One of the most noticeable symptoms of an abscessed tooth is the pain, which can sometimes be severe or seem to be shooting along the jaw and neck. Pain is one symptom that must be treated immediately, and alleviating the pain can also make the healing process more pleasant and move more quickly for the patient.
Non-steroidal anti-inflammatory pain medications, such as ibuprofen, acetaminophen, or naproxen can be purchased over-the-counter and used to help alleviate the pain.
Sometimes an abscess may rupture on its own, which means the patient needs to regularly use warm saltwater rinses, which will not only cleanse the mouth and encourage drainage, they will also help reduce pain. Also, a warm mouth rinse every hour will help take the infection out of the abscess, hence, also help ease the pain. If a dentist has drained the abscess, it is important to keep the area of the incision clean by rinsing immediately after eating, otherwise, food particles may stick in the area and cause more pain.
Also switching to a liquid diet and not chewing on the affected tooth for a minimum of two days may also be beneficial in helping ease the pain and ridding the tooth of infection. Placing an ice pack on your face, directly over the area affected by the abscess, may also prove beneficial and help with the pain and swelling. The ice pack should be applied for as long as 10 to 20 minutes every hour, or as necessary.
Antibiotic treatment will kill the germs that caused the abscess and will, allow the body to repair the tooth and bone, which will also help ease the pain.
It can take some time for an abscess tooth to heal, but during the healing process it is often necessary to treat the symptoms, especially ease the pain associated with the infected tooth. Fighting the bacteria the creates the abscess in the first place is the best preventative measure for abscesses.
Winfred is a writer and webmaster and writes on such topics and Abscess Tooth, Periodontal Gum Disease, and Natural Health Issues.