Temperature and pus after tooth extraction. Pus after tooth extraction. How to treat? What may be the symptoms in those variants of the course of the postoperative period during which the gums fester after removal?

Suppuration in the gum area, accompanied by throbbing pain, is a symptom of a serious disease - a tooth abscess. Its focus is usually localized in the root part. In the absence of timely treatment, the pathological process can spread to neighboring areas, including bone tissue. Since the disease is infectious, its complications are life-threatening.

Causes of pathology

A tooth abscess most often develops against the background of untreated dental diseases. These include gingivitis, pulpitis, caries. Among other causes of this disease, doctors note the following:

  • mechanical injuries;
  • bloodstream infections;
  • damage to the oral mucosa;
  • boils;
  • infection during injections.

The listed factors can cause damage to the integrity of tooth enamel and tissues. As a result, pathogenic microflora gains access to the pulp, and an inflammatory process occurs. It is accompanied by severe pain. When the pulp dies, the discomfort goes away. If not, a tooth abscess develops, destroying new tissue and spreading far beyond its boundaries.

Symptoms of the disease

The main sign of the onset of the pathological process is aching pain. It intensifies when you press on the tooth. After some time, the gums around it swell and a small seal forms. The patient's condition is rapidly deteriorating. Lymph nodes enlarge, temperature rises, appetite decreases. A bitter taste and a characteristic putrid odor appear in the mouth.

An abscess can open spontaneously, without the help of doctors. In this case, the painful syndrome disappears and the swelling decreases. Spontaneous is dangerous to human health. In this case, the likelihood of new exacerbations of the pathological process increases.

Types of tooth abscess

When classifying a disease, it is customary to take into account the area of ​​localization of the infectious focus and the nature of the inflammatory process. Therefore, two types of disease can be defined: periapical and periodontal tooth abscess. The symptoms of each form of the disease are presented below.

Periapical abscess accompanied by the spread of infection to soft tissues. In this pathological process, the pulp is damaged through the alveolar bone. Contact with cold or hot food on the damaged area causes severe pain, reminiscent of an electric shock.

Periodontal abscess characterized by dull pain and purulent discharge. When pressing on the affected tooth, the discomfort intensifies. The inflammatory process is usually accompanied by malaise. Patients complain of fever, severe chills and bad breath. If you open the abscess before the infection penetrates into the pulp, the tooth can be saved.

Abscess after wisdom tooth removal

The disease can affect absolutely any part of the jaw, but most often the chewing parts suffer from it and the latter are destroyed very quickly. In this case, the development of the disease is preceded by caries and the absence of a wisdom tooth begins to gradually decay, the doctor decides to remove it. After surgery, etiologies may begin in injured areas. An unhealed wound is a favorable environment for bacterial activity. Therefore, suppuration quickly forms in its place. In the absence of timely treatment, it spreads to neighboring tissues.

Symptoms of an abscess can bother you both day and night. Typically, patients complain of painful discomfort and fever. The main reason for the development of the disease is considered to be the patient’s negligent attitude to the doctor’s recommendations. If you start a pathological process, even strong antibiotics will not help. Treatment of an abscess after wisdom tooth removal consists of two stages. Initially, the doctor must open the suppuration and clear the cavity of secretions. Then the patient is prescribed anti-inflammatory therapy.

Treatment of abscess with antibiotics

After diagnosis, the patient is prescribed antibiotic therapy. Its main purpose is to get rid of infection. Also, such therapy is aimed at preserving the natural tooth and preventing complications. What medications are used to treat tooth abscess?

  1. "Amoxicillin." The drug is intended for the treatment of bacterial infections. The medication does not kill pathogenic microflora, but stops its reproduction.
  2. "Metronidazole" This remedy is used to treat infectious processes caused by anaerobic bacteria.
  3. "Clindamycin." The drug is prescribed to patients with allergies to penicillin antibiotics. It inhibits the growth of bacteria, thereby eliminating the infection.
  4. "Penicillin". This medication is most often prescribed to patients diagnosed with tooth abscess. Antibiotics of similar pharmacological action are used in conjunction with beta-lactamase inhibitors.

