A toothache is miserable. A toothache with a swollen cheek, jaw, or face is something different, and it deserves to be taken seriously the same day.
Swelling usually means a tooth infection has moved beyond the inside of the tooth. Most of the time it can be treated quickly and simply by a dentist. But dental infections can spread, and in rare cases they become dangerous, so it is important to know which signs mean “call your dentist today” and which mean “go to the emergency room now.”
This guide explains why a tooth can make your face swell, the warning signs to watch for, what to do (and not do) at home while you wait to be seen, and how we treat it at our Sherman Oaks office. If your face is swelling right now, call us at (818) 784-5889. If you are having trouble breathing or swallowing, call 911.
TL;DR
Facial swelling from a tooth usually means an abscess, a pocket of infection at the root of a tooth or in the gum. It needs a dentist the same day, because the infection will not drain away on its own and can spread. Go to the emergency room or call 911 if you have trouble breathing or swallowing, swelling spreading toward your eye or down your neck, a high fever, or you cannot open your mouth. At home, use a cold compress on the outside of your cheek, take over the counter pain relief as directed, and do not apply heat or try to pop a gum bump.
Key Takeaways
- A swollen face from a tooth is usually a dental abscess, and it needs professional treatment. It does not heal on its own.
- Trouble breathing or swallowing, swelling near the eye or down the neck, or a high fever means emergency room or 911, right away.
- Antibiotics can help control an infection, but the source in the tooth or gum still has to be treated.
- Treatment usually means draining the infection and then a root canal, gum treatment, or an extraction.
- Riverside Dental offers same day and next day emergency appointments when available.
Why A Tooth Can Make Your Face Swell
Inside every tooth is the pulp, the soft tissue that holds nerves and blood vessels. According to the American Dental Association’s MouthHealthy page on tooth abscesses, decay, gum disease, or a cracked tooth can let bacteria reach the pulp. When pus builds up at the tip of the root in the jawbone, it forms an abscess.
That pocket of infection has nowhere to go. Pressure builds, the tissue around it becomes inflamed, and the swelling shows up in your gum, your cheek, under your jaw, or around your eye, depending on which tooth is involved. Upper teeth tend to cause swelling in the cheek and around the eye; lower teeth tend to cause swelling along the jaw and under the chin.
Other signs often come with it:
- A throbbing ache that may spread to your ear, jaw, or neck
- Pain when you bite or chew
- Sensitivity to hot or cold
- A bad taste in your mouth or bad breath that will not go away
- A small bump on the gum, sometimes called a gum boil, that may leak fluid
- Fever, or just feeling unwell
Sometimes the pain suddenly gets better. That can happen when the nerve inside the tooth dies or the abscess starts to drain. It feels like relief, but the infection is still there.
Warning Signs That Mean Emergency Room Or 911
Most dental swelling is handled at the dental office. But a dental infection that spreads into the deeper spaces of the face and neck can become a medical emergency. Go to the nearest emergency room or call 911 if you notice any of these:
- Trouble breathing or swallowing, or a feeling that your throat is closing
- Swelling that spreads toward your eye, down your neck, or under your tongue
- Your eye swelling shut or changes in your vision
- High fever, chills, or feeling very sick
- You cannot open your mouth normally
- Confusion, severe weakness, or a racing heart
The American Dental Association’s advice for any dental emergency is to see your dentist or go to an emergency room as soon as possible. An emergency room can manage a spreading infection and keep you safe. After that, the tooth that caused it still needs dental treatment, so follow up with a dentist as soon as you are discharged.
Swelling but none of the warning signs above? Call us today. We do our best to see dental emergencies the same day.
Call (818) 784-5889Book onlineWhat To Do At Home While You Wait To Be Seen
Home care will not cure a dental infection, but it can keep you more comfortable until your appointment.
Do
- Hold a cold compress, wrapped in a cloth, against the outside of your cheek for about 15 minutes at a time.
- Take an over the counter pain reliever, following the directions on the label and any advice from your doctor or pharmacist.
- Rinse gently with warm salt water to keep the area clean.
- Keep your head raised on an extra pillow when you lie down.
- Drink water and eat soft foods on the other side of your mouth.
