A dental abscess is a collection of pus caused by infection in or around a tooth or the gum. It can be very painful, though it does not always hurt, and it needs prompt assessment by a dentist. Home care may ease discomfort for a short while, but it cannot clear the infection or treat its source.
This guide from Guildford Smiles Dental covers dental abscess symptoms and treatment, including when an abscess becomes urgent and what a dentist may do. Only an examination can confirm what is causing your symptoms, so please use this article to decide on your next step, not to diagnose yourself.
Recognise serious warning signs
Call 999 or go to A&E if you have difficulty breathing or swallowing, swelling that is spreading quickly across your face, eye or neck, or another life-threatening symptom. Do not wait for an online booking or a call back from the practice.
If you do not have those symptoms but suspect an abscess, please contact us to arrange an assessment.
Call Guildford Smiles Dental on 0148 336 1739
Book your appointment online
Monday to Friday, 8am to 6pm. Appointments subject to availability.
The short answer
A dental abscess is a pocket of pus caused by infection around a tooth or in the gum. Common signs include throbbing pain, a swollen gum or face, pain on biting, a bad taste and sometimes a fever. It needs prompt dental assessment, even if the pain eases. Breathing or swallowing difficulty needs 999.
What Is a Dental Abscess?
Pus is a thick fluid made up of white blood cells, bacteria and debris, produced as the body fights infection. When it cannot drain, pressure builds, which is why many abscesses are painful. You do not need to work out which type you have. The dentist will do that.
An abscess around a tooth
Infection can develop around the root of a tooth. It is often linked with deep decay, infection of the dental pulp (the soft tissue inside the tooth that holds its nerves and blood vessels) or an injury such as a crack.
An abscess in the gum
Infection can also collect in the gum tissue beside a tooth. This is sometimes linked with gum disease, trapped debris or another local problem.
What Are the Symptoms of a Dental Abscess?
Symptoms vary from person to person. You may notice:
- Persistent or throbbing tooth pain
- Tenderness when biting or chewing
- Swelling around a tooth or gum, sometimes a pimple-like bump on the gum
- A bad taste in the mouth, or salty or foul-tasting discharge
- Sensitivity to hot or cold
- Swelling of the cheek or face
- A fever, or feeling generally unwell
An abscess does not always look dramatic. Some are hidden below the gum line and cannot be seen at all. Mild pain does not rule out infection, so a bump on the gum or a lingering bad taste is worth checking even if the tooth barely hurts.
When Does a Dental Abscess Need Urgent Help?
Not every abscess needs an ambulance, and not every case can wait for a routine appointment. The table shows where to turn.
| Where to turn | Typical situations |
| Contact your dentist (opening hours) | Throbbing pain, a swollen gum or bump on the gum, a bad taste, pain on biting, swelling around the tooth, pain that eased but a swelling remains |
| NHS 111 online (or call 111) | The practice is closed and you need urgent advice, swelling with a high temperature, pain you cannot control, or you are unsure what to do |
| 999 or A&E | Difficulty breathing or swallowing, swelling spreading rapidly across the face, eye or neck, or any other life-threatening symptom |
Contact a dentist promptly
A suspected abscess needs prompt assessment, even if the pain temporarily improves. If we are closed and your symptoms are getting worse, use NHS 111 online. If you are unsure how quickly to act, our page on emergency dentist in Guildford explains how we handle urgent appointments.
Seek emergency medical care
Difficulty breathing or swallowing, or swelling spreading quickly across the face or neck, is a medical emergency. Call 999 or go to A&E. Do not try to book a dental appointment first.
What if the abscess bursts?
You may notice a sudden salty or unpleasant taste and relief from pressure. That does not mean the infection has gone. The cause is still there, and the problem can return, so you still need professional assessment.
Call Guildford Smiles Dental on 0148 336 1739
Book your appointment online
Monday to Friday, 8am to 6pm. Appointments subject to availability.
What Causes a Dental Abscess?
Common possibilities include:
- Untreated tooth decay that reaches deeper layers of the tooth
- Infection of the dental pulp
- A cracked or damaged tooth
- Gum disease, which our periodontics service can assess and treat
- A problem involving an existing filling, crown or other restoration
Infection behaves differently from one person to the next, so there is no reliable timetable for how fast it may develop.
What Should You Do While Waiting for Dental Care?
These steps are temporary and do not treat the cause.
- Contact a dentist for assessment, and seek urgent medical help if serious warning signs develop.