The above medications should be taken only as prescribed by a doctor. If their use turns out to be unjustified, the infection begins to spread quickly. Saving a tooth is very difficult. Therefore, patients have to resort to surgery.

Tooth extraction after an abscess

Surgical intervention is primarily aimed at removing the source of inflammation. To do this, a drainage procedure is prescribed, after which a filling is performed or the crown is restored. The essence of drainage is that the dentist cleans out the formed pus through a drilled tooth and disinfects the cavity with a special solution. Advanced cases often cannot be cured with this procedure. Therefore, therapy begins with tooth extraction, after which drainage is carried out through the alveoli.

If there is so much pus that it cannot be cleared out at once, a small incision is made in the damaged area and a drain is installed. Through it, the contents of the inflammation gradually come out. For better wound healing, patients are prescribed a course of physiotherapy or lavage.

Possible complications

Like any other infectious disease, a tooth abscess can cause unpleasant complications. If the patient ignores the symptoms and does not seek help from a doctor, the root of the affected molar begins to gradually die. Discomfort and pain may subside, but pathogenic microorganisms continue to develop, spreading to adjacent tissues and the jawbone. The infection, along with the bloodstream, quickly spreads throughout the body, causing complications in important internal organ systems. Meningitis is also considered the most dangerous consequence.

Measures to prevent the disease

A tooth abscess most often develops against the background of untreated caries. To prevent this disease, it is necessary to promptly treat dental pathologies and regularly visit a dentist to identify them. On the other hand, no one has canceled the basic rules for oral care. Dentists recommend brushing your teeth twice a day and using a special mouthwash. To avoid infection in the oral cavity after therapy, you should contact only trusted medical institutions. Be healthy!

After tooth extraction - if the tooth and gums hurt after removal, rules of conduct for preventing complications, what to do after wisdom tooth removal, how many days does it take for the hole to heal?

Thank you

Tooth removal (extraction)- This is an invasive surgical procedure. That is, the procedure for tooth extraction is an operation with all the signs characteristic of this manipulation, normal consequences, as well as possible complications. Of course, tooth extraction is a small operation compared to, for example, removal of uterine fibroids, part of the stomach for peptic ulcers, etc., and therefore is considered a relatively simple intervention with minimal risks. In terms of volume, degree of complexity, likelihood of complications, as well as the behavior of tissues after the intervention, tooth extraction can be compared with minor operations to remove benign tumors (lipomas, fibroids, etc.) or erosions on the surface of the mucous membranes.

Symptoms that normally occur after tooth extraction

During tooth extraction operations, the integrity of the mucous membrane is disrupted, blood vessels and nerves are torn, and the ligaments, muscles and other soft tissues in the immediate vicinity that hold the roots of the tooth in the socket are damaged. Accordingly, in the area of ​​damaged tissue, a local inflammatory process is formed, necessary for their healing, which is characterized by the following symptoms:
  • Bleeding (lasts for 30 – 180 minutes after tooth extraction);
  • Pain in the area of ​​the extracted tooth, radiating to nearby tissues and organs (for example, ear, nose, neighboring teeth, etc.);
  • Swelling in the area of ​​the extracted tooth or surrounding tissues (for example, cheeks, gums, etc.);
  • Redness of the mucous membranes in the area of ​​the extracted tooth;
  • Moderate increase in body temperature or sensation of heat in the area of ​​the extracted tooth;
  • Violation of the normal functioning of the jaw (inability to chew on the side of the extracted tooth, pain when opening the mouth wide, etc.).
Thus, pain, swelling and redness of the mucous membrane in the area of ​​the extracted tooth, as well as an increase in body temperature and the inability to perform normal, habitual jaw actions are normal consequences of the operation. These symptoms normally gradually decrease and completely disappear within approximately 4 to 7 days, as the tissues heal and, accordingly, local inflammation resolves itself. However, if infectious and inflammatory complications are added, then these symptoms may intensify and last much longer, since they will not be provoked by local inflammation caused by tissue damage, but by infection. In such situations, it is necessary to carry out antibiotic therapy and ensure the drainage of pus from the wound in order to eliminate the infection and create conditions for normal tissue healing.

