Anatomy and conditions
Dental abscess
Also called abscess, tooth infection
A pocket of infection near a tooth, often with pain, swelling or a bad taste; it needs prompt care.
A dental abscess is a collection of pus caused by infection, usually from a deeply decayed or damaged tooth or from gum disease. It can cause severe pain, a swollen face, fever or a bad taste. The infection will not go away on its own and can spread, so these callers should be offered a same-day or next-available visit, and should be sent for urgent medical care if they have trouble breathing or swallowing.
Example at the front desk
He has facial swelling and a fever, so I told him to come in now and to go to the ER if it spreads.