Pus in the Gum or a Swollen Face? What a Dental Abscess Means

It often starts as a toothache that comes and goes for weeks. Then one morning there is a small bump on the gum above the tooth, like a pimple. Pressing it lets out a salty, bad-tasting fluid, and the pain eases a little. Most people take that as a sign it is healing.

It is the opposite. That bump, which dentists call a gum boil or sinus tract, is the infection finding a way to drain. The pain drops because the pressure has an outlet, but the bacteria are still inside the tooth or gum and still spreading into the bone around it.

In Hindi this usually gets described as "masude pe phunsi" or "daant mein pus". Here is what is going on, how to tell when it is an emergency, and what treatment involves.

What a Dental Abscess Is

An abscess is the body walling off an infection. White blood cells fight the bacteria, and the dead cells, bacteria and tissue collect as pus in a closed pocket. Because the pocket is surrounded by bone or tight gum tissue, the pressure builds, and that pressure is what makes the pain throb.

Most dental abscesses trace back to something that was small for a long time: a cavity left untreated, a crack in a tooth, an old filling that leaked, or gum disease that went unchecked. The bacteria get into a space they should not reach, and the body cannot clear them from there by itself.

Tooth Abscess vs Gum Abscess

You cannot reliably tell the two apart at home. An X-ray and a few simple tests at the clinic settle it, and the difference decides whether you need a root canal or gum treatment.

Symptoms to Look For

The NHS lists these as the common signs:

• Intense, throbbing pain in a tooth or the gum, often worse when lying down
• Pain when biting, or a tooth that feels slightly raised
• Sensitivity to hot and cold in that area
• A bad taste in the mouth, or a pimple-like bump on the gum
• Redness and swelling inside the mouth, or on the face and jaw
• Swollen glands under the jaw, and sometimes a fever

Night-time pain deserves a mention, because it is the symptom that sends most people searching. We explain why it happens in our article on why tooth pain gets worse at night. A tooth that has needed a root canal for a while also gives earlier warnings, listed in our 10 signs you need a root canal.

When It Is an Emergency

Without those signs, an abscess still needs a dentist the same day or the next. It will not settle by itself, and the longer it sits, the more bone it destroys and the lower the chance of saving the tooth.

How It Is Treated

Treatment has two jobs: get the pus out, then remove the source so it does not come back.

1. Drainage. Under local anaesthetic, the dentist releases the pus, either through the tooth itself or with a small cut in the gum. Relief is usually quick once the pressure is gone.
2. Removing the source. For a tooth abscess this means root canal treatment, which cleans out the infected nerve and seals the tooth, usually followed by a crown. If the tooth is too broken down to save, it is removed. For a gum abscess, the pocket is cleaned and treated as part of gum treatment.
3. Antibiotics, only when needed. If the infection has spread into the face or you have a fever, antibiotics are added. On their own they do not cure an abscess, because they cannot reach the bacteria sealed inside a dead tooth. People who take a course and stop there usually find the swelling returns within weeks.

Whether to save the tooth or take it out depends on how much healthy tooth and bone are left. Our guide to root canal vs extraction walks through that decision. If the tooth does need to come out, the procedure is covered on our tooth extraction page.

What to Do Until You See a Dentist

These steps make the wait more bearable. None of them treats the infection.

• Take an over-the-counter painkiller at the dose on the pack, and no more
• Rinse gently with warm salt water
• Chew on the other side and avoid very hot or very cold food
• Sleep with your head raised on an extra pillow

And a few things not to do. Do not squeeze or prick a gum boil, which can push the infection deeper. Do not hold a painkiller tablet against the gum, because it burns the tissue. And do not cancel the appointment when the pain eases after the boil drains, since that is the infection draining, not healing.

Treatment Cost in Kolkata

These are starting prices at our five branches, and the final figure depends on the tooth and what the X-ray shows. Our RCT cost guide explains how the crown choice changes the total.

Frequently Asked Questions

Can a dental abscess go away on its own?
No, it may drain and feel better, but the infection stays until a dentist treats the source.

Will antibiotics cure a tooth abscess?
No, they control spreading infection, but the tooth still needs a root canal or extraction.

Is a gum boil the same as an abscess?
Yes, a gum boil is usually an abscess draining through the gum.

Is a dental abscess an emergency?
It needs a dentist within a day, and hospital care at once if swelling affects breathing, swallowing or the eye.

Does abscess treatment hurt?
It is done under local anaesthetic, and most people feel relief once the pus is drained.

Can I save a tooth with an abscess?
Often yes, with root canal treatment, if enough healthy tooth and bone remain.

How much does abscess treatment cost in Kolkata?
Root canal treatment starts at INR 5,000 per tooth and simple extraction at INR 1,200.

Written and medically reviewed by Dr. Arimeeta Chakraverty, Oral and Maxillofacial Surgeon. Prices are starting prices for 2026 and are confirmed after an examination. This article is general information and does not replace a consultation.