In addition, after tooth extraction, a fairly deep hole remains in which the roots were previously located. Within 30 to 180 minutes, blood may ooze from the socket, which is a normal tissue reaction to damage. After two hours, the blood should stop, and a clot should form in the hole, which covers most of its surface, creating sterile conditions for speedy healing and restoration of normal tissue structure. If blood flows for more than two hours after tooth extraction, then you should consult a dentist, who will either stitch the wound or perform other manipulations necessary to stop the bleeding.

On the gum along the edges of the hole there is a damaged mucous membrane, since in order to remove a tooth it must be peeled off, thus exposing its neck and root. Inside the socket are damaged ligaments and muscles that previously held the tooth securely in its place, that is, in the hole in the jawbone. In addition, at the bottom of the hole there are fragments of nerves and blood vessels that previously entered through the root of the tooth into its pulp, providing nutrition, supplying oxygen and providing sensitivity. After the tooth was removed, these nerves and blood vessels were torn.

That is, after a tooth is removed, various damaged tissues remain in the area of ​​its former location, which must heal over time. Until these tissues heal, a person will experience pain, swelling, swelling and redness in the area of ​​the tooth socket and the surrounding gum, which is normal.

As a rule, after the removal of a tooth (even a complex one), shallow traumatic injuries to soft tissues remain, which completely heal within a relatively short period of time - 7 - 10 days. However, filling the hole with bone tissue, which replaces the tooth root and gives the jawbone density, takes much longer - from 4 to 8 months. But this should not be feared, since pain, swelling, redness and other symptoms of inflammation disappear after the healing of the soft tissues, and the filling of the hole with bone elements occurs within several months unnoticed by a person, since it is not accompanied by any clinical symptoms. That is, the symptoms of inflammation (pain, swelling, redness, temperature) after tooth extraction persist only until the mucous membrane, muscles and ligaments heal, and the torn blood vessels collapse. After this, the process of formation of bone tissue in the socket instead of the root of the extracted tooth is asymptomatic and, accordingly, unnoticed by a person.

Removing a tooth with its immediate restoration allows you to quickly and effectively replace a damaged tooth with a high-quality implant. The essence of the procedure is that immediately after removing the tooth root, a metal implant is installed in its place, which is firmly fixed to the jaw bone tissue. Following this, a temporary crown is put on it, which looks like a real tooth. The entire procedure lasts no more than 2 hours, after which the patient can immediately go about his business. It is recommended to replace the temporary crown with a permanent one after 4 to 6 months.

Nerve damage After tooth extraction, it is fixed relatively often, but this complication is not severe. As a rule, the nerve is damaged when the roots of a tooth are branched or incorrectly located, which, during the process of removal from the gum tissue, capture and tear a branch of the nerve. When the nerve is damaged, a person experiences numbness in the cheeks, lips, tongue, or palate that lasts for several days. As a rule, after 3 to 4 days, the numbness goes away as the damaged nerve heals and the complication heals itself. However, if numbness persists a week after tooth extraction, you should consult a doctor who will prescribe physiotherapeutic procedures necessary to accelerate the healing of the damaged nerve. It should be remembered that sooner or later the nerve damaged during tooth extraction heals and the numbness disappears.

Photo after tooth extraction



This photograph shows the hole immediately after tooth extraction.


This photograph shows a hole after tooth extraction in the stage of normal healing.

Before use, you should consult a specialist.

