A gum abscess is an infection between the tooth and the gum. Symptoms include soreness and swelling of the gum around the tooth. It occurs in deep pocket areas around the teeth that cannot be cleaned by flossing and brushing. The result is an area in which food, plaque and bacteria collect and create an infection. These pockets are usually found around teeth with periodontal (gum) disease or around partially erupted teeth.
A gum abscess is usually treated by flushing out the pocket with hydrogen peroxide and then prescribing an antibiotic to clear away the infection. This is very effective in clearing out the infection, however, the problem lies in the fact that the infection will usually recur unless the pocket is eliminated. This is accomplished by the extraction of the partially erupted wisdom tooth or gum treatments and potential gum surgery of the periodontally affected tooth.
