Dental Abscess: How to Care for Your Child
A dental abscess, or tooth abscess, is an infection that leads to a buildup of pus inside of a tooth. It happens when bacteria (a type of germ) gets into the tooth through a cavity or broken tooth. Without treatment, the infection can lead to loss of the tooth or spread to other areas.
Follow all your health care provider's or dentist's instructions for treatment and follow-up.
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Schedule follow-up visits with the dentist or dental specialist as recommended. Even if your child feels better, they may still need treatment.
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If medicine was prescribed, be sure your child takes it as instructed.
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If your child has pain and your health care provider says it's OK:
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If your health care provider gave your child prescription pain medicine, give it as directed and do not give other pain medicines (like acetaminophen or ibuprofen) with it. Some prescription pain medicines contain acetaminophen or ibuprofen, so your child could get too much.
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Ask your dentist if your child should do a saltwater rinse and spit (8 ounces of water mixed with ½ teaspoon of salt).
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If it is painful for your child to chew, offer them soft, bland foods like mashed potatoes, eggs, and bananas.
Help your child develop good dental habits to prevent tooth decay and another abscess:
Brushing and Flossing
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For children under 3 years old: Help your child brush twice a day for 2 minutes with a soft toothbrush with a smear (the size of a grain of rice) of fluoride toothpaste.
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For children 3 years old and older: Help your child brush twice a day for 2 minutes with a pea-size amount of fluoride toothpaste. Teach your child to spit the toothpaste out. When your child has teeth that touch, help them floss once a day.
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Children 10 years and older usually can brush and floss on their own. Help them remember to brush twice a day and floss once a day.
Other Reminders
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Follow your dentist's instructions about fluoride supplements, treatments, and mouthwash.
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By their first birthday, children should not drink from bottles and use a cup instead.
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Do not give juice to babies younger than 12 months old. If you do give juice after that, give less than 4 ounces a day to toddlers, less than 6 ounces a day to kids ages 4–6, and less than 8 ounces to kids over age 7. Always use 100% fruit juice, serve it in a cup (not in a bottle), and give it at mealtimes only.
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Don't let your child go to bed with a bottle or sippy cup with milk or juice in it. Don't let them sip on a bottle or sippy cup throughout the day with anything but water in it.
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Limit sugar-sweetened beverages (like soda, juice drinks, sports drinks, and flavored milks) and sugary snacks (especially sticky candy). If your child does have these, serve at mealtimes, and have them brush their teeth after.
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Take your child to the dentist twice a year, or more if recommended by your dentist.
Your child:
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has worsening pain or swelling around the tooth
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has pain that isn't controlled by the pain medicines
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gets swelling of the face, jaw, or neck
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has trouble chewing or swallowing
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is coughing or throwing up
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has a new or higher fever or a fever longer than 2 days after seeing the dentist
Your child:
What are the symptoms of a dental abscess? The main symptom of a dental abscess is a severe toothache. Other symptoms might include swelling, redness, and drainage around the tooth, sensitivity to cold or hot foods or liquids, pain when chewing, fever, or swelling of the face.
What problems can happen from a dental abscess? An untreated dental abscess can lead to:
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loss of the tooth
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infection of the areas around the tooth, such as the sinuses, jaw, head, and neck
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infection in the blood that can lead to sepsis (when the immune system goes into overdrive when fighting an infection and attacks the body's own organs and tissues)