---
title: "Dental abscess: Symptoms, Causes & Treatment | HealthAnswers"
description: "Dental abscess symptoms, how to get urgent dental care, temporary pain relief, and when facial swelling or breathing trouble is an emergency."
url: https://healthanswers.co.uk/conditions/dental-abscess/
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---

# Dental abscess: Symptoms, Causes & Treatment | HealthAnswers

Health A–Z

Dental abscess symptoms, how to get urgent dental care, temporary pain relief, and when facial swelling or breathing trouble is an emergency.

Written by HealthAnswers editorial team Medically reviewed by [HealthAnswers UK doctor review panel](https://healthanswers.co.uk/our-doctors/) Reviewed 1 August 2026

## Quick answer

What is dental abscess? A dental abscess is a collection of pus caused by infection in a tooth or gum. It needs urgent treatment by a dentist and will not resolve permanently on its own. Severe facial or neck swelling, difficulty breathing or swallowing, eye swelling or serious illness requires emergency help.

General UK health information, not a diagnosis. In an emergency call 999 ; for urgent advice use [NHS 111](https://111.nhs.uk/) (GP out-of-hours in Northern Ireland).

On this page 3 sections

## Key facts about dental abscess

- A dentist treats the source, often by drainage, root-canal treatment or extraction.
- Antibiotics alone do not remove the infected tooth source.
- GP surgeries cannot provide dental treatment.

## Symptoms

Symptoms can include intense tooth or gum pain, sensitivity, a bad taste, [fever](https://healthanswers.co.uk/symptoms/high-temperature/), difficulty opening the mouth and swelling of the face or jaw.

## What to do while waiting

Use [paracetamol](https://healthanswers.co.uk/treatments/paracetamol/) or ibuprofen only if suitable for you and follow the packet. Eat soft foods, avoid very hot or cold food, and use a soft toothbrush. Do not put aspirin on the tooth or gum.

## Dental treatment

The dentist may drain the abscess, treat the tooth’s root or remove the tooth. Attend even if pain improves, because untreated infection can spread.

## ! When to see a GP about dental abscess

Ask for an **urgent dental appointment** or use NHS 111 to locate urgent dental care. Call **999** for difficulty breathing, severe difficulty swallowing, rapidly spreading swelling, swelling around the eye, confusion or collapse.

## Common questions about dental abscess

Will a dental abscess go away by itself? Pain can temporarily ease if an abscess drains, but the infection source remains and needs dental treatment. Do I need antibiotics for a dental abscess? A dentist decides. Antibiotics may be used when infection is spreading or causing systemic illness, but dental treatment is still needed. Can a GP treat a dental abscess? GPs do not provide dental procedures. Contact a dentist or NHS 111 for urgent dental access.

## Sources

- [NHS — Dental abscess](https://www.nhs.uk/conditions/dental-abscess/)

## How we reviewed this page

Medically reviewed by the [HealthAnswers UK doctor review panel](https://healthanswers.co.uk/our-doctors/)

First published 1 August 2026 Medically reviewed 1 August 2026 Next review due 1 August 2029 or sooner if NHS or NICE guidance changes

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