In dental practice, surgical intervention to remove a tooth (extraction from the dental alveoli) is common, but... A tooth is removed when its treatment is impossible, or the treatment tactics cannot provide the desired effect.

Surgical intervention is carried out for medical reasons: significant destruction of dental tissue (), inflammatory processes of the root areas in the dental cavity, damage to the roots of the tooth and other dental diseases.

With a high-quality operation, completeness occurs after 2-3 weeks. Swelling and redness of the gums should go away on their own within a week. Restoring bone tissue will take longer - 2-3 months. However, sometimes after tooth extraction they can occur - pus forms in the hole, the gums become inflamed. It is important to correctly and timely identify the cause of complications, know the primary symptoms, the basic rules of treatment and prevention of postoperative consequences.

Festering as a complication of extraction

In specialized dental clinics, extraction operations are performed in strict compliance with surgical technology, using sterile medical instruments in accordance with GOST.

However, even with a well-performed operation, problems may arise. Most often this is due to weakened immunity patient. Even with exceptionally sterile and postoperative wound treatment technology, if the body’s defenses are unable to withstand the bacterial environment of the oral cavity, inflammation of the socket occurs and the gums begin to fester.

One should also take into account the fact that tooth extraction is associated in most cases with purulent infections (,). Aggressive bacteria (staphylococci, streptococci) expand the affected area and can cause inflammation of the socket.

Attention! Tooth extraction surgery should not be performed during bacterial diseases of the oral cavity, nose and pharynx, or during exacerbation of chronic diseases or intestinal infections.

Another reason for the inflammatory process and wound suppuration after surgery may be non-compliance with the rules.

After completion of the operation, a qualified dentist always gives recommendations on how to care for your gums and teeth. It is in the patient's best interests to strictly follow these recommendations.

Violation of the surgical technique and mechanical damage to the walls of the socket can also provoke an inflammatory process at the site of the extracted tooth. An open wound formed after tooth extraction is exposed to the pathogenic environment of the oral cavity and without proper treatment becomes infected - purulent formations form in the hole. At the first symptoms (inflammation of the tooth socket), you must immediately contact your dentist for help.

Alveolitis (pictured on the right) after tooth extraction provokes the release of purulent exudate in the socket

What symptoms accompany it?

In addition to the fact that the gums become festered and inflamed after tooth extraction surgery, they are manifested by the following symptoms:

  • the appearance and increase of pain (severe nagging and throbbing pain in the gum area), while the pain does not go away on its own and lasts for several days;
  • , purulent exudate is released from the injured area of ​​the gum, there is pain and swelling of the socket, swelling of the face;
  • redness of the socket, appearance of cyanosis due to venous stagnation;
  • deterioration of health, general weakness, fatigue, lethargy, intense headache;
  • increased body temperature to 38 degrees or higher, chills, muscle pain;
  • difficulty swallowing and chewing food.

The development of the inflammatory process is signaled by such body reactions as shooting pain in the jaw area, gradually spreading to the temple area and along the trigeminal nerve. If you have any of the listed symptoms, you should immediately consult a doctor.

What can and should be done?

The main principle of possible treatment is timeliness. At the very first symptoms inflammation and suppuration, you must seek qualified dental care. The sooner treatment is started, the greater the chances of recovery. Otherwise, serious consequences may arise, therapy will become complex and financially costly.

Conservative treatment tactics include taking antibiotics and non-steroidal anti-inflammatory drugs. It is important to carry out antiseptic procedures.

It is not recommended to clean the socket from clots of pus on your own; only a dentist should do this. After thoroughly cleaning the hole, you can fill it with medicine.

Thus, in order to avoid dire consequences after extraction, you must strictly follow all the dentist’s recommendations. If the first signs of an inflammatory process in the socket occur, as evidenced by the formation of pus, you should not self-medicate, you should go to a dental clinic and carry out therapy under the supervision of a doctor.

