How do you get rid of a tooth abscess without going to the dentist? Why did this question come in the first place? The reason could be broken, chipped, or decaying teeth, which can allow bacteria to enter your teeth. If bacteria seep into a tooth’s center, it can cause infection. Additionally, if pus starts to build up in the tooth, it can result in severe tooth pain. Too much delay in treatment can allow the infection to spread to the gums and bones in the mouth.
Your dentist can provide the most effective treatment for tooth abscesses. But not everyone likes this idea. If you’re someone who doesn’t like visiting a dental office and are looking for ways to get rid of a tooth abscess without going to the dentist, this article can be helpful. Specifically, we’ll explore a few home remedies to find relief from the pain and discomfort caused by a tooth infection.
How to drain a tooth abscess at home
1. Saltwater rinse
Rinse your mouth with salt water to find temporary relief from a tooth abscess. It’s an easily available remedy that promotes healthy gums and is effective for wound healing.
To prepare this salty remedy, take ½ teaspoon of salt and mix it with ½ cup of warm water. Now swish the salty mixture in your mouth for at least 2 mins. Repeat the process three times a day.
2. Baking soda rinse
Baking soda is another effective way to drain tooth abscesses at home. This remedy is good at removing plaque and has antibacterial properties. Just like a salt water rinse, you can prepare a baking soda rinse. Rinse your mouth with this mixture for 5 minutes and do this two times a day.
3. Cold compress
A cold compress can bring down the pain and swelling due to an abscessed tooth. You can use an ice pack or make one yourself. For example, a few ice cubes wrapped in a towel will work well. Apply the cold pack to the inflamed area for 15 minutes, take it off, and wait for 15 minutes before reapplying. Do this several times a day.
4. Oregano essential oil
With its antibacterial and antioxidant properties, oregano oil can help minimize the soreness due to a tooth abscess without going to the dentist. Oregano oil is a strong agent, so it’s best to dilute it with a carrier oil before applying it to the painful area. Specifically, take a cotton ball and apply the diluted oregano oil for 2-3 minutes. Now take off the cotton ball and leave the oil like that for 10 minutes before spitting. Repeat this three times a day.
5. Thyme essential oil
Thyme oil can fight off bacteria, parasites, and minimize inflammation. Mix it with a carrier oil and apply it with a swab or cotton ball. Another way of using thyme oil as a pain reliever is making a mouth wash by adding a few drops of oil into a glass of water. Repeat this three times a day.
6. Fenugreek tea
Fenugreek spice is famous for its antibacterial characteristics and helps in minimizing swelling and healing wounds.
To make fenugreek tea, boil one cup of water and stir in 1 teaspoon of ground fenugreek. Once the mixture cools down, apply it to the painful area with a swab or cotton ball three times a day.
7. Hydrogen peroxide
Another effective way to fight tooth infection and get rid of the pain is hydrogen peroxide solution. It can also help minimize dental plaque and prevent oral bleeding.
To make a solution, mix equal parts of hydrogen peroxide in a glass of warm water and rinse your mouth with the mixture. Carefully spit out the rinse.
8. Garlic
Garlic is an effective home remedy that kills bacteria and reduces pain. Crush a fresh garlic clove and make a paste. Now apply this paste to the painful area multiple times a day.
9. Aloe Vera gel
Aloe Vera gel can soothe skin irritations and help heal cuts or burns. With its antibacterial properties, aloe vera gel can eliminate pain from an abscessed tooth. Applying the gel to the infected tooth or gums can help get rid of the pain immediately and fight off the infection.
When to see a doctor
If you delay the treatment for an abscessed tooth, it can affect your eyes and face. Schedule an appointment with your doctor or dentist right away. It’s not possible to completely treat a tooth abscess without going to the dentist.
Schedule an appointment with the experts at Rodeo Dental & Orthodontics by calling one of our locations.
Most people know that tooth infections are best avoided. Tooth infections are painful and they can result in teeth needing to be pulled. Worse, they can cause very real health complications that extend far beyond the mouth.
Everyone has germs in their mouths. In fact, bacteria cover our teeth, tongue, and every other surface of the mouth. But a healthy mouth has natural protection against infection. When cracks appear in that armor — through cavities, gum disease, or dental trauma — bacteria can find their way in and start to cause trouble.
Tooth infections can affect the tooth itself, or they can cause pockets of infection in the tooth root and nearby gums. These pockets of infection are called abscesses. Keep reading to find out what to do if your tooth is causing you trouble.
Tooth infection symptoms
Pain is often the most common sign of a tooth infection — but the pain isn’t always limited to the affected tooth. Because our teeth are connected to so many nerves, pain from an infected tooth can extend into the jaw, face, and neck.
Other signs to look for include:
Tooth sensitivity to heat, cold, and/or pressure
Tenderness around the tooth
Swelling of the mouth, jaw, or face
The difference between an abscess and a tooth infection
If a tooth infection invades the tissue around the root, it can cause a pocket of pus to form at the root’s tip. This is called an abscess.
Tooth abscess
A tooth abscess develops when a tooth infection invades the deep tissue in the root of the tooth or the surrounding gums. Pus from the infection can collect around the tooth’s root or in a pocket of gum tissue around the tooth. As the infection spreads, pressure from the trapped pus builds up on the inner walls of the tooth, which can cause intense pain.
