How to get rid of abscess at home

A tooth infection or abscess can spread the surrounding bone and gum tissue, and the pain can become more severe. If you are experiencing signs of an infected tooth, you should see your dentist as soon as possible. Though treatment is necessary to resolve the issue, you can take steps to manage your pain until then.

Signs your tooth is infected

If you’ve ever experienced a tooth infection, you know it can be very uncomfortable. A tooth infection is typically accompanied with a pocket of pus caused by a bacterial infection. The abscess can be found anywhere in the mouth. 

There are two types of abscesses. A periapical abscess occurs at the tip of the root, whereas a periodontal abscess occurs in the gums, usually near the side of the tooth.  

A periapical tooth abscess usually occurs as a result of an untreated dental cavity. If the interior of your tooth (filled with dental pulp), encounters any unknown substance, it can inflame the blood vessels and nerves, impacting the tooth enamel. Endodontic treatment helps treat tooth decay and other infected materials to help seal and fight future infections. 

Rick Davis, DDS, and Rick Schwartz, DDS, are experts in endodontics at Endodontic Consultants of San Antonio. If you are experiencing severe tooth pain, visit a specialist who can diagnose and help treat it.

Signs and symptoms of an infected tooth

You may have an infected or abscessed tooth if you’re experiencing any of the following symptoms:

• Painful throbbing in your tooth, jawbone or near your neck
• Sensitivity to hot and cold temperatures
• Sensitivity to the pressure (chewing or biting)
• Fever
• Swelling in your face 
• Swollen lymph nodes under your jaw or neck
• A salty fluid taste in your mouth
• Difficulty breathing or swallowing

Contact your dentist if you think you may have an infection, and consider the below home remedies to soothe your symptoms until then.

Home remedies for immediate relief 

When you suspect an infected tooth, there are a few home remedies you can try. These remedies are temporary. You should make an appointment with your dentist as soon as you feel severe pain. To ease the pain immediately, you can take over-the-counter medications such as Advil, Tylenol or Motrin IB.

Rinse with salt water 

Rinsing with salt water creates a saline mixture to safely begin sterilizing the infection. Mix 1/2 teaspoon of table salt with 1/2 cup of warm tap water. Swish in your mouth for a few minutes before spitting. Repeat every few hours if needed.

Make a baking soda paste

Baking soda is a quick and effective way to ease an infected tooth. Mix 1/2 tablespoon of baking soda with 1/2 cup of water and a bit of table salt. Swish in your mouth for a few minutes and again until the mixture is gone.

Cold compress

When in doubt, place a cold compress on the infected area. Take a cold compress to the infected area for 15 minutes at a time. Repeat as needed. This remedy will help numb the area and decrease inflammation. 

While there are home remedies for an infected tooth, your safest bet is to schedule an appointment with your Endodontic Doctor. Call or book an appointment at Endodontic Consultants of San Antonio to lessen the pain and cure your infected tooth. 

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Applying warm compresses to a skin abscess like a boil can help drain the pus it contains and ease related pain. Though you may be tempted to poke at the lump to get the abscess to burst, this may make your situation worse.

Attempting to cut a boil open—known as lancing—can force the infection-causing bacteria deeper into the skin. This may be considered if warm compresses fail, but should only be done by a healthcare provider who can take steps to minimize risks.

If the boil is large, on a vulnerable area like your face, or you have a condition that affects your immune system, skip DIY treatment altogether and seek a professional opinion.

This article explains how you can attempt to get an abscess to burst at home. It also reviews the tools and steps a healthcare professional may use to get a boil to pop.

What Is Used to Pop a Boil?

Boils may be drained during an in-office procedure, but some may require surgery. In general, an abscess is drained using sterile, or germ-free, tools, which may include:

• Disposable gloves
• Needles
• Scalpel, which is an instrument with a very sharp blade
• Irrigating syringe, which is used to clean wounds
• Sterile saline
• Dressing, which includes clean and soft materials that keep the wound protected

How Does a Doctor Drain a Boil?

During an in-office procedure, every effort is made to ensure a germ-free environment. The procedure takes around five to 10 minutes in total. The procedure may differ depending on your type of abscess, but in general:

1. The healthcare provider wears protective clothing and disposable gloves. An absorbent pad is placed under the area to be drained.
2. The healthcare provider finds the head of the boil. Ethyl chloride, a numbing medication, may be applied at this stage to reduce pain.
3. The healthcare provider makes a quick nick in the skin to release the pus. A sample of pus may be collected and sent to the lab if you have a severe infection, have a history of recurrent boils, or have a weakened immune system.
4. Depending on the size of the boil, the healthcare provider may need to make another cut to ensure that all the pus is completely drained.
5. The wound is flushed out with sterile saline, and bandaged.
   

Superficial (shallow) boils that affect fleshy parts of the skin may be drained during an in-office procedure. However, some of these may require surgical care if they are large, located on the face or head, or are especially deep.

Click Play to Learn How to Drain an Abscess Safely and Properly

How Can I Drain an Abscess at Home?

You may feel tempted to lance, or cut, a boil at home, especially if it is small and isn't super painful. You should avoid doing this. Instead, encourage the boil to pop on its own by doing the following:

• Place a warm, wet cloth on the boil for 20 to 30 minutes at a time, four to five times per day.
• Cover it with a heating pad to provide additional warmth.
• In about a week, the boil may open on its own. When it does, wash the affected area with soap and water.
• Dress the boil with a clean bandage.
• Continue using heat and re-dressing the boil every day for three days once it has opened.

Reach out to your doctor right away, or head to urgent care if:

• The boil doesn't open on its own
• The boil is getting bigger
• You have a fever
• You are experiencing uncomfortable symptoms that are getting worse

Summary

A boil, or abscess, is a red bump that is filled with pus. Caused by bacteria, boils can be painful and may range in size from small to large.

To drain an abscess, a doctor will lance, or cut, the skin to remove the pus. Then the doctor will flush out the wound and bandage it.

If you plan on caring for your own boil at home, try not to pop it. This can force bacteria even deeper. Instead, apply a warm, wet washcloth for 20 to 30 minutes up to five times a day. Continue applying heat until the boil opens on its own. Once open, clean it and apply a new bandage every day.

Reach out to your doctor right away if your boil doesn't drain on its own, if you have a fever, or are experiencing uncomfortable or worsening symptoms.

Frequently Asked Questions

• Is it safe to pop a boil at home?

  No. Boils are typically bacterial infections. Putting pressure on one to make it burst can push the infection deeper into the skin. Instead, use warm compresses to draw the infection out for small boils. Then, treat the open wound with antibacterial medication.

  Large boils should be drained by a healthcare provider to prevent complications.

• How can I stop boils from coming back?

  To prevent recurring boils, keep the skin where you’ve had boils clean and dry every day, and wear loose clothing to prevent irritation. If boils continue to come back, your healthcare provider might prescribe antibiotics and a topical cream.

• What comes out of a boil when it pops?

  The fluid that comes out of a boil is pus, also known as purulent exudate. Pus may be white and yellow, but can also look brownish or green. Pus is a sign that the body is fighting an infection. It’s made up of white blood cells, the bacteria those cells are fighting, and broken-down tissue from the infected area.

By Naveed Saleh, MD, MS
Naveed Saleh, MD, MS, is a medical writer and editor covering new treatments and trending health news.

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