Treating a dental abscess is a multistep process. It involves treating the abscess itself, and then treating the cause and preventing any further damage or injury (including tooth loss) if possible. A dentist or endodontist will usually perform this work. More than one office visit may be necessary in treating an abscess.

Steps taken to treat an abscess may include:

• Draining the abscess. Any material (pus) trapped inside the tooth or under the skin must be released. Once an abscess is drained, signs of pain should immediately disappear. Abscesses can be drained in a number of ways. If the abscess is in the gums, it usually involves incision and drainage through gum tissue. If the abscess is in the tooth root, it can be drained by an opening made through the tooth. This may be done as part of a root canal procedure or tooth extraction.
  
  
• Treating the source of the infection. This may include:
  
  
• • Root canal. This involves removing diseased tissue from the pulp of the tooth and allows the patient to save the original tooth. The area is filled in with a material similar to rubber (gutta percha) and topped with a filling or crown. If infected pulp is not removed, pain and swelling may continue and the infection may spread.
    
    
  • Tooth extraction. If an abscess is severe, a tooth or the jaw is badly damaged and a root canal procedure will not likely save the tooth, a tooth extraction may be necessary. Before the development of many modern dental procedures, extraction was the only way to treat an abscessed tooth.
    
    
• Preventing complications. This includes preventing infection that may spread to other areas of the body, as well as reducing pain and swelling.
  
  
• • Medication. This may include antibiotics to ensure the infection has been eliminated and to prevent its spread. Prescription or over-the-counter pain relievers may be recommended to relieve pain and swelling related to the abscess or its treatment. Patients should never place aspirin directly on the gums because it may burn skin tissue, causing mouth sores.
    
    
  • Saltwater rinse. Patients may be advised to rinse their mouths with a saltwater solution (1/8 teaspoon salt and 8 ounces of warm water). This can help cleanse the mouth, encourage drainage and may temporarily lessen pain and pressure in the area. This may be done several times a day for a few days after treatment of a dental abscess.
    
    
  • Ice pack outside the cheek. This may help reduce facial inflammation.
    
    
  • Follow-up x-rays. These may be taken six months after treatment of an abscess. They are used to confirm that bone and tissue have appropriately regenerated in the treated area. If not, a patient may be referred to a periodontist (to surgically reshape gums for easier cleaning) or endodontist (to surgically remove a persistent abscess) for additional treatment.