Tooth infection stages
A tooth infection progresses through several stages to become an abscess.
Enamel decay. The sticky film (plaque) that forms on your teeth between brushing contains bacteria. Over time, these bacteria release acid, which can damage the enamel, or outer layer of the tooth.
Dentin decay. Bacteria breaks through the outer surface of the tooth and infects the layer underneath. This is a softer layer of the enamel, also known as the dentin.
Pulp decay. The bacteria progress to the center of the tooth, called the pulp — which is even more vulnerable — and attack the nerve.
Left untreated, a tooth infection can continue to grow and spread beyond the center of the tooth. This can lead to the formation of a pocket of pus, called an abscess, that becomes trapped in the tooth, jawbone, or gum tissue.
Tooth infection causes
Tooth infections and abscesses are usually caused when bacteria get into the tooth and surrounding tissues. As mentioned earlier, this can happen if there is damage to the natural protective defenses in the mouth, such as the tooth enamel and gums. Tooth infections in particular, tend to surface as a result of:
Cavities
Gum damage (periodontal disease)
Cavities and gum damage are both caused by poor oral hygiene and the buildup of dental plaque on and around the teeth.
Other less common causes of dental infections include dental trauma, such as a cracked tooth, or dental procedures.
Tooth infection treatment
Treatment for a tooth infection will depend on your symptoms and how far the infection has progressed. Most people will need antibiotics and pain relief medications.
In some cases, people may need surgery to drain an abscess and remove dead tissue. More complicated or extensive infections may require antibiotic treatment for weeks or even months.
Let’s take a closer look at the different treatment options below.
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GoodRx Health information and resources is reviewed by our editorial staff with medical and healthcare policy and pricing experience. See our editorial policy for more detail. We also provide access to services offered by GoodRx and our partners when we think these services might be useful to our visitors. We may receive compensation when a user decides to leverage these services, but making them available does not influence the medical content our editorial staff provides.
Antibiotics for tooth infections
You’ll likely take antibiotics for 7 to 10 days to get rid of your tooth infection. Dentists usually have a few different options of antibiotics that they prescribe, which we’ll cover below.
Penicillin antibiotics
Penicillins are a group of antibiotics including:
Penicillin
Amoxicillin
Amoxicillin/potassium clavulanate
Amoxicillin is usually the first choice for tooth infection treatment. If your tooth infection is more serious, your dentist may prescribe a combination of amoxicillin and another drug called Clavulanate. This combination is stronger and more effective against tooth infections.
Clindamycin
In some cases, the bacteria causing your tooth infection can be resistant to amoxicillin. If so, your dentist may prescribe clindamycin. Or, if you have a penicillin allergy, you might be prescribed this medication instead.
Metronidazole
Metronidazole is another antibiotic that could be useful for treating a tooth infection, but it’s not used by itself. Dentists often prescribe penicillin and metronidazole together in order to combat strains of bacteria that may be resistant to penicillin alone.
Just be mindful to avoid all alcohol or alcohol-containing products — mouthwash, for example — while taking metronidazole. Consuming alcohol with metronidazole can make you seriously ill.
Can you get antibiotics for a tooth infection over-the-counter?
Antibiotics for tooth infections require a prescription from a healthcare provider. The FDA cautions against using leftover antibiotics from a previous illness or medicines prescribed for someone else. This is to help combat the growing problem of antibiotic resistance.
Dental treatment for tooth infections
Beyond antibiotics, several dental procedures can help treat tooth infections:
Cavity filling: A hole in the tooth enamel caused by decay can be repaired by filling it. The damaged area is drilled out and new filling is added.
Removal of the tooth pulp: Pulpitis can be treated by removing the pulp from the upper part of the tooth.
Root canal: If there is severe decay, the complete root and pulp will need to be removed.
Extraction: In some cases, if there is too much damage to the tooth for it to be saved, the dentist will pull it out.
Home remedies for tooth infection
There are ways to relieve the pain and swelling from a tooth infection at home. Steps you might try on your own include:
Remember, if you experience tooth infection symptoms, it’s important to see a dentist as soon as possible. While these steps can reduce discomfort and pain, a tooth infection is unlikely to go away without treatment.
How can I tell if my tooth infection has spread?
It’s possible for a tooth infection to spread to other areas of the body. Some examples include:
Face
Jaw
Neck
Bloodstream
Brain (rarely)
Signs that suggest a tooth infection may have spread beyond the tooth include:
Fever
Chills
Skin redness
Swelling in your neck or face
Pain when opening your mouth or touching your jaw or face
Sore throat
Change in your voice
Stiff neck
Changes in mood or vision
Confusion and extreme drowsiness
Severe pain
Overall feeling of being unwell
If you experience any of the above symptoms, get medical help or visit the emergency room right away. Any untreated infection in the body can cause a life-threatening reaction called sepsis.
The bottom line
Tooth infections are painful, but they can be treated with antibiotics, pain medication, and if needed, some dental procedures. It’s best to treat tooth infections as early as possible in order to prevent them from progressing into an abscess or spreading to other parts of the body.
Practicing proper dental hygiene, like brushing and flossing regularly, can prevent the build-up of plaque. Too much plaque can cause cavities and gum disease — the two leading causes of tooth infections.
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