Patient Education

Dental Abscess with Facial

Cellulitis

A dental abscess is an infection at the base of a tooth. It means

a pocket of pus has formed at the tip of a tooth root in your jaw
bone. If the infection isn’t treated, it can appear as a swelling on
the gum near the tooth. More serious infections spread to the
face. This causes your face to swell (cellulitis). This is a very
serious condition. Once the swelling begins, it can spread
quickly.

A dental abscess usually starts with a crack or cavity in a tooth.

The pain is often made worse by drinking hot or cold
beverages, or biting on hard foods. The pain may spread from
the tooth to your ear or the area of your jaw on the same side.

Home care
Follow these tips when caring for yourself at home:

Avoid hot and cold foods and drinks. Your tooth may be
sensitive to changes in temperature. Don’t chew on the
side of the infected tooth.

If your tooth is chipped or cracked, or if there is a large

open cavity, put oil of cloves directly on the tooth to
relieve pain. You can buy oil of cloves at drugstores. Some
pharmacies carry an over-the-counter "toothache kit."
This contains a paste that you can put on the exposed
tooth to make it less sensitive.

Put a cold pack on your jaw over the sore area to help
reduce pain.

You may use over-the-counter medication to ease pain,

unless another medicine was prescribed. If you have
chronic liver or kidney disease, talk with your health care
provider before using acetaminophen or ibuprofen. Also
talk with your provider if you’ve had a stomach ulcer or GI
bleeding.

An antibiotic will be prescribed. Take it exactly as directed.

Don’t miss any doses.

Call 911
Call 911 if any of these occur:

Swelling spreads to the upper half of your face or neck

You eyelids begin to swell shut

Unusual drowsiness

Headache or a stiff neck

Weakness or fainting

Difficulty swallowing or breathing

Follow-up care
Follow up with your dentist or an oral surgeon as advised.
Severe cases of cellulitis must be checked again within 24
hours. Once an infection occurs in a tooth, it will continue to be
a problem until the infection is drained. This is done through
surgery or a root canal. Or you may need to have your tooth
pulled.

When to seek medical advice

Call your healthcare provider right away if any of these occur:

Pain gets worse or spreads to your neck

Fever of 100.4°F (38°C) or higher, or as directed by your

healthcare provider

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© 2000-2017 The StayWell Company, LLC. 780 Township Line Road,

Yardley, PA 19067. All rights reserved. This information is not intended as a
substitute for professional medical care. Always follow your healthcare
professional's instructions.

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