care and to stay in good oral health.

Cavities may form even with the best at home care.  By visiting our office on a regular basis we can identify cavities, gingivitis and other infections before they have the chance to spread.  Our family dentistry services are focused around preventative care so that infections either never form or are treated as soon as they do.  This is essential for keeping our patients pain free.  When cavities are left untreated they can become painful and cause additional health issues.

A dental abscess forms when a cavity or infection is left untreated inside of the mouth.  The infection can spread from the tooth to the gums and into the jawbone and face.  This will often cause the face and neck to become red and swell, be sensitive to the touch, and very painful.  As the infection grows puss will start to ooze from the infected area.  At times patients will often experience flu symptoms like chills, a fever, and throwing up.  If you have experienced any of these symptoms in combination with tooth pain, call our dentist office and schedule an appointment right away.

During the dental exam we will look for the cause of the infection.  We need to identify which tooth it is coming from so that we can treat it.  This is typically done with a normal exam but may require an x-ray for infections that are buried deep inside of the tooth.  An x-ray may also be done to identify if the infection has spread into the bone.  Once we know where the infection is we can treat it and will normally start by draining the infected puss out of the area.  Antibiotics are often needed to augment any in-office treatment to make sure that the infection is eliminated.

In our family dentistry offices we work to keep our patients in the best health possible.  Schedule your appointment today and prevent a major oral infection or dental abscess from starting.