(HealthDayNews) -- Among all of the different dental woes, a tooth abscess is probably the most painful.
An abscess forms when there's an inflammation or infection in the bone or the tooth's canals. It generally happens in a tooth that has a deep cavity, a very big filling, or one that's been injured.
Symptoms include persistent throbbing, fever, earache, and swelling of the glands on one side of the face or neck.
Abscesses are usually treated with a root canal or by pulling the tooth. But until you can get to a dentist, M-Care at the University of Michigan recommends you:
- Take an over-the-counter pain medication.
- Hold an ice pack on your jaw.
- Never place crushed aspirin on the tooth. Aspirin burns the gums and destroys tooth enamel.
- Don't drink extremely cold or hot liquids.
- Don't chew gum.
- Avoid candy and hot or spicy foods.
- Gargle with warm salt water every hour.
