Nosht
Post-operative

After Treatment for a Dental Abscess

How to help your recovery after a dental abscess has been drained or treated, and how to stop it coming back.

6 min read

Urgent help: who to contact

Call 999 or go to A&E now if you find it hard to breathe, speak, swallow or open your mouth, have a lot of swelling in your mouth or swelling spreading to your neck, have a swollen or painful eye or sudden problems with your eyesight, or feel very unwell with a high temperature. These are signs of a serious infection that is spreading. It needs urgent hospital treatment.

For other concerns, call NHS 111.

What Was Done Today

A dental abscess is a pocket of pus. It is caused by an infection with germs (bacteria) in or around a tooth. Treatment lets the pus out to ease the pressure. It also deals with the cause. This is usually a dead or dying tooth, or a gum problem.

Today's treatment may have included one or more of these:

  • Draining the abscess (incision and drainage): a small cut was made to let the pus out. This eases the pain straight away.
  • Root canal treatment: the infected nerve (pulp) inside the tooth was removed. This gets rid of the source of the infection.
  • Taking the tooth out (extraction): the infected tooth was removed.
  • Antibiotics: you may have been prescribed antibiotics to help clear the infection. Take them exactly as directed, for the full number of days. Do not stop early unless your dental team tells you to.

Today's treatment deals with the immediate problem. You may need more treatment at a follow-up visit to sort it out fully.

Taking Your Antibiotics

If you were prescribed antibiotics, it is very important to take them correctly.

  • Take them exactly as prescribed. Take them for the full number of days on your prescription, even if you feel better before the tablets run out. Do not stop early unless your dental team tells you to. Stopping without medical advice can let the infection come back. It also adds to antibiotic resistance.
  • Take them at evenly spaced times through the day, as the label says.
  • Take them with food if they upset your stomach.
  • Do not drink alcohol while taking metronidazole, and for at least 48 hours after your last dose. Mixing the two makes you feel very sick and vomit.
  • Call 999 if you have difficulty breathing, or swelling of your face, lips, tongue or throat after taking antibiotics. This can be a severe allergic reaction. If you only get a rash, stop taking the antibiotic. Then contact your dental team or call NHS 111 for advice.
  • Note: antibiotics alone are usually not enough to treat a dental abscess. They help control the infection, but the cause must also be treated. This is why follow-up treatment is important.

Pain Relief and Recovery

Your pain should get much better once the abscess has been drained. But some soreness and swelling will last for several days.

  • Paracetamol (adults): take 500mg to 1g (1 or 2 × 500mg tablets). Leave at least 4 hours between doses. Do not take more than 4g (8 × 500mg tablets) in 24 hours. If you weigh less than 50kg, you may need a lower dose. Ask a pharmacist.
  • Ibuprofen (adults): take 200mg to 400mg up to 3 times a day, with or after food. Leave at least 4 hours between doses. Do not take more than 1,200mg in 24 hours, unless your dentist or doctor has prescribed a different dose.
  • You can take paracetamol and ibuprofen at the same time, or spread them out through the day. Never take more than the daily maximum of either.
  • Do not take paracetamol with other medicines that contain paracetamol, unless your dental team or doctor has told you to. These include co-codamol, co-dydramol and cold and flu remedies. Taking both can cause an accidental overdose.
  • Check with a pharmacist, dentist or doctor before you take ibuprofen if you have asthma, have had a stomach ulcer, have heart, kidney or liver problems, take blood-thinning medicines, or are pregnant.
  • Children: use children's paracetamol or ibuprofen. Give the dose on the packet or leaflet for your child's age (and weight, if given). Ask a pharmacist if you are not sure. Ibuprofen may not be suitable if your child has asthma.
  • If you were prescribed stronger pain relief, take it as directed. Painkillers with codeine in them (such as co-codamol) can make you sleepy. Do not drive or use machines if you feel sleepy. It is against the law to drive if a medicine affects your driving. Avoid alcohol while you take them.
  • Hold a cold pack against the outside of your face for 10–15 minutes, several times on the first day. This can help reduce swelling.
  • Your pain should get better each day. If it is getting much worse rather than better after day 2–3, contact your dental team.
  • Eat soft foods on the day of treatment, and until the pain and swelling settle.

Keeping Your Mouth Clean

Keeping your mouth clean helps stop the infection coming back. It also helps healing.

  • From day 2, rinse gently with warm salty water after meals. Use half a teaspoon of salt in a glass of warm water. This helps keep the area clean while it heals.
  • Keep brushing your other teeth carefully. Avoid the sore area for the first day or two. Then slowly start brushing near it again.
  • Use a chlorhexidine mouthwash if your dental team has advised one. It helps reduce germs in your mouth while you heal.
  • Avoid mouthwashes with alcohol in them. They can irritate healing tissue.

Warning Signs — When a Dental Abscess Becomes Serious

Very rarely, a dental abscess can spread beyond the tooth and gum. Know the warning signs of a spreading infection. These need medical help straight away.

Call 999 or go to A&E straight away if you get:

  • Difficulty speaking, swallowing or breathing. This is a dental emergency and can be life-threatening.
  • Swelling that spreads quickly to your neck, the floor of your mouth or your throat
  • A swollen or painful eye, sudden problems with your eyesight, or swelling that is closing the eye on that side
  • A high temperature (above 38°C) together with feeling very unwell, shivering, shaking attacks (rigors) or confusion. These may be signs of a spreading infection that needs hospital treatment.
  • Not being able to open your mouth (trismus) that is getting much worse

If you are not sure, always play it safe and call 999 or go to A&E. Do not drive yourself.

Call 999 or go to A&E now if you find it hard to breathe, swallow or speak, or if swelling spreads to your neck, under your tongue or around your eye. For other urgent problems, contact your dental practice. If it is closed, call NHS 111.

This leaflet is for general information only and does not replace professional dental advice. Your dental team will discuss your individual circumstances and any risks specific to you. Treatment outcomes vary between patients depending on individual circumstances.

Sources

Links checked 18 October 2026.

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