- Keep your mouth clean with gentle brushing, taking care around the sore area.
- Do not squeeze, cut or try to drain the swelling.
- Do not place aspirin or any medicine directly on the gum.
- Use over-the-counter pain relief only if it suits you, and follow the packaging. A pharmacist or NHS 111 can advise if you are pregnant, take other medicines or have a medical condition.
- Do not use leftover antibiotics. They may not suit the problem and can hide symptoms.
No home remedy cures an abscess, and antibiotics alone do not necessarily resolve the underlying cause.
How Is a Dental Abscess Treated?
Treatment depends on the cause and what the dentist finds.
Examination and diagnosis
The dentist will ask about your symptoms, examine the tooth and gum, and may take an intra oral X-ray to look at the root and surrounding bone.
Drainage or treatment of the infected tooth
Depending on the findings, treatment may involve draining the pus, root canal treatment to remove infected tissue from inside the tooth, or extraction if the tooth cannot be saved. Root canal treatment is part of our general dentistry care, and our team also provides surgical extractions where needed. We cannot say in advance which option will suit you.
Are antibiotics always needed?
No. They are not right for every dental abscess, and they do not replace treating the source of the infection. The dentist decides whether they are appropriate, for example if the infection is spreading or you are unwell.
How Much Does Dental Abscess Treatment Cost in Guildford?
The cost depends on the examination and the treatment required. Our starting prices are:
- Emergency appointment: from £85
- Abscess treatment: from £125
These are separate starting prices, not a total cost. Further treatment, such as root canal treatment (from £495) or an extraction (from £200), may cost more, and the dentist will explain the recommended care and fees before you decide. Our fee guide has the full details, and we can explain 0% APR finance through Tabeo. Cost should never delay emergency medical care.
Call Guildford Smiles Dental on 0148 336 1739
Book your appointment online
Monday to Friday, 8am to 6pm. Appointments subject to availability.
Can You Prevent a Dental Abscess?
You cannot remove all risk, but you can lower it. Attend regular check-ups, treat decay early, brush and clean between your teeth daily, and ask for advice about cracked teeth or worn fillings. Our preventive care page explains how we help patients protect their teeth.
How to Get Urgent Dental Advice in Guildford
Please call during opening hours, describe your symptoms and confirm availability before you travel. Emergency appointments are available, subject to availability, and we cannot promise a same-day slot. Whether you are in Shalford or Ripley, call first so we can confirm what is possible. Serious warning signs need emergency medical care, not a wait for a dental appointment.
- Address: 8 Phoenix Court, Guildford, Surrey, GU1 3EG
- Phone: 0148 336 1739
- Email: enquiries@guildfordsmiles.com
- Online booking: guildfordsmiles.portal.dental
- Opening hours: Monday to Friday, 8am to 6pm. Closed Saturday, Sunday and bank holidays.
Get a suspected abscess checked
An abscess is easier to manage when it is found early. Check for serious warning signs, keep the area clean, avoid squeezing it and arrange an assessment. If you are unsure how urgent it is, ask us.
Call Guildford Smiles Dental on 0148 336 1739
Book your appointment online
Monday to Friday, 8am to 6pm. Appointments subject to availability.
Frequently Asked Questions
It may appear as a swollen, tender gum, sometimes with a pimple-like bump, or as swelling of the cheek or face. Some abscesses cannot be seen at all, so only an examination can confirm one.
The pain may ease, or the abscess may burst, but the cause usually remains. Infection can return, so a dental assessment is still needed.
No. Some cause little pain, especially if pus can drain. A bad taste, a bump on the gum or swelling can be the only signs, and they still need checking.
Not on their own. They may be prescribed in some cases, but the source of the infection still needs treatment. Leftover antibiotics should never be used.
You may notice a sudden bad taste and less pressure. This does not mean the infection has resolved, so contact a dentist. Seek emergency help if you have trouble breathing or swallowing.
As promptly as you can. Call the practice when it opens, or use NHS 111 online if we are closed and symptoms are worsening. We will confirm what availability we have.
No. Gentle cleaning and suitable pain relief may help for a short time, but they do not treat the infection. Never squeeze or cut the swelling.
Usually the first step is a dentist or NHS 111. Go to A&E or call 999 for difficulty breathing or swallowing, or swelling spreading rapidly across the face, eye or neck.
Emergency appointments start from £85 and abscess treatment from £125. These are separate starting prices, and further treatment may cost more.
