Does sharp throbbing pain in the mouth keep you awake at night? The culprit — a tooth abscess, which is a pocket of pus caused by bacterial infection. This red swollen bump resembling a pimple can occur near the tooth in any area.
Gingival, periapical, and periodontal infection are the three common reasons behind this dental health issue. It usually damages the affected tooth, but sometimes it starts spreading to other areas of the mouth as well, especially if left untreated.
According to the top dental expert, Dr. Aishwarya Roy, root canal treatment is the best option for dealing with tooth abscess. However, the fear of getting RCT done is much more than the tooth abscess for some patients. So, can tooth abscess be treated without a root canal? In this blog, we’ll try to figure that out.
Can Tooth Abscess Be Treated Without a Root Canal?
Dentists usually treat tooth abscesses by draining the pus as soon as possible. It is done by making an incision in the tooth or the gums that allows the drain out from the site. After that, the dentist starts the cleaning process and removes the dead pulp tissue, and RCT happens to be the best treatment method for that.
That’s why choosing an experienced RCT specialist in Patna for treating tooth abscesses is a good move. Only in a few rare cases, the tooth abscess can be treated without a root canal treatment. Mostly when the infection is not so severe and doesn’t cause any threat to your dental health, then experts might rely on some alternatives.
Alternatives to Root Canal Treatment for Tooth Abscess
Good news for those who fear root canal treatment! Some alternatives to RCT can fix or help to deal with tooth abscesses in certain cases.
- Incision and drainage – If you visit the dentist for treatment in the early tooth abscess stages, then RCT may not be needed. The dental professional uses just the incision and drainage method to deal with the issues. They may also use small rubber drains for better results.
- Antibiotics – Dentists prescribe patients antibiotics as a treatment for mild tooth abscesses as it kills the bacteria, and that may do the job in some cases. Whether they treat the abscess or not, the medicines are effective in controlling the spreading of infection. Antibiotics also help reduce the pain and discomfort.
- Gum cleaning – There are two types of tooth abscesses: Periapical which affects the inside of the tooth and Periodontal which affects the gum. Those in the early stages of periodontal abscesses can benefit from gum cleaning. During this procedure, the dentist will remove the bacteria from the gum line, especially in areas around the abscess. This may remove the source of infection and fix the issues.
- Tooth Extraction – Another way to remove the source of infection is by extracting the tooth. Dentists prefer tooth extraction in Patna when the tooth is damaged beyond recovery and the infection is too advanced. However, the healing time in this procedure will be longer, and it may also lead to other complications.
Apart from these, close monitoring with antibiotics is considered an alternative to the root canal, but it’s not that effective and infection may come back. Many patients have also been inquiring about different remedies to treat the condition. So, can home remedies be an alternative to a root canal in this situation?
Can Home Remedies Help Treat Tooth Abscess?
How to get rid of a tooth abscess without going to the dentist? Most of us think like that because dental infection doesn’t look concerning from the outside.
Well, using methods like popping a gum abscess can not kill you, but it may lead to severe complications like sepsis. Instead of popping it by yourself, it’s better to get treated by a dentist. A few home remedies are suggested only to control severe pain and manage discomfort:
- Saltwater Rinse
- Cold Compress
- Oil Pulling
- Use of Garlic Juice
- Applying Clove Oil
Additionally, using hydrogen peroxide is also considered good as it is an excellent disinfectant. However, be careful when using it because hydrogen peroxide can lead to side effects.
Be warned that these home remedies are never suggested as a treatment when you are suffering from a severe tooth infection like a tooth abscess. At best these remedies can help you relieve some discomfort caused due to the infection.
Moreover, dentists usually are well aware of the best treatment procedure for each case without causing much pain and discomfort that you may not be able to prevent when trying remedies on your own.
In fact, it may also worsen the condition. That’s why it’s always best to consult your dentist before using any medicine and home remedy on your own. Only a professional can tell you whether your tooth abscess can be treated without a root canal and how much these home remedies can be of help to relieve pain.
Can Tooth Abscess Heal on Its Own?
Minor dental issues like mild pain can go away on their own, but unfortunately, infections are not one of them. Since tooth abscesses are caused by infection, they need some kind of medical intervention to heal.
If left untreated, the abscess can cause the infection to spread and result in more severe problems that can be life-threatening too. In some cases, the infection spreads in the jaw and leads to issues like cellulitis or osteomyelitis. Both problems require immediate dental attention; otherwise, the patient’s life may be in danger.
Thus, those who suffer from tooth abscesses should also be aware of the symptoms of tooth infection spreading in the jaw or other parts of the body.
Symptoms of Tooth Infection Spreading
When the tooth abscess ruptures, which happens in some cases, it provides instant relief from the pain. However, it’s not a good sign as it may spread the infection to other parts of the mouth. Here are some symptoms that can help to indicate its spread:
- Feeling of fatigue
- Pain, jaw, or ear aches
- Sensitivity to hot or cold
- High fever
- Dizziness
- Nausea and Vomiting
These are some of the common symptoms of tooth infection spreading to another part of the mouth. Along with these, bad breath and bad taste in the mouth are also considered some signs indicating the spreading of infection.
So, don’t ignore even a single discomfort or unusual experience if you have a tooth abscess; otherwise, it may even put your life in danger.
How Long Until a Tooth Abscess Kills You?
After coming this far in the blog, you must have understood that an untreated tooth abscess is more than an inconvenience. This issue can even become life-threatening, but how long until it kills you?
Well, an abscess takes several months to develop and spread to other parts of the body. Additionally, people with strong immune systems survive this infection for months and years without having any trouble.
However, eventually, it may enter the bloodstream after surviving for a long time in the body. The time a tooth abscess can take to kill the patient differs according to various factors, which means you never really know when it puts your life in danger. So, if you are suffering from tooth abscess or noticing any signs of the infection spreading, run to an experienced dentist now!
Best Dentist in Patna for Tooth Abscess Treatment – Dr. Aishwarya Roy
A tooth abscess is not just a normal dental issue, and now you know why you need to pay better attention. It’s a serious condition that needs the immediate care of an expert dentist.
In Patna, Dr. Aishwarya is by far the best dentist for dealing with severe and complex cases. She holds years of experience in this field and has helped multiple people achieve optimal oral health. Her clinic is the go-to place for people who are suffering from poor dental health and oral issues.
Root canal treatment is, in fact, one of her expertise. Since RCT is the best treatment option for tooth abscesses, Dr. Aishwarya is the right dentist for this job. Dr. Aishwarya Multispeciality Dental Care Clinic is easily accessible as it is located in the heart of Patna in the Boring-Patliputra Road. So, don’t wait for the infection to spread and visit the clinic soon to get the best treatment in a safe environment.
Act Fast! Experience Relief from Tooth Abscess Pain
While figuring out whether tooth abscesses can be treated without a root canal or not, we get to know that there are alternatives that can help. However, all the alternative treatments that we have mentioned in the blog are not effective in severe cases. This means RCT is the only and the best option to deal with a tooth abscess. If you reside in Patna, do visit the dental health care center – Dr. Aishwarya Multispeciality Dental Care Clinic. We are known in the town for providing safe, effective, and painless RCT to our patients.
Apart from RCT, we also provide the best dental check up in Patna, to help our patients prevent issues such as abscesses. Book your online appointment or call on our official number (+91) 6307837576 to get in touch for an immediate appointment.