Flux is a common, non-medical name for a whole group of diseases that require immediate, and in some cases, emergency care. One of the main manifestations of flux is a violation of the shape of the face associated with a complication in an inflamed tooth.
The main groups of diseases that are commonly called flux: periodontitis, periostitis, osteomyelitis, abscess and phlegmon, lymphadenitis, odontogenic sinusitis.
Periodontitis
- inflammation of the tissues of the apical part of the tooth.
Periostitis
– inflammation of the periosteum in the area of the teeth.
Osteomyelitis
– inflammation of the jaw bone, which necessarily ends with necrosis (death) of the affected area of the bone.
Abscess
- This is a limited purulent inflammation of fatty tissue.
Phlegmon
- This is a diffuse purulent inflammation of fatty tissue.
Under the skin, under the mucous membrane, under and between the muscles there is fatty tissue. With an exacerbation of odontogenic infection, pus spreads under the periosteum, axillary and intermuscular spaces, causing inflammatory and edematous-infiltrative changes in the soft tissues of the face and neck.
Inflammatory diseases of the maxillofacial area (flux, abscess, phlegmon) and neck are divided into two main groups according to localization. The first is abscesses and phlegmons located near the upper jaw. The second is abscesses and phlegmons located near the lower jaw.
Lymphadenitis
– inflammation of the lymph node (group of lymph nodes) adjacent to the odontogenic (dental) focus of infection. Odontogenic sinusitis is often an inflammation of the maxillary (maxillary) sinus (sinusitis), caused by the anatomical features of the position of the roots of the maxillary teeth involved in the pathological process, in which the roots of the teeth either stand in the lumen of the maxillary sinus, or are located close to the bottom of the maxillary sinus. In this case, infection of the mucous membrane of the maxillary sinus occurs with the subsequent development of sinusitis.
Content:
- Why does it occur
- Signs
- How it proceeds
- Features of the development of periostitis in children and adults
- What happens if you don't undergo therapy?
- How to remove flux
- How to speed up recovery
- Preventive actions
An inflammatory dental disease that affects the periosteum tissue is called periostitis by dentists.
It is popularly known as flux. It is easy to recognize on your own - a painful abscess forms on the gum, which does not go away for a long time. It is unwise to fight this disease without medical help. When it appears, you should definitely make an appointment at a dental clinic and, during an in-person examination, find out from the doctor how to remove the flux without negative consequences for health.
It is simply impossible to ignore periostitis. It is usually accompanied by acute throbbing pain. Sometimes it can even lead to fever and a sharp decrease in performance. When there is a lot of pus in the “bag”, it bursts. Then the purulent masses flow out, and the symptoms cease to be so bright.
Diagnostics
To diagnose flux, methods such as questioning, examination, and additional research methods are used: radiography, ultrasound, computed tomography, magnetic resonance imaging, blood test data, culture of exudate, etc. An experienced maxillofacial surgeon who treats patients with flux, can, based on the patient’s complaints and examination, carry out an accurate topical diagnosis of the disease (localization of pus) and select the optimal surgical approach to ensure sanitation of the purulent focus and adequate drainage.
Why does it occur
In order to understand how to remove flux, it is necessary to establish what led to its appearance. If the provoking factor is not eliminated, the disease may return. Among the main reasons for the violation:
- untreated deep caries;
- a large amount of hard plaque extending far under the gum;
- dental root cyst;
- inflammatory lesion of the gingival pocket;
- receiving mechanical injuries;
- general hypothermia of the body (especially against the background of reduced immunity);
- poor oral hygiene.
According to statistics, most often the disease occurs precisely because of advanced caries and pulpitis. If there is a large “hole,” the infection easily penetrates deep into the dental tissues, affects the surrounding structures and causes nerve destruction. Then pulpitis develops.
If left untreated, it will become chronic. The pain will become mild, but this does not mean that the disease has gone away. It’s just that now it’s happening secretly. The infection will continue to destroy the internal structures of the diseased unit. As they die, narcotic masses will begin to be released. To remove them, an abscess forms on the gum. This is flux.
If it is localized on the periosteum of the upper jaw, then the upper lip and the area under the eye swell. If inflammation progresses in the lower jaw, the chin and cheek swell, and the lymph nodes become painful.
Other provocateurs
In addition to diseases and pathological changes that cause swelling of the cheek from the tooth, there are a number of other causes.
If an infection enters the patient’s body, medications that have an antibacterial effect should be taken. Thanks to this, you will get rid of the main cause, that is, infection, and the consequence - swelling. With inflammation of the lymph nodes in children, this situation often occurs.
The presence of a sebaceous gland cyst provokes changes in the facial part. In this case, surgical intervention will be required.
The cause is identified as neurological diseases. In addition to swelling of the cheek, the patient may suffer from congestion in the ear canal and discomfort in the throat area. To find out the reasons, you need to consult a neurologist.
A similar situation occurs with injuries or bruises. You can reduce the size of swelling by using a cold compress.
