What is a dental abscess?
A dental abscess is a very painful infection. It occurs either:
- in the teeth
- on a bone that keeps your tooth in place
- under the gum surface and often near to the tooth root and the area around this
A dental abscess is an infection which shows itself as a putrid pus.
What are the common symptoms of a dental abscess?
There are a variety of common symptoms of a dental abscess. These include:
- a putrid taste inside your mouth
- pains like throbbing and shooting where the infection is
- swollen gums
- leaking pus from the gums
- terrible pain from certain areas of the mouth when eating
- swelling of the neck glands
- swelling jaw
- redness near to the abscess
- fever
- sensitivity to hot and cold food and drink
- bad breath
- difficulty opening the mouth, breathing or swallowing if the abscess is extreme
What are some common causes of a dental abscess?
A dental abscess can be caused by tooth decay. Tooth decay means that bacteria can find their way under the tooth. As time progresses this can cause the infection. Dental abscesses can also be caused by other things such as:
- gum disease
- dental cavities
- mouth injuries
- teeth injuries
- gum injuries
- an impacted tooth (not properly developed)
- teeth damage from previous dental treatment
How should a dental abscess be treated?
A dental abscess must be treated immediately otherwise it could result in complications, so is treated as a dental emergency. Often a dentist will treat it before the abscess occurs by spotting a potential cause and treating it. When immediately spotted, the way to treat a dental abscess is to:
- drain any fluid from the area of infection
- give an antibiotic injection
- repair tooth decay around where the abscess was
Where the abscess is very bad a person may need to have their tooth removed or surgery to remove the abscess.
Can a dentist miss an abscess?
A dentist should not miss a dental abscess even in the early stages of its appearance. This is because dentists regularly x-ray patients to check for dental erosion. However, unfortunately, dentists can still miss a dental abscess. This can be very serious as an untreated dental abscess can be life-threatening. For example, the person could develop sepsis.
What are the risks if a dental abscess is missed or misdiagnosed?
If a dental abscess is missed or misdiagnosed, it can mean further long-term health complications, which include:
- gum disease
- tooth damage
- blood infections
- jaw damage
- infection of surrounding soft tissue
- rotting of surrounding soft tissue
- multiple teeth needing extraction
- soft tissue eroding
- a deformed jawbone
- dangerous infections elsewhere in your body
- numbness in the area
- permanent mouth, jaw and teeth problems
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View profileMeet the teamDental Abscess FAQs
What duty of care does a dentist owe their patient?
Your dentist owes you a duty of care to ensure they provide you with at least the minimum standard of care. You may be eligible to make a compensation claimif your dentist fails in their duty of care.
What counts as dental abscess negligence?
Dental abscess negligence can occur when your dentist fails to meet the minimum standard of care that they owe you This can happen where, for exams, they fail to diagnose or misdiagnose your dental abscess. It could also happen, for example where they:
- give you the wrong treatment
- do not drain the tooth abscess fully
- make mistakes during other procedures
- do not give you the right medication
Where a dentist fails in their duty of care, they have been negligent in their duty of care towards you.
Can I make a dental abscess negligence compensation claim?
You may be eligible to make a dental abscess negligence compensation claim if the dentist was negligent. This means the level of care they gave you was below a reasonable standard for any competent dentist. However, you must have suffered as a result. This is causation. An independent detail expert will normally examine the work the dentist carried out to see if negligence occurred.
How much compensation might I get for a dental abscess claim?
The amount of compensation you might get from a dental abscess claim will depend on the circumstances of your claim. However, there are compensation guidelines available which range from:
- £1090 to £1710 per tooth for minor damage to any back teeth
- £38,130 where significant long-term damage occurs alongside excruciating pain.
What might my compensation claim include?
Your dental abscess compensation claim will include compensation which reflects:
- general damages, which reflect an mental and physical suffering
- special damages, which reflect costs from the dental abscess
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How can I prove I received negligent dental treatment?
To prove that you received negligent treatment from your dentist, you will need to provide evidence of this. Evidence can include:
- dental records
- statements from witnesses
- photographs
- video footage
- medical reports
- correspondence between you and your dentist
Will I need to have a medical examination?
You will probably need to have a medical examination as part of the compensation claim process. This will be with an independent dentist and your solicitor will arrange this. They will look at:
- damage that has occurred
- what work needs to be done to make it better
The results of the above will be part of the claim.
Can I claim against an NHS dentist for dental medical negligence?
If you believe that the NHS has been negligent, it may be possible to make a compensation claim. Providing the dentist has been negligent and failed in their duty of care towards you, which has resulted in injury (causation) you may be able to file a medical negligence compensation claim.
Can I claim against a private dental; practice or surgeon?
It is also possible to make a compensation claim against a private dental practice or surgeon. It doesn't matter whether the dental treatment takes place under the NHS or privately, you may be able to make a claim providing the dentist fails in their duty of care towards you.
Can I claim if I signed a waiver or consent form?
You can also make a dental abscess claim if you signed a waiver or const form, this is sick because these do not cover their duty of care towards you. Your solicitor will ask you questions about this to see if you were:
- given the right information
- forced to sign
- if your consent was informed consent.
Can I make a no-win no no-fee dental abscess negligence compensation claim?
You may be able to make a dental abscess negligence compensation claim and do so on a no-win no-fee basis. When you make a no win no fee claim with us your personal injury lawyer will take out insurance on your behalf that will cover all your claim costs and expenses including medical report fees, court fees and any barrister fees; so long as you comply with their terms and conditions, you won't have to pay any costs upfront, and there are no hidden surprises.
Frequently asked questions...
Every dental negligence claim is different so it's hard to give a reliable average duration for the claim. It depends on two things:
- The severity and/or complexity of the negligence injury.
- Whether or not the dental professional admitted liability.
Dental negligence solicitors will usually advise that it could range from a few short months to a couple of years.
Come and talk to us: call us on and we can help.- If you're making a claim for a child, there's no time limit up to their 18th After they turn 18 years old, they have three years as a legal adult until their 21st birthday to bring the claim.
- There's no upper time limit if you're claiming for someone who, for whatever reason, lacks the mental ability to make a dental negligence claim themselves.
Around 95% of our cases are settled without the need to go to court. This means there is a very small chance a claim will require a court hearing.
If your case does go to court, your solicitor will be on hand to support and guide you through the process and will make sure you always know what to expect.
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Managing Director - Consumer Legal Services
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View profileMeet the teamHow can National Accidents Helpline help with my claim?
National Accident Helpline's panel of personal injury lawyers can support your claim for dental abscess compensation. They have extensive experience in a range of medical negligence claims, including dental abscess claims. Our lawyers will gather as much evidence as quickly as possible to support your dental negligence compensation claim.
Starting your dental compensation claim with National Accident Helpline is straightforward and stress-free. Call us today at or you can request a call back here.
How do I begin my dental abscess claim?
You can find out more about starting a dental abscess compensation claim with National Accident Helpline by finding out in advance how much compensation you may receive. You can do this online by using our compensation calculator.
You begin your dental abscess claim by chatting to one of our team of knowledgeable and friendly dedicated specialist advisors. They will listen to what happened to you to result in a dental abscess.
Starting your dental compensation claim with National Accident Helpline is easy and stress-free. So give us a call today at or you can request a call back here. Once you have taken this first step you have begun the process of getting money to complete the pain and difficulties you have gone through,
Call us today at or if it is easier, you can request a call back here.