Often parents notice a “bump on the gums” near a broken down tooth or a tooth that has been restored (with a filling or crown) in the past. This can also happen after a trauma, although not necessarily. Sometimes you will note an abscess associated with a tooth already discolored. Below you will see pictures of a discolored tooth WITHOUT an abscess on the left, and the other two pictures showing abscesses.
A child's dental abscess can present as a swelling of the gums or almost as a pimple or bubble above (top teeth) or below (bottom teeth) the tooth where you may or may not see some pus coming out of the area when pressure is applied. Your child may or may not be in pain. Talk to us to help determine what is going on, if an antibiotic is warranted, and next steps.
Typically, if there is an abscess, your child will need the effected tooth to be extracted but don't worry - extractions for baby teeth are much easier than having an adult tooth extracted.