How to define a gum abscess?
An abscess is one of the most annoying, and unfortunately also painful, conditions that can happen to us. It can develop in one of the many tissues that make up our body including, for example, teeth or gums. And it is precisely in this second case that we speak of a gingival abscess .
An abscess can be defined as a collection of pus , which in turn is a substance made up of white blood cells, bacteria, cell debris and plasma, the liquid part of our blood. When the abscess affects the pulp of the tooth, the soft dental part that supplies nutrients, blood and oxygen, we are talking about a periapical abscess , usually caused by a cavity and frequent especially in children.
On the other hand, when the periodontium is affected, which can be divided into gingiva, ligament and bone, we speak of a periodontal abscess .
The third type, a gum abscess, develops right inside the gum , usually due to infection. And we can say right away that this type of abscess is the least complicated to manage .
Let's find out together how to treat a gum abscess .
How to tell if you have a gum abscess?
The symptoms can help us understand if the pain we feel inside the mouth is due to a gum abscess. The most obvious symptoms are redness and swelling of the gums , a redness and swelling that can also extend to the face .
The pain , strictly speaking, can be intense and throbbing . It can happen that it seems to appear almost out of nowhere, and then progressively worsen or, on the contrary, it can also happen that the abscess presents itself without pain . Other symptoms we may experience are bad taste and bad breath , along with a sensitivity to heat or cold . When the situation is particularly important we can also have fever .
How long does a gum abscess last?
From the moment the symptoms make their debut , it takes about three, four days for the most acute phase of pain to pass . Provided that antibiotic therapy has been started.
When you undergo not only pharmacological but also surgical treatment, the symptoms and pain disappear within seven days. The surgery needed to treat the abscess is usually minimally invasive.
We can add that sometimes a dental abscess bursts by itself . This eventuality can speed up the healing process and certainly reduces the throbbing pain, due to the pressure that the pus exerts.
What to do to deflate an abscess?
If the symptoms allow it, we have the possibility of resorting to the so-called grandmother's remedies , before a treatment carried out professionally by a dentist. We can first apply ice externally but close to the gum with the abscess , this way we don't solve the causes but we greatly reduce the pain.
We can then rinse with water and lemon, water and salt or water and bicarbonate , to keep the affected gum clean as much as possible. Clove rinses can bring pain relief momentarily, while aloe vera gel can be applied to remove the infection , as it acts as a natural antiseptic. Finally, propolis can be used as a natural antibiotic .
How is a gum abscess treated?
We must go to the dentist in any case, and the therapy to resolve an abscess starts from pain relief , which can be carried out by taking paracetamol or ibuprofen or, again, aspirin. The important thing is that aspirin is never administered under 16 years of age.
If the dentist indicates it, we then start antibiotic therapy to stop the inflammatory and infectious process. The surgery interventions, which are not invasive at all, can be different: the dentist makes an incision to drain the pus , or he can consider a root canal necessary if the pulp and root are particularly compromised.
In the most severe cases the dentist can decide for a tooth extraction . Although, it must be said, most of the time a drainage safely resolves the abscess, without the need to resort to antibiotic therapy.
Gum abscess and pregnancy
Particular attention should be paid to dental care during pregnancy . Due to changes in hormones and in women's metabolism , there is a decrease in minerals and various substances that are very important for the body, such as calcium for example.
The lack of enamel, in fact, can jeopardize the integrity of the enamel of our teeth. Furthermore, during the gestation period , gingival inflammation tends to increase , and the gums appear red or swollen, they can be painful and recurrently bleed.