Do not
- Do not put heat on your face. Heat can make swelling worse.
- Do not put aspirin directly on the tooth or gum. The ADA specifically warns against this; it can irritate the gum.
- Do not try to pop, poke, or drain a gum bump yourself.
- Do not take leftover antibiotics from a past illness. The wrong drug or dose can make things harder to treat.
- Do not wait to see if it goes away. Swelling is a sign the infection is active.
How We Treat A Swollen, Infected Tooth
When you come in with swelling, the first job is to find the source and relieve the pressure. A typical visit looks like this.
1. Exam and digital X-ray
We look at the swelling, check the teeth and gums, and take digital X-rays to see which tooth is involved and how far the infection has spread.
2. Relieving the infection
Depending on what we find, that can mean draining the abscess, opening the tooth to let the infection out, and prescribing antibiotics when they are needed. Many patients feel noticeably better once the pressure is released.
3. Treating the source
Antibiotics can calm an infection, but they cannot remove its cause. To stop it from coming back, the source has to be treated:
- Root canal therapy removes the infected pulp and saves the natural tooth. It is usually the first choice when the tooth can be saved.
- Gum disease treatment cleans out the infection when it started in the gum around the tooth.
- Extraction is the answer when a tooth is too damaged to save. We will talk through replacement options afterward.
If dental visits make you anxious, tell us when you call. We offer comfort options including nitrous oxide and oral conscious sedation; see our sedation dentistry page.
Same Day Help In Sherman Oaks
Riverside Dental offers same day and next day emergency appointments when available, and we do our best to fit in walk ins for emergencies. If it is after hours or the weekend, call our office number. Our voicemail gives instructions for after hours care and the next available appointment.
Our dental emergency page has more on how we handle urgent visits. On cost: it depends on the treatment you need, but we accept most insurance plans, including Medi-Cal and Denti-Cal, and offer CareCredit and other financing. We explain your costs before treatment begins.
Preventing The Next Infection
Most dental abscesses start with a problem that was small at first: a cavity, a crack, or gum disease. The ADA notes that good oral hygiene and routine dental exams significantly reduce your risk of developing a tooth abscess. In practice that means:
- Brushing twice a day with fluoride toothpaste and cleaning between your teeth daily
- Regular cleanings and checkups, so cavities and gum problems are caught early
- Getting a cracked or chipped tooth checked soon after it happens
- Not ignoring a tooth that aches, even if the pain comes and goes
- Finishing any treatment your dentist recommends, such as a crown after a root canal
Frequently Asked Questions
Is facial swelling from a tooth an emergency?
It is urgent and should be seen by a dentist the same day. It becomes a medical emergency if you have trouble breathing or swallowing, swelling spreading toward your eye or down your neck, a high fever, or you cannot open your mouth. In those cases go to the emergency room or call 911.
Will a tooth abscess go away on its own?
No. The pain may ease if the nerve dies or the abscess drains, but the infection is still there and can spread. It needs dental treatment.
Can antibiotics cure a tooth infection?
Antibiotics can help control the infection, but they do not remove the source. The tooth or gum still needs treatment, such as a root canal, gum treatment, or an extraction.
Should I use ice or heat for a swollen face from a tooth?
Use a cold compress wrapped in a cloth on the outside of your cheek, about 15 minutes at a time. Avoid heat, which can make swelling worse.
Should I go to the ER or the dentist for a swollen face?
Go to the ER for trouble breathing or swallowing, spreading swelling, high fever, or if you cannot open your mouth. Otherwise call your dentist right away. Even after an ER visit, you will need a dentist to treat the tooth.
Can Riverside Dental see me the same day?
We offer same day and next day emergency appointments when available and do our best to accommodate walk ins for emergencies. Call (818) 784-5889 and tell us you have swelling.
Do Not Wait On A Swollen Face
Swelling is your body telling you an infection needs attention. Treated early, most dental infections are handled right in the dental chair. Left alone, they can turn into something much bigger.
We are at 12926 Riverside Dr, Suite D, Sherman Oaks, CA 91423, close to Studio City, Encino, Valley Village, and Van Nuys. Call (818) 784-5889 now and tell us you have swelling, or contact us online for anything less urgent.