1. Pronounced symptom

The problem area sometimes appears in the place where the root extraction operation was performed. The result may be suppuration after tooth extraction. Such an unpleasant phenomenon appears due to the fact that the remaining cavity is a wound, and if an infection gets into it, an inflammatory process will begin to occur at the local level.

Locally expressed inflammatory process on the walls of the socket

The agents that cause this reaction are unwanted microorganisms.

They can get into the wound:

  • from insufficiently processed instruments used during the procedure;
  • with food debris entering the mouth during the wound healing period.

Pus in the hole after tooth extraction may appear for other reasons.

Namely:

  • after the procedure, a fragment remained inside the structures that held the chewing element;
  • reduction of the protective reaction in the human system at the time of the procedure;
  • if the area where the extracted tooth was festered, perhaps before its extraction there was an inflammatory process due to tooth decay and gum disease.

2. Recovery period, the wound festered after tooth extraction

Difficult extraction of the inner part of the chewing element can cause such conditions due to severe traumatic damage, so that the gums then fester after tooth extraction.

Failure to follow these tips on how to behave during the recovery period causes the unpleasant fact that the hole has festered after tooth extraction. Because of this, the formed clot falls out, thereby disrupting the protective mechanism of natural origin.

By vigorously rinsing your mouth, you wash away this biomaterial, the cavity opens and infectious agents of various types freely enter it. Because of this, after tooth extraction, the hole festers.

But the fact that the clot fell out may not be your fault.

This is also facilitated by:

  • low level of blood clotting;
  • weakened body strength;
  • pus in the gums after tooth extraction appears due to an imbalance in the functioning of certain organs and systems.
Infection in the gum, enlargement of the edges of the cavity, pus inside

3. Use of drugs if there is suppuration of the gums after tooth extraction treatment

All manifestations are serious, and if there is pus after tooth extraction, treatment should be started as early as possible so as not to wait for the most negative consequences on the system as a whole. The first thing to do is visit a doctor. He will diagnose the cause and determine what to do if the gums fester after tooth extraction.

What may be the symptoms in those variants of the postoperative period during which the gums fester after removal?

  • local and general increase in temperature;
  • an increase in the volume of soft tissue in the root extraction area and severe pain;
  • change in color of the edges of the hole, at the same time unpleasant sensations appear in the mouth;
  • unilateral headache.

It may be necessary to remove the remaining fragment, or maybe you just need to do a few cleanings of the cavity if after removing the tooth there is pus coming out of the hole.


The first thing to do when you have a tooth removed and your gums are festering is to go to the doctor so that the hospital can do a control X-ray and have the hole treated urgently. In addition, in each case, if the hole has festered after tooth extraction, he will tell the patient what to do. This will be treatment with solutions that destroy microbes inside, with the addition of anti-inflammatory agents. Sometimes therapy includes formulations to stop the viability of unwanted microorganisms using tablets.

Anyone who experiences pus after tooth extraction should be examined and receive appropriate treatment from a dentist as soon as possible. It should be emphasized that the removal procedure is one of the forced measures caused by an irresponsible attitude towards one’s health and untimely seeking medical help. The appearance of purulent contents in the hole after removal indicates the penetration of infection into the formed wound.

Causes of wound suppuration

So, today every person knows for sure that the purulent contents in the wound after tooth extraction arise as a result of the development of an infectious process in it. However, a lot of factors can cause this phenomenon, but in the vast majority of cases, suppuration after tooth extraction occurs in people who did not adhere to the recommendations of a specialist and did not listen to the advice of the attending physician regarding precautions.

As you know, after a tooth extraction procedure, a blood clot can be observed in the resulting wound, which protects it from infection. Its absence provokes inflammatory reactions and causes the gums to fester after tooth extraction.

It often happens that pus in the socket can be caused by an incorrectly applied technique for removing a bone element, in favor of which the choice was made, or the dentist caused an infection using unsterile instruments. To avoid this, you should seek medical help only from clinics that have earned a reliable reputation and where services are provided exclusively by experienced specialists.

