“Can my abscess go away on its own?”
I have a swollen abscess under one of my molars. Is it possible for this to go away on its own?
25 Answers
It may, but it will return. Need to see a dentist ASAP.
It can develop a fistula which is a tract for the the pus within the abscess to exit the localized area. This can keep an abscess from becoming worse, but will eventually cause bigger issues like bone loss, systemic infection, etc.
In short, no the abscess will not go away on its own. What I always tell my patients, although the swelling may disappear and the pain may go away, the source of the infection is still there and needs to be treated.
No
An abscess is basically an infection resulting from bacteria. It is generally coming from the gums or from the teeth or from a combination of both. An abscess will only go away if the cause of the infection is treated. In other words, even if it seems to go away on its own, the abscess will return until the cause of the problem is corrected. Your dentist will need to do an exam of your gums and teeth in that area and take the appropriate radiographs (X-rays), and likely even a few measurements around your gum. Once the cause of the abscess is discovered, your dentist can review appropriate treatment options with pros and cons with you so that you can make the best decision for your health.
It depends. If the abscess you are suffering from is just involving the gums (e.g. a popcorn kernel caught deep in the gingival sulcus (space between tooth and gum margin, where floss going down when you floss) or a scraped/cut gum margin - that is a mild form of "periodontal abscess". These can heal on their own, once the source of inflammation/infection has been removed, either by yourself or dental hygienist. Rinsing with warm salt-water or 0.12% Chlorhexidine Rinse can certainly help the healing process. However, most abscesses are tooth-related, with an infection festering deep in the tooth, the bone surrounding the roots of the tooth, or both. In that case, the germs can avoid being killed by your immune system there (one of the few areas of the human body where blood supply is limited, so immune response is limited). So, the solution is to remove the SOURCE of infection (the pocket of germs and their hiding spot). This means either root canal therapy (if they are inside tooth/roots), or tooth removal. Hope this helped.
No it won’t go away on its own. You have an infection that needs to be treated. Antibiotics alone won’t cure the problem.
Abscess will not go away on its own. Abscess needs treatment as soon as possible; it can turn into more serious life-threatening infections if left untreated. Visit a dentist if you have a dental abscess.
No. You need a root canal or to have the tooth pulled. If it seems to go away, the infection is still there but the tooth has died. Either way, the infection is still coursing through your blood stream. Get it taken care of! =)
It may go into temporary remission with antibiotics but plan on a flareup when you least expect or can deal with it unless treated
No, it can swell and drain but until the cause of the infection is treated it will keep coming back.
No. The abscess might drain and stop hurting, but it is quietly destroying part of your jaw bone. Get it checked soon or it will become untreatable and have to be removed.
You are describing a localized tooth infection. It will not go away without treating the source of the infection with a root canal or an extraction. If left untreated it can get worse, cause pain, swelling, spread to other areas near by and require treatment in a hospital.
The symptoms may subside some but the problem is still there. If the tooth is lost then the problem may go away depending what the problem is.
An Abscess is a sign of a serious infection and some can be deadly. Unfortunately, they do not resolve on their own and you will seek out a Dentist. Good luck!
With the help of antibiotics they can only temporarily get better but they never fully disappear until the source of the access which is either the tooth or the gum is treated.
Not in my experience of 45 years.
No. An abscess will not go away on its own. It is an infection that needs dental treatment. It will only worsen. Facial swelling can occur and expensive trips to the hospital. It may seem like its getting better at times, but it needs attention.
Conway Jensen, DDS
Conway Jensen, DDS
Hi,
You need to find what is wrong with that tooth. It will not go away, or it will go away temporarily, then come back again. Please check that tooth.
You need to find what is wrong with that tooth. It will not go away, or it will go away temporarily, then come back again. Please check that tooth.
Good day,
It might go away if you take antibiotic and anti-inflammatory. However, medication will just remove the symptoms (swollen and pain) but it doesn't remove the cause. Therefore, even though the swelling has subsided after taking medication, it can come back. My advice is go visit your dentist and have a proper consultation and treatment for the abscess.
Kind regards,
Dr. Chun-I Lee
It might go away if you take antibiotic and anti-inflammatory. However, medication will just remove the symptoms (swollen and pain) but it doesn't remove the cause. Therefore, even though the swelling has subsided after taking medication, it can come back. My advice is go visit your dentist and have a proper consultation and treatment for the abscess.
Kind regards,
Dr. Chun-I Lee
This is the dangerous assumption which can lead to very complicated issues involving septicemia of the heart itself. You see this bacteria from the abscess can migrate through the spaces along the neck into the myocardium and cause Subacute bacterial endocarditis, which is life-threatening. Do not take this problem lightly because infections don't heal themselves; it's medically improbable, especially in a contaminated zone such as the mouth and oral cavity.
Not likely if the source of the infection remains. I suggest that you visit your dentist.
Probably not. If it is from an infected tooth it will persist and eventually cause pain and damage to bone under tooth. If it is because some debris is stuck around the tooth it may resolve on its own.
Good morning,
To answer your question, no, it is not going away on its own. The abscess is a sign of infection within your tooth which is expanding to the soft tissue around it. You definitely need treatment, which includes root canal treatment and taking antibiotics. You need to see a dentist as soon as possible.
Have a great day.
Best regards,
Maryam Haeri, DDS
To answer your question, no, it is not going away on its own. The abscess is a sign of infection within your tooth which is expanding to the soft tissue around it. You definitely need treatment, which includes root canal treatment and taking antibiotics. You need to see a dentist as soon as possible.
Have a great day.
Best regards,
Maryam Haeri, DDS
An abscess will not go away on its own. Until you get it treated it will be pumping dangerous germs into your blood stream. People have died from this. See a dentist ASAP.
