The most common type of oral or dental abscess in dogs is a tooth root abscess, a pocket of infection and pus around a tooth root. The abscess may not be visible above the gum, but will cause pain and difficulty eating on the affected side. Treatment includes prescription medication and, usually, an operation to remove the affected tooth. Talk to a vet if you think your dog may have a dental problem.
Causes
Dental abscesses develop when harmful bacteria from the mouth get into the tooth root and gum. Causes include
Tooth decay: The abscess is part of more generalised dental disease
Dental caries: Cavities developing on the chewing surface of cheek teeth (molars and larger premolars)
Trauma: Broken teeth with exposed tooth pulp (the sensitive tissue inside the tooth);
Other causes of abscesses in the mouth include penetrating injuries and foreign bodies, often the result of chewing or chasing sticks.
Risk
Any dog can suffer a dental abscess, but the following have increased risk:
Older dogs and dogs with existing dental disease.
Breeds susceptible to dental caries, particularly Labradors
Dogs who bite or chew sticks, bars, stones.
Symptoms
The abscess is below the surface of the gum, so you may not be able to see anything on the surface.
Bad breath
Difficulty eating
Swelling just under the eye: The roots of the cheek teeth are deep in the jaw, close to the eye. An abscess may cause a swelling, which starts to ooze if the abscess bursts.
Diagnosis
Vets diagnose dental abscesses based on your dog’s symptoms, a thorough physical exam, and further tests.
X-rays
CT scan for complex cases including foreign bodies
Treatment
Prescription medicine: Antibiotics to settle infection; Anti-inflammatory pain relief
An operation to remove the affected tooth
Specialist dental surgery: Root canal filling
Checking for and removing a suspected foreign body in the gum, tongue or cheek.
What to expect
Symptoms improve rapidly once your dog starts a course of antibiotics (to counter the infection) and anti-inflammatories (to reduce inflammation and swelling). However, these symptoms will come back unless the underlying cause (a diseased tooth or foreign body) can be removed.
Prevention
It’s impossible to remove all risk of an oral abscess. However, the risk can be minimised by addressing preventable causes.
Keep your dog’s mouth as clean and healthy as possible, with daily brushing and a complete balanced diet or dental health prescription diet.
Discourage your dog from chewing sticks and don’t throw sticks for your dog to catch or chase on walks.
Give puppies non-destructible toys to chew!