Dental Abscess and Facial Swelling in Panama
Dental abscess or swollen face in Panama? How to recognize it, when to go to a hospital and how Dr. Moisés Lukowiecki treats it. English spoken.
Dental emergencies · Panama City
An abscess is an infection at the root of a tooth or in the gum. It does not go away on its own, and it should be treated before it spreads.
How to recognize a dental abscess
The usual signs are a throbbing pain that may spread to the ear, jaw or neck, a swollen gum or a pimple-like bump that may release pus, a bad taste in the mouth, sensitivity when you bite, and sometimes swelling of the cheek. Some abscesses hurt very little, which is why they are easy to ignore.
When it is a medical emergency
Go to a hospital emergency room right away if the swelling spreads toward the eye or the neck, if you have a fever, or if you have trouble opening your mouth, swallowing or breathing. These signs mean the infection is spreading beyond the tooth.
If the swelling is limited to the gum or one cheek and you feel otherwise well, message our emergency line the same day.
How it is treated
Antibiotics alone do not cure a dental abscess; they only calm it for a while. The source of the infection has to be removed. Depending on the tooth, that means draining the area, performing a root canal to clean the inside of the root, or, when the tooth cannot be saved, an extraction. Dr. Moisés Lukowiecki is an endodontist, so in most cases the goal is to save your natural tooth.
While you wait for your appointment, rinse with warm salt water, take your usual pain reliever as directed and do not apply heat to the face. Never try to pop the bump on the gum yourself.
Before you arrive
What to do right now
- Check for red flagsSwelling toward the eye or neck, fever or trouble swallowing: go to a hospital.
- RinseWarm salt water, several times a day.
- Cool, never heatCold compress on the outside of the cheek.
- Do not pop itNever squeeze the bump on the gum. Message us the same day.
Swelling that spreads to the eye or neck, fever or trouble swallowing: go to a hospital emergency room right away.
Google reviews
What our patients say
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He kept checking on my son the night I contacted him, and saw him first thing the next morning to diagnose him. A kind of doctor that is hard to find.
Estrella EndaraGoogle review · 4 years agoTranslated from Spanish
★★★★★
I took my daughter in with a toothache. From the first contact — he calls you back — until after the root canal, Dr. Moisés kept checking on her. As a dad, I feel at ease.
Carlos BermúdezGoogle review · 5 years agoTranslated from Spanish
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Dr. Moisés’ services are wonderful. He is attentive, helpful and always willing to support his patients in dental emergencies.
Daisy ChaconGoogle review · 7 years agoTranslated from Spanish
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I had an emergency on a Sunday and couldn’t find a single dentist in Panama to see me. Dr. Moisés Lukowiecki was the only one who called me back. He saw me right away, did the root canal that same day, and the severe pain was gone.
Lydia Langshaw de QuinteroGoogle review · 3 months agoTranslated from Spanish
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I arrived feeling insecure and nervous, but within five minutes in the chair the doctor put me completely at ease. He explained everything and finished the procedure impressively fast.
Elizabeth RamirezGoogle review · 11 months agoTranslated from Spanish
Your dentist
Dr. Moisés Lukowiecki
An endodontist with more than 20 years of practice, Dr. Lukowiecki treats the cases that can’t wait: infected teeth, dental trauma and the pain that keeps you awake at night.
- Dentist, Universidad Santo Tomás (Colombian Dental Federation)
- Specialist in Endodontics and Dental Trauma
- Active member, Panamanian Dental Association
- Member, Panamanian Association of Endodontics
Centro Odontológico Paitilla
Talk to the emergency line now
24-hour emergency WhatsApp line with Dr. Lukowiecki. English spoken.
Centro Especializado Paitilla, Av. Balboa & 53rd Street, Marbella, Panama City.
More dental emergencies
Emergency Dentist in Panama City→Severe Toothache in Panama→Emergency Root Canal in Panama City→Broken or Knocked-Out Tooth in Panama→English-Speaking Dentist in Panama City for Visitors→This page is general information and does not replace an examination by a dentist.
Frequently asked questions
Antibiotics can reduce the infection for a while, but the abscess comes back unless the source in the tooth is treated.
Yes. If it spreads it can affect the face and neck. Swelling toward the eye or neck, fever or trouble swallowing need a hospital right away.
Often yes, with a root canal. Dr. Lukowiecki will tell you after the exam and X-ray.
Use cold compresses on the outside of the cheek, never heat, and message us the same day.
No. A draining bump means the infection found a way out, but it is still active. It should be treated.