With a pathological change in the condition of the internal organs, swelling of the cheek is observed. To find out the reasons, you should consult your doctor.
It is important to know what to do if your cheek is swollen. Here are some tips to help reduce unpleasant symptoms:
- Often, after you have a wisdom tooth pulled out, you may experience swelling. To get rid of this, you should rinse your mouth with chamomile or sage. Chlorhexidine is perfect for these purposes.
- A fairly effective remedy is a saline (soda) solution. Rinsing with these products relieves pain and produces an antiseptic effect.
- While a wisdom tooth is coming out, it is worth using the help of special ointments and creams. Their use helps to minimize unpleasant symptoms.
- If your cheek is swollen after a wisdom tooth has been pulled out, you should use Kalanchoe or aloe juice. To do this, soak a cotton pad in the medicine, then apply it to the painful area.
- This manifestation is also possible with an insect bite. In this case, a decoction of chamomile, combined with aloe, helps.
Experts advise taking vitamin complexes daily to help improve the protective function of the immune system. It is better to reconsider your diet, in particular this concerns reducing the consumption of sweets. You can perform a light gum massage for preventive purposes.
By following basic rules of personal hygiene and regularly visiting the dentist, you will prevent complications and the development of pathological conditions.
Dental disease and its treatment is an unpleasant phenomenon that many adult men and women try to avoid or delay until an emergency. But the most dangerous thing about far-fetched fear is that while a person waits for the disease to become unbearable, destruction of teeth and gums occurs, which in the initial stages could be treated with fairly simple, almost painless and inexpensive methods. In this article we will talk about gumboil, how to get rid of it, and how to help the patient at home.
Signs
You can understand that periostitis has developed by the following symptoms:
- tooth pain;
- swelling of the gums;
- an abscess at the base of the diseased unit;
- increased pain when pressing on the affected area;
- swelling of the cheek;
- increased body temperature;
- swelling of the lymph nodes.
If these symptoms occur, you should make an appointment with the dentist as soon as possible. In the early stages, the problem can be eliminated quite easily and quickly. Delay is fraught with health-threatening complications.
When does swelling of the cheek go away?
How long the swelling lasts after tooth treatment depends on the degree of damage. Swelling causes injury to tissues, ligaments, and blood vessels during surgery or root removal. After such an intervention, swelling is normal. It can last from 2 hours and last for 7 days or the first day after surgery. There are no painful sensations.
Swelling after surgery on a wisdom tooth can last 4 days longer and persists for 11 days. If the surgery was serious, a bruise may form on the cheek. Pronounced swelling, increasing every day, pain is a reason to urgently consult a dentist.
How it proceeds
The disease progresses through several successive stages:
- Acute serous. Spreads quickly. In just two or three days, a large, painful “bump” forms, with pus inside. The cheek tissues swell.
- Acute purulent. The pain becomes more pronounced, the person feels an unpleasant pulsation. The mucous membrane in the area of the affected unit turns red and swells. Body temperature rises.
- Acute diffuse. The swelling becomes voluminous. It can go under the eye or onto the nose. The patient's appearance changes significantly for the worse.
- Chronic. The painful process fades away and is replaced by a chronic one. The patient may mistakenly think that the problem has disappeared without a trace. In fact, it only calmed down for a while. Periodically, the disease will recur.
The sooner a sick person consults a doctor, the higher his chances of a speedy recovery.
Features of the development of periostitis in children and adults
In adults, the disease usually has vivid symptoms. Most often it is caused by bad habits and ignoring the rules of oral hygiene. The tissues surrounding the root become inflamed. Persistent pain forces a person to seek dental care.
In children, flux usually progresses with mild symptoms. This is due to the fact that in children the immune system reacts less actively to abnormal processes in the oral cavity. Even if the purulent “bump” does not hurt the child, a consultation with a dentist is still required.
Rinse
To rinse the gums during gumboil, decoctions of anti-inflammatory herbs, saline and alkaline solutions, and antiseptic pharmaceutical preparations are used.
The basis for any rinse is a solution of salt and baking soda (1 teaspoon per 2 glasses of water). Rinsing should be done once every half hour. This will eliminate swelling and inflammation and reduce toothache.
Rinsing can be done with ready-made preparations sold in pharmacies: Miramistin, Chlorgeskidine, Iodinol, Hexoral, Furacilin. All of them have antiseptic and anti-inflammatory effects and are available without a prescription. The procedure must be repeated several times a day, keeping the solution in the mouth for about a minute. It is not recommended to use these drugs to treat flux in children, as there is a risk of ingestion.
Of the herbal remedies, sage decoction is considered the most effective. It can be mixed in half with a decoction of chamomile, calendula, mustard grass, oak bark or St. John's wort. Gargling with decoctions should be done as often as possible, up to 10 times a day. You can also mix sage herb with regular green tea, add ¼ teaspoon of table salt and pour a liter of boiling water over this mixture. Important: rinse with warm liquid, but not hot or cold.
