A swollen cheek with throbbing pain is usually an abscess: pus that has collected because of a bacterial infection at the root of the tooth or in the gum. It does not heal on its own. See a dentist the same day.
Updated: 14 November 2026
Go to the emergency department or call 144 immediately if any of these occur: difficulty swallowing or breathing, fever, swelling that spreads towards the eye or the neck, or you can hardly open your mouth.
- Do not wait, have it checked the same day.
- Cool from the outside, never warm.
- An antibiotic alone does not remove the cause.
Until your appointment
- cool from the outside, with a cloth between your skin and the cold pack
- keep your head raised when lying down
- a painkiller as directed on the package leaflet
- do not warm it, do not press on it, do not lance it yourself
What we do
First, relief: the pus is given a way to drain, and the pressure eases at once. Then the cause: if the infection sits at the root, a root canal treatment saves the tooth in many cases. An antibiotic is given when the infection spreads or fever develops.
“The swelling went down overnight. Does that mean it's fine?”
No. The pus has found a way out, which is why the pressure eases. The infection at the root remains and will come back.
If you have swelling, call us. We will find the earliest appointment the day allows.
CallAbscess or fistula?
A fistula is a small channel through which the pus drains, often visible as a blister on the gum and without severe pain. Read more in “Gum boil (dental fistula): what is behind it?”.