Gums after an extracted tooth can fester even if the patient’s immune system is at an unsatisfactory level and the inflammatory process is caused by microorganisms that are part of the oral microflora.

The cause of a festering wound after tooth extraction may also lie in basic lack of personal hygiene. As a rule, the attending physician explains to the patient the rules of oral care after the procedure, which can significantly reduce the likelihood of wound infection. If a person neglects them, then as a result one can observe a situation where the hole festers after the removal of the affected tooth.

Sometimes the following happens - the doctor leaves a foreign object in the wound. It could be a fragment of a broken tooth or cotton wool. Unfortunately, such cases are not so rare in medical practice.

The likelihood that a patient will experience an abscess after tooth extraction increases if a wisdom tooth is removed. This situation can be explained by the fact that the eighth molars are located in a hard-to-reach place. In this regard, it is simply impossible to provide complete care.

You can reduce the likelihood of socket suppuration if you follow all the doctor’s instructions, and they can be as follows:

  1. Avoiding excessive physical stress, at least during the first 24 hours after the removal procedure.
  2. Refusal to eat during the first 2-3 hours after the procedure. Eating leads to injury to the socket and contributes to painful sensations that will be felt for a long time.
  3. Chewing food on the side opposite the extracted tooth.
  4. Avoiding consumption of alcohol and tobacco products for several days after the procedure.
  5. Avoid touching the hole with your tongue, toothpicks, or any other objects.
  6. Mouth rinse. It should be noted that on the first day after the removal procedure, washing is not carried out, as this can lead to the washing away of a blood clot, which is very important for protection against infection. You can start rinsing your mouth starting from the second day and only on the recommendation of your doctor. In this case, intense movements should be avoided. Baths are also recommended, in which the patient takes a small amount of liquid into the mouth and holds it at the hole for 1 to 3 minutes.
  7. Taking painkillers if discomfort increases. However, you should consult your doctor before using them.

Signs of the suppuration process and possible complications

Even before pus begins to form, the body will give a signal about the beginning of the inflammatory process of the gums after tooth extraction. If you monitor all possible manifestations more closely and immediately seek medical help, treatment will be much faster and simpler. Among the first signs:

  • swelling of the gums that does not go away within 2-3 days after the removal procedure;
  • painful sensations that intensify as the condition of the wound worsens and the inflammatory process develops;
  • pronounced unpleasant odor from the mouth;
  • purulent discharge from the hole.

If treatment of the inflammatory process is not started in a timely manner, the patient may develop osteomyelitis, which is a process of suppuration of bone tissue. Such a serious diagnosis is characterized by a state of general malaise, excessive pain, a state of weakness and fever.

A pathology such as osteomyelitis is treated exclusively in a hospital setting and can lead to blood poisoning. Therefore, it is very important not to start the inflammatory process that develops after tooth extraction, not to self-treat the festering hole and consult a doctor as soon as possible.

Treatment of a suppurating wound after tooth extraction

What to do if an inflammatory process in the tooth socket has developed and provokes suppuration?

To treat the affected area of ​​the gums after tooth extraction, before visiting the dentist, you can resort to local therapy by rinsing the mouth with various types of disinfecting and anti-inflammatory solutions. For these purposes, you can resort to help:

  • solution containing Furacilin tablets;
  • a decoction made from medicinal herbs such as sage, oak bark, calendula, chamomile, etc.;
  • solution containing tea tree oil;
  • Chlorhexidine or Miramistin.

But you should not be complacent if, when using these remedies, the condition of the affected gums improves. These drugs are used as temporary measures, and you should not give up the idea of ​​visiting the dentist in any case. After all, only a specialist will be able to identify the cause of suppuration in the hole formed after tooth extraction and prescribe appropriate treatment. Otherwise, the most severe complications may develop. And in such a situation, much more money and effort will be required to treat the festered area.