What happens if you don't undergo therapy?
It is unacceptable to treat purulent gum lesions as a minor dental disorder. It is very insidious and rarely disappears without a trace on its own. Often, if treatment is refused, the following occurs:
- Abscess. It is a consequence of a long-term presence of a pus-filled sac in the area of the tooth root. The abscess grows and then ruptures.
- Phlegmon. Represents an extended lesion. It usually occurs after a rupture of a purulent sac, if the patient does not comply with the dentist’s instructions, does not rinse the mouth with a special antiseptic solution, or apply anti-inflammatory gels.
- Osteomyelitis of the jaw. It occurs if the gums are not treated for a very long time. The pathological process spreads to the jaw bone, which is very dangerous.
- Inflammation of individual sinuses of the skull. It is also diagnosed with advanced periostitis. The maxillary, frontal and sphenoid sinuses are affected.
It is extremely rare that the disease affects brain tissue. Then the person may even die.
Causes
The main culprit in the formation of a purulent focus is deep caries. Destroyed tooth tissues do not retain bacteria. Penetrating into the dental canals, pathogenic microbes cause inflammation of the soft tissue, destroy the bone structure and enter the periosteum, where purulent inflammation begins to develop.
Other factors can lead to the disease:
- tooth injury;
- chronic infection of ENT organs;
- tartar;
- stomatitis;
- purulent neoplasm at the apex of the tooth root;
- poor-quality dental canal treatment.
How to remove flux
To avoid purulent damage to the pulp zone and periosteum, you need to receive qualified dental care in a timely manner. In the early stages of the disease, in order to prevent further progression of the inflammatory process, the patient is prescribed anti-inflammatory drugs and antibiotics. It is mandatory to open the abscess. The wound is then cleaned and washed with an antiseptic.
In some cases, to prevent re-accumulation of pus, drainage is installed for several days. All surgical procedures are always performed under general anesthesia so that the patient does not experience pain.
To support the patient’s body, he is additionally prescribed a vitamin and mineral complex. If necessary, physiotherapy is included in the treatment course. Good results can be obtained using UHF and electrophoresis.
It is important to strictly follow all medical recommendations and under no circumstances interrupt antibiotic therapy. Treatment is considered successfully completed if pus is no longer released, pain does not occur, and the entire wound has healed. In some cases, after healing, a small bluish scar remains on the gum. You shouldn't worry about it. This means that the defeat was very deep. Over time, the gums will return to their normal appearance.
How to speed up recovery
To make healing go faster, it is important not only to follow the dentist’s instructions, but also to remember the rules:
- do not heat the area where the pus was located;
- do not take antibiotics or any other medications unless prescribed by a doctor;
- do not use any folk recipes without consulting your doctor;
- Until the wound is completely healed, do not use aspirin or any medications that contain acetylsalicylic acid.
If the “bump” appears again, it is recommended to immediately contact a dental clinic.
Anti-inflammatory drugs and antibiotics
The use of antibiotics helps relieve pain and stop acute inflammation. You can use antibiotics such as Trichopolum, Lincomycin, Ciprofloxacin, Flemoxin, Biseptol, Amoxiclav, Tsiprolet. Antibacterial drugs should not be used for more than five days to avoid microbial resistance in the body.
To reduce swelling and redness, you can additionally take Diazolin, Nimesil or Diclofenac, which have a local anti-inflammatory and decongestant effect.
Preventive actions
To reduce the likelihood of periostitis, you need to take care of your teeth and visit the dentist at least once a year. You can't start caries. As soon as a dark spot appears on the surface of the dental crown, it needs to be treated.
After eating, it is advisable to rinse your mouth with warm water. To make hygiene as high as possible, it makes sense to use not only a brush and toothpaste, but also dental floss and irrigators. It is very important to remove tartar every year at the dentist's office.
An important place in the issue of prevention is given to diet. You should eat as much fresh fruits, vegetables, and plant foods as possible. They require more thorough chewing and thus have a positive effect on the ligamentous apparatus that holds the tooth. They also provide natural cleansing of crowns from soft plaque.
If you have any questions about how to remove flux, please contact the doctors at the Line of Smile dental clinic for help. We specialize in the treatment of this disease and know how to quickly rid our patients of it.
Propolis tincture
Propolis tincture has a strong anti-inflammatory effect and wound healing effect. Tannins relieve pain well. And essential oils and flavonoids are powerful natural antibiotics. To treat gumboil, 15 ml of propolis tincture is diluted in half a glass of warm boiled water. The solution is used for rinsing. You can moisten a cotton pad with undiluted tincture and apply it to the inflamed area overnight.
Treating flux with propolis in its natural form is also effective. It must be chewed throughout the day until the toothache disappears.
Propolis tincture can be purchased at a pharmacy or prepared at home yourself. To do this, 20 g of propolis is finely crushed and filled with 100 ml of 70% medical ethyl alcohol. Infused in a dark glass bottle for 14 days.
