Treat it today.
A dental abscess is a bacterial infection that will not resolve without treatment. Untreated dental abscesses can spread rapidly — to the jaw, neck, or airway. Never wait on a dental abscess. Call Horizon Dental now and we will see you the same day.
Dental abscesses are treated as same-day emergencies every business day
will not get better alone.
A dental abscess is a collection of pus — the result of a bacterial infection in the tooth’s pulp, at the root tip, or in the surrounding gum tissue. It causes severe, throbbing pain, swelling, and often fever. Unlike many medical conditions, a dental abscess cannot be managed with observation — it must be drained and the source of infection treated.
Dental abscesses are genuinely dangerous if left untreated. The infection can spread along the jaw, into the floor of the mouth (Ludwig’s angina), the neck, or the chest — all potentially life-threatening conditions. Antibiotics alone do not cure a dental abscess; they suppress it temporarily. Drainage and root canal or extraction are necessary to eliminate the infection permanently.
- Periapical abscess — Infection at the root tip — typically from a dead or infected nerve. Causes a painful lump at the gumline above the tooth
- Periodontal abscess — Infection in the gum tissue alongside the tooth root — often associated with gum disease
- Gingival abscess — Superficial infection in the gum tissue — typically from a foreign object (food, etc.) trapped in the gum
- Pericoronal abscess — Infection around a partially erupted wisdom tooth — causes pain and swelling at the back of the jaw
If you have a dental abscess AND any of the following, call 000 or go to Sydney Hospital Emergency immediately: facial swelling extending to the eye or neck; difficulty swallowing or breathing; fever above 38.5°C; difficulty opening your mouth; feeling very unwell or confused. These indicate the infection may be spreading to
dangerous areas.
right now.
to resolution.
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with their emergencies.
Dental abscesses are not treated as routine appointments at Horizon Dental. We reserve same-day slots specifically for abscess emergencies and see them with appropriate clinical urgency.
Antibiotics alone don’t cure abscesses — the infected tissue must be drained and the source treated. We provide the complete treatment, not just a prescription to delay the problem.
Dr Kozor has managed dental abscesses in all forms for over 30 years at the same Macquarie Street practice. His experience means the right treatment decision is made quickly and definitively.
answered.
Questions we hear from patients experiencing dental abscess. Call if yours isn’t here — we answer immediately.
Can a dental abscess go away on its own?
No. A dental abscess cannot resolve without treatment. The bacterial infection requires physical drainage and elimination of the source. Antibiotics alone suppress the infection but do not cure it. The abscess will return — often worse — without definitive dental treatment.
Is a dental abscess dangerous?
Yes, if untreated. Dental infections can spread from the jaw to the floor of the mouth, neck, or mediastinum (chest) — all potentially life-threatening. Ludwig’s angina, a spreading floor-of-mouth infection, can compromise the airway. If you have an abscess with fever, facial swelling, or difficulty swallowing, treat this as a medical emergency.
Can I take antibiotics to fix a dental abscess?
Antibiotics temporarily suppress a dental abscess but do not cure it — the infection will return once the antibiotic course ends. Permanent cure requires drainage and either root canal therapy (to save the tooth) or extraction (to remove the source of infection). Antibiotics are used as a bridge to definitive dental treatment, not as a substitute for it.
Does abscess treatment hurt?
No — drainage and root canal access are performed under local anaesthetic, and a well-administered local anaesthetic makes the procedure comfortable. For phobic patients, IV sedation can be arranged. After treatment, some soreness is expected for 2–5 days as the infection clears.
Call us now. Don't wait.
A dental abscess will not resolve without treatment. Call 02 9221 1685 immediately — same-day treatment every business day. Don’t let it spread.
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