Tooth abscess is a condition when pus, caused by bacterial infections, is formed in the roots of teeth or in the gums. The initial symptom of tooth abscess is extreme sensitivity to heat, cold, and pressure. Later, tooth abscess shows symptoms of severe and throbbing pain, swelling, and inflammation. There will also be foul smell in the mouth when you are suffering from tooth abscess. When the pain increases too much you may also experience fever, nausea, and sudden chills. There may also be difficulty in chewing, swallowing, or opening your mouth.
It is necessary to understand that a tooth abscess would not go away on its own, or without any treatment. The home remedies will not cure a tooth abscess either. At best, some of the home remedies may provide temporary relief, but not a complete cure. For complete treatment you must get treatment from a dentist. Even if the pus drains out sometimes, you will still need to get treatment at a dental clinic.
One of the common remedies for a tooth abscess is to gargle your mouth with warm saline water. This will provide much relief from tooth pain. Another easy method to get temporary relief from tooth pain is to use a hot compress on the area of pain. For hot compress, you can either use a heating pad or warm towel.
Clove oil can also be used as a short term remedy for a tooth abscess. If clove oil is not available, you can simply crush a clove and apply it on the tooth abscess. Applying tea tree oil is another known home remedy. You can also use chilled tea bags on the tooth abscess for temporary relief.
Another frequently used home remedy is to apply crushed garlic on the tooth abscess. Garlic is believed to have antibacterial properties and helps fight the infection. Washing the mouth with dilute hydrogen peroxide solution is another home remedy followed by many.
All these home remedies, however, may only provide temporary relief. To completely cure the tooth abscess you will need to follow the medical treatment advised by a dentist. A regular course of medicine prescribed by the dentist should treat your tooth abscess effectively. Sometimes, you may also need to go for special surgical methods or root canal treatment to get rid of the tooth abscess. But, it is important to get medical treatment at the earliest because an untreated tooth abscess can lead to severe complications later.