I’ve had a tender, sore spot on my upper gum for a few days. I’m not sure where it came from — maybe I bit down on a sharp edge of a chip? I’m concerned because it seemed to be oozing yesterday, so I rinsed with mouth disinfectant. I can’t really tell for sure if it is better today or not and I’m worried that it might be something serious. Would it be out of the question to see an emergency dentist or should I wait it out and see if it heals on its own? — Tasha
Tasha,
What you’re describing sounds like an abscess – and if it is, it’s not out of the question to see an emergency dentist as soon as possible. Usually if you have trauma to the gums, it more like a cut or canker sore – not a blister that oozes.
Mouth rinse will not help if a tooth is infected and forming a pocket of pus. The infection is inside the tooth and as it spreads it affects the gum. If your tooth is infected, you need to have the infection cleaned out and get a root canal. If you do not take care of it soon, you risk of it spreading. There have been rare cases in the U.S. where a tooth infection spread to the brain or heart and the patient didn’t survive.
Get examined by an emergency dentist right away. Maybe you do just have a sore caused by trauma, but with the symptoms you describe, medical treatment is essential to ensure that this doesn’t turn into a very serious and life-threatening situation.
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