How to Clear Up a Tooth Infection

Different tooth infections can sometimes be healed by the body itself. However, a dental procedure might be necessary to get rid of unpleasant symptoms. Even though you can rinse with saltwater and take over-the-counter pain medication to ease symptoms of a tooth infection temporarily, you don't want to risk further damage by letting an infection go unchecked by a professional. Of course, to maintain good dental health, visit your dentist at least once every six months.

Instructions

• 1

  Call your dentist if you think you have a tooth infection. Symptoms of a tooth infection range from a throbbing toothache and swollen gums to a fever. Chewing can be painful with an infection, and teeth can be sensitive to heat or cold. An open sore may also be visible on the gums.

• 2

  Get an X-ray done at your dentist's office. The dentist will be able to determine how deep and where the infection lies, and which area is affected. You can have an infection inside the tooth, an infection of the bone near the root of the tooth or an infection of the gum. Each is treated differently.

• 3

  Have a root canal done if the diagnosis is an infection inside the tooth or an infection of the bone near the root of the tooth. During a root canal procedure, the dentist drains and cleanses out the tooth by removing all the soft tissue inside it. Afterward, the tooth is sealed to prevent the infection from recurring. If the root canal didn't stop the infection from spreading, root canal surgery is the next step.

• 4

  Allow tartar and other buildup to be removed from the tooth's surface when a gum infection is diagnosed.

• 5

  Prepare to have your tooth extracted if the dentist decides that it's the best way to drain the puss out of the tooth and to get rid of the infection.

• 6

  Take any antibiotics your dentist prescribes to you to combat pain and discomfort.