Tongue Abscess After Tooth Extraction: A Case Report

Abstract

Tongue abscesses are extremely rare and can lead to fatal outcomes due to airway obstruction. This case report describes a tongue abscess that developed after tooth extraction.

A 44-year-old female patient applied to the otorhinolaryngology clinic due to tongue pain that had been ongoing for 2 weeks. The patient was diagnosed with a tongue abscess and stayed in the hospital for 4 days. On the fifth day, the patient was referred to the oral, dental, and maxillofacial radiology clinic to investigate whether the abscess was of odontogenic origin. It was learned that the patient’s tooth number 44 was extracted at an external center 1 month ago. Radiolucency was seen in the extraction socket and surroundings of tooth number 44 in the panoramic image.
In the presented case, a tongue abscess developed after tooth extraction. Dental trauma or odontogenic infections are considered to be predisposing factors. Therefore, obtaining a detailed dental history from patients presenting with tongue pain and edema is of great importance.

Cite this article as: Edik M, Çukurluoğlu A, Kara İ. Tongue abscess after tooth extraction: A case report. Essent Dent. 2026, 5, 0032, doi:10.5152/EssentDent.2026.25032.