If an abscess bursts in your mouth and you accidentally swallow it, most likely no harm would befall you aside from the terrible taste of the infection.
However, there is a small chance of a complication if you're immunocompromised or if you've some other ongoing health issue.
Nonetheless, the presence of a dental abscess should be a wake up call for you to see a dentist as soon as possible because infections don't go away on their own even if they popped.
Consequences of swallowing dental abscess
It's usually not harmful if you swallow a burst abscess in your mouth because of the extremely potent low pH of stomach acid. Although what you would perceive immediately is the horrible taste of the pus from the infection.
Stomach acid is protective
The reason the swallowed abscess won't harm you is because of how acidic the gastric acids are, about 1.5-2.0 pH on average. The acidity is so potent that it will literally kill all of the bacteria that may still be alive in the pus.
Due to the highly bactericidal nature of stomach acid, it will protect you from the infection potentially spreading. Ultimately, you should be safe!
Pus tastes bad
While the abscess may not harm you, the taste of the pus in a dental abscess leaves much to be desired. It often has a bitter or nasty aftertaste if you do swallow it.
Our dentists often recommend using a mouthwash afterwards to help neutralize the bad taste in your mouth.
Recommended mouth rinses:
Listerine or Act
Salt water
Diluted hydrogen peroxide
Baking soda
Potential complications from swallowing dental infection
Your condition should not worsen from swallowing the abscess in your mouth but potential complications may arise under extenuating circumstances.
Extenuating circumstances which may lead to complications:
Immunocompromised. If your immune system is compromised, your body may not function as it normally should. You may not be able to fight off the infection like most people do and if the abscess manages to spread, you won't be able to contain it.
Existing internal injury. Stomach acid should kill the bacteria but if you've an injury along the digestive tract, the bacteria could escape into it and spread. This may transform the localized abscess into a more widespread systemic condition.
To be clear, these are extremely rare and most likely does not apply to you. Nonetheless they are theoretically possible but regardless you should still seek professional help if you've an active dental infection.
Mouth abscess needs professional treatment
Any type of abscess that has popped or has not popped, all require prompt treatment by a dentist because infections do not go away on their own. Yes, a popped mouth abscess does not mean that the source of the infection has been successfully treated.
The source of an abscess in the mouth could be of periodontal origins or of odontogenic origins. Both of which do not go away from the swelling having popped.
Treatment for gum abscess
A gum abscess is usually from severe periodontal disease or a lodged foreign object. Both of these would require at a minimum, a deep cleaning of the area and an antibiotic mouthwash prescription.
The photo above shows a gum abscess which has developed around the crowns. Simply popping or bursting these swollen loculations will not resolve the infection. It will require scaling and root planing (deep cleaning) to get rid of the bacteria deep inside the gums. This will also require gingival curettage which is debridement of the gums.
Treatment for tooth abscess
A tooth abscess originates from a tooth in the mouth, which means having the swelling pop will not get rid of the source of the infection. The actual tooth will need to be treated in order to permanently get rid of the bacteria.
These abscesses are deceptive in that you may think draining it will cure it but these swellings are often just the orifice of a sinus tract that leads to the source of an infection, which is usually at the tip of a tooth root.
The diagram above illustrates how the gum boil forms.
Treatment for a tooth abscess will require either a root canal or an extraction. Luckily for you if you're around Long Island City, NY our dentists can help you with them. However, if its extra complicated, we may need to refer you to one of the specialists!
Ultimately if you've an infection in your mouth, you need to see a dentist pronto even if it has popped because it will come back. Only professional treatment can eliminate it once and for all.
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