Pus-filled gingivitis is not a game! Don’t be shy, hurry to the dentist! One of the most uncomfortable and shamed symptoms of a toothache is a swollen face. If the facial swelling is due to an inflamed tooth, that very often means a pus-filled tooth. Sometimes, people may try to delay treatment because of fear of the dentist. What to do is not just to try to get the symptom off your face and out of your mind with ice wrapped in a cloth and some brandy. It’s exactly what can delay and mask the bigger problem. In this article, I’ll tell you how to approach the problem of a pus-filled tooth and what steps your dentist recommends. The most important first step is to stop being afraid and ashamed and start taking action by visiting a dentist and having a check-up. It’s not embarrassing to ask for help!

What to do if a pus-filled tooth makes your face swell up?

A swollen face can be a painful, serious and frightening consequence of a tooth that has died as a result of decay. Never experiment with a swollen face at home, seek help as soon as possible! In most cases, the cause of swelling is:

• Inflammatory secretions and interstitial fluid find their way to the tooth and burst into the deeper tissues. Fluid and pus accumulate under the skin
• If bacteria are very resistant, the immune system cannot contain the inflammation and it spreads between the tissues
• In many cases, there are also general health reasons (reduced immunity)

Attention! What to do: seek dental help immediately! Do not try home remedies! In such cases, it is not only a question of keeping or losing the tooth, but also of preventing the tissue inflammation from spreading immediately!

Treating a festering tooth – treating a swollen face

In the case of facial swelling, it is necessary to ‘thaw’ the inflammation which requires a warm, creamy, nylon poultice applied in a specific sequence to the affected part of the face. The warm compress (vapour pack) causes the tissue swelling to concentrate in the form of pus, making it openable and draining. In the case of severe pus formation, antibiotic treatment may be considered, but only for a time and in a manner prescribed by the dentist. Never try to treat yourself with antibiotics! Why not try antibiotic treatment without a doctor? Click on the article! Where there is inflammation, there is always tissue destruction. If tooth decay is left untreated, pus can develop and then the bone that holds the tooth will die. Later, it becomes so damaged that the tooth is no longer held in place properly. In this case, there is no alternative but to extract or remove the decayed tooth. In this case, the first step is to reduce the inflammation (e.g. antibiotics, a couple of bandages, drainage of the pus) and then the tooth is extracted in a more favourable position – the expected pain is then greatly reduced and the anaesthetic can be given to make it completely painless. Read more about the treatment of gingivitis? Then click here! Tip! Postpone the fears and shame for a little longer and get down to business! Not turning up at the first emergency dentist’s office at 2 am, desperately asking the doctor to get rid of your sore tooth. Or if you’re in agony, ask for alternative treatment, and pain relief, until you can be sure that you need to get rid of that tooth. (At night, for example, not all places have x-rays!!!) As soon as you can, find a daytime dentist, there is a kind and knowledgeable dentist who can reduce both the fear and the pain and thoroughly explore your options. If the treatment is tooth extraction, say goodbye to the tooth, let it go, heal and look positively to the future – there are many options for tooth replacement. If the therapy is root canal treatment, start there and save your tooth!

When is there a chance to treat a decayed tooth without extractions?

If the tissues that hold the tooth are still holding the tooth in place, so the bone around the roots has not yet decayed too much, then there is a chance of saving the tooth. Another important consideration is how much of the crown of the tooth has decayed as a result of decay. If this can still be reconstructed – for example with a cap and crown – then root canal treatment may be a worthwhile option. By removing the cavities and disinfecting the root canal system, which is full of pathogens, the bacteria supply is eliminated and inflammation begins to decrease. Cleaning out these heavily infected root canals is not usually done in one session, as the dentin is massively infected, but with repeated medication, possibly laser disinfection, this treatment can be effective. If the tooth is successfully sealed with an antiseptic, the inflammation is quickly treated by the body, and in many cases, antibiotics are not needed.