How to keep Dental Abscess at Bay

Practise oral hygiene and let the experts take a look at your teeth once in a while to keep them healthy

BENGALURU: If you observe discoloured spots on your teeth that refuse to go away even after you brush them, you might want to consult your dentist. Such discolouration and plaque (a slimy layer around the teeth and gums), are the beginning signs of tooth decay. Tooth decay can lead to cavities (holes in the teeth) or dental abscess. Dental abscess occurs when bacteria infect and spread inside a tooth, gums or the surrounding tissue, causing pus to collect in the region.

“Eating or drinking items high in carbohydrates and consuming sweet substances that are sticky help the bacteria to thrive. The bacteria cause dental abscess if one does not take care,” Consultant and Head of MS Ramaiah Dental Centre Dr Prakashchandra Shetty says.

He says the teeth consist of three layers: enamel, dentine and pulp. When the cavity affects the first two layers, one may not experience any pain and so one does not  seek medical advice. “Every one should at least check with the experts if they experience a sensation (in or around a tooth) while biting an object or consuming cold items. If this stage is neglected, then patients may suddenly develop swelling as the damage would have reached the pulp. At that point, root canal may be the only answer,” he said.

Many doctors advise a check-up every six months for exactly this reason.

Dr  A E Vishwanath, associate professor and orthodontist at the Vydehi Dental College and Hospital elucidates how this can be helpful. “The check-up with dentist once in six months is a must as many diseases can be prevented. Regular cleaning of teeth by dentists is a safe way to keep your teeth healthy without any side effects,” he says.

Treatment

Experts say that pain from a dental abscess can be regulated with over-the-counter painkillers such as ibuprofen or paracetamol. If an abscess ruptures by itself, warm water rinses will help cleanse the mouth and encourage drainage.

A dental abscess will not get better on its own. Only a dentist can treat a dental abscess by draining the pus and treating or removing any infected teeth.

If one’s usual dentist is not available, and the pain is unbearable, one may need emergency out-of-hours dental treatment.

Prevention

Dr Vishwanath gives a number of steps to help prevent dire circumstances as he believes prevention plays a major role in maintaining good dental health.

• Regular dental check-ups
• Remember to brush and floss every day as advised
• If tooth decay is discovered early and treated promptly, cavities that could develop into abscesses can be corrected.

Ayurveda works

If you want to adopt ayurveda for your teeth, there are several ways to strengthen them and keep them free of cavity:

• Dr G G Gangadharan, director MSR Centre for Ayurveda and Integrated Medicine gives a few tips:
• Herbal Sticks: Chewing on a fresh stem of the neem tree is the most popular way to combat tooth decay and keeps ones oral health intact. These stems have an anti-bacterial effect and so chewing on them protects teeth from plaques.  In many parts of the world Miswaak or twik from Salvadora Persica (arak/peelu tree) is also popular as a herbal chewing stick due to its high anti-microbial properties.
• Herbal Tooth Powder: Ditching the commercial toothpaste would be a wise choice to make. You can make an effective ayurvedic tooth powder by mixing rice husk ash with pepper and clove (1:10 ratio. This can address all teeth and gum-related problems and remove all the bacteria.
• Gargle with gingelly oil to help strengthening of teeth and gums.
• Gargle with salt:  Take half-a-teaspoon of rock salt or sea salt in a cup of warm water and gargle to prevent tooth decay.

Clove oil: Clove is one of the most important ingredients in treating dental or oral conditions. It is used in many toothpastes, mouthwashes, and oral care medications.  Clove is rich in minerals such as calcium, hydrochloric acid, iron, phosphorus, sodium, potassium, and vitamin A, vitamin C and all these is good for the teeth. Clove contains anti-microbial and anti-septic properties that makes it perfect for treating cavities, bleeding gums, bad breath, toothache, sore gums, and mouth ulcers.

Soothing Touch: Dilute clove oil with sesame seed oil, pour a couple of drops in a cotton ball and apply it on the end of the tooth which has the cavity. Do this every night before going to bed.

Causes of a Dental Abscess

The cause of these infections is direct growth of bacteria from an existing cavity into the soft tissues and bones of the face and neck. An infected tooth that has not received appropriate dental care can cause a dental abscess to form. Poor oral hygiene, (such as not brushing and flossing properly or often enough) can cause cavities to form in your teeth. The infection may then spread to the gums and adjacent areas and become a painful dental abscess.

Symptoms

Symptoms of a dental abscess typically include pain, swelling, pus drainage, difficulty in opening mouth and swallowing and redness of the mouth and face. With an advanced infection, you can suffer nausea, vomiting, fever, chills and diarrhoea.