If you have an abscess in your mouth, you are likely going to be in a lot of pain. Not only that, but an abscess is putting your overall oral health at risk, so it’s best that you do whatever it takes to ensure that it doesn’t grow into a bigger problem. That being said, not many people like visiting the dentist just to have an abscess treated to. Instead, they’ll wait for days to see if it will go down or the swelling will subside. If you’ve waited and waited, but the abscess isn’t going anywhere, here are 7 ways that you can pop it on your own.

Get Your Tools Ready

The first thing that you’ll want to do to pop an abscess is get all of your tools ready. The tools that you’ll need include: a needle or another sharp instrument, hydrogen peroxide, sea salt, and even clove oil if you have it. This process is going to go fast, so you won’t want to be fumbling around trying to find the tools once you get started. Therefore, have everything laid out and ready to go so that you can move swiftly once you get started.

Sterilize Your Mouth

Once you have all the tools ready, you’ll want to sterilize your mouth. You can begin by brushing your teeth and giving the area around the abscess a good cleanse. In addition, you can use mouthwash or sea salt to help sterilize the area even more. Keep in mind that there is a lot of bacteria and germs floating around in your mouth. If those germs are still present once you pop the abscess, you could run the risk of getting an infection. This is why it’s important that you clean the area out and make it as sterile as possible before moving forward. After you have sterilized your mouth, consider applying clove oil if you have it. Clove oil will help to numb the area, which could help to reduce the pain of the procedure.

Wash Your Hands

Not only should you wash your mouth, but you should also make sure that your hands are clean as well. Part of the process will be putting your hands on the abscess, so you want to make sure that they aren’t dirty. If they are, then you again run the risk of getting an infection. If you have latex gloves, this is an even better option. But even if you don’t, be sure to clean your hands as best as you can.

Pop The Abscess

Once you have everything ready, it’s time to pop the abscess. To begin, take the needle and warm it up in boiling water. This will help to make sure that the needle is clean and ready to pop the area. Once it has been sterilized, then you can then poke the abscess in your mouth. This is when the process will get a bit messy, so you’ll want to move as quickly as you can to ensure that you don’t get any of the poison in your mouth.

Press All Of The Poison Out

After you have popped the abscess, then it’s time for you to start pressing all of the poison out of it. You can do this by applying pressure to both sides and pushing any gunk that is inside. If the abscess was really overflowing, then you may not even have to apply pressure and the poison will simply start to flow out on it’s own. In either event, make sure that you do this over a sink so that you can drain the abscess out into a clean area.

Re-Clean Your Mouth

After the abscess has been drained, you’ll want to clean your mouth again. This means that you may want to brush your teeth and use mouthwash again. You’ll want to make sure that you cleanse the area around the abscess, as well as the inside of the wound as well. If you don’t, then you run the risk of getting an infection and having even more concerning oral issues.

Avoid Pressure Or Damage For 24 Hours

After the abscess has been cleared out, you’ll likely feel a lot better and as if you can go through your normal life again. However, it’s important that you avoid any strenuous pressure to the mouth for at least 24 hours. You want the wound to heal, but putting stress on it will make that hard to do. Do your best to limit the amount of things that you put in your mouth, and your abscess should heal properly.

Author's Bio: 

I'm just your average hygienist with a passion for excellence. I do what I do best, which is to help my patients achieve healthy smiles and provide & educate them with oral health care solutions and lifelong cosmetic procedures. Dr. Paul Athanasius is a graduate of New York University School of Dentistry, a highly acclaimed and prestigious school of highest quality dental education. Upon completion of dental school, Dr. Paul Athanasius attended the general residency program at St. Joseph’s Regional Medical Center in Paterson, New Jersey, where he excelled in providing comprehensive care of patients with a focus on oral surgery, molar root canal treatments, fixed prosthesis, implant supported restorations and Operating Room dentistry for developmentally disabled patients.