---
title: "What Is Dental abscess? Dental Glossary | Town Center Dental"
description: "A dental abscess is a pocket of pus caused by a bacterial infection in or around a tooth. It can cause pain, swelling and a bad taste."
url: https://towncenterdental.multisites.ai/glossary/dental-abscess
publisher: Town Center Dental
phone: +1-636-273-5866
quote: https://towncenterdental.multisites.ai/request-appointment
---

Conditions

# Dental abscess

A dental abscess is a pocket of pus caused by a bacterial infection in or around a tooth. It can cause pain, swelling and a bad taste.

An abscess forms when pus builds up at the tip of a tooth root in the jawbone. A pus pocket forms. It can come from a deep cavity, a crack or an injury that lets bacteria reach the [tooth pulp](https://towncenterdental.multisites.ai/glossary/tooth-pulp).

Symptoms can include pain, swelling, redness in the gums, a bad taste in the mouth and fever. If an abscess is not treated, it can lead to a serious infection in the jaw bone, teeth and surrounding tissues.

Treatment depends on how severe the infection is. A dentist may treat the tooth with [root canal therapy](https://towncenterdental.multisites.ai/glossary/root-canal-therapy), remove it, or drain the abscess. Facial swelling that spreads toward the eye or neck, trouble breathing or swallowing, or a high fever calls for emergency medical care. Call 911 or go to an emergency room. Our office describes urgent care on its [emergency dentistry page](https://towncenterdental.multisites.ai/services/emergency-dentistry).

[Town Center Dental can helpEmergency Dentistry](https://towncenterdental.multisites.ai/services/emergency-dentistry)

## Related terms

-   [Tooth pulp](https://towncenterdental.multisites.ai/glossary/tooth-pulp)
-   [Root canal therapy](https://towncenterdental.multisites.ai/glossary/root-canal-therapy)
-   [Dental emergency](https://towncenterdental.multisites.ai/glossary/dental-emergency)
-   [Facial swelling from a tooth](https://towncenterdental.multisites.ai/glossary/facial-swelling-from-a-tooth)
-   [Tooth extraction](https://towncenterdental.multisites.ai/glossary/tooth-extraction)

## Sources

1.  [MouthHealthy (ADA): Abscess](https://www.mouthhealthy.org/all-topics-a-z/abscess)
2.  [MouthHealthy (ADA): Abscess](https://www.mouthhealthy.org/all-topics-a-z/abscess)
3.  [Cleveland Clinic: Periapical Abscess: Symptoms, Diagnosis & Treatment](https://my.clevelandclinic.org/health/diseases/24896-periapical-abscess)

## Ready when you are

[Request an appointment](https://towncenterdental.multisites.ai/request-appointment)[Call (636) 273-5866](tel:+1-636-273-5866)