A tooth abscess is a collection of pus that forms inside a tooth or its surrounding structures. The abscess itself is one of the later stages of tooth decay, and typically occurs before tooth loss.

An abscess occurs when an infection causes a pocket of pus to develop. Abscesses can develop on the skin, in the mouth, or inside the body. Bacterial infections typically cause abscesses. Pus develops ...

An abscessed tooth is a serious dental infection that develops around the root of a tooth, resulting in a pus-filled pocket. This condition can affect people of all ages and typically stems from ...

Sasha Ross, DMD, MS, is a board-certified periodontist who has been with the Cleveland Clinic since 2013. She earned her dental degree from the Harvard School of Dental Medicine and completed her ...

An untreated tooth infection can spread to other tissues in your body within weeks or months and lead to potentially life threatening complications. While rare, it is possible for a tooth infection to ...