What to do if your cheek is swollen due to tooth disease: 5 best tips

December 13, 2019

If swelling of the cheek occurs due to a bad tooth, then many are interested in how dangerous it is, how to relieve the swelling at home, and what to do in general in this situation. The editors of the UltraSmile.ru portal have prepared several useful tips that will protect you from making mistakes when such a situation develops.

What to do if your cheek is swollen from a tooth?

Tip #1: go to the doctor immediately if you suspect purulent pathologies

If certain pathologies are detected, you should not hesitate to seek professional help, because This can lead to serious health problems, as well as the fact that you will have to say goodbye to a bad tooth forever.

So, your cheek is swollen from a tooth. What to do? First of all, try to understand what led to the problem. We list the reasons, if suspected, you should urgently go to the doctor:

flux, or periostitis: due to this disease, according to statistics, most often the cheek, and not just the gums, swells greatly,
fistula: a small lump with a hole in the gum through which pus oozes,
alveolitis: occurs due to infection or injury to the wound of an extracted tooth,
cyst: can develop next to a living tooth or be located near a pulpless tooth if there is a filling or crown on it,
periodontitis: often a consequence of advanced pulpitis, or occurs in treated teeth if they have incorrectly manufactured and installed crowns, as well as in the case of poor-quality cleaning and treatment of root canals,
osteomyelitis.

The photo shows the procedure for removing pus.
Click on the links on the names to read more about each disease.
And if the symptoms are confirmed, then immediately go to the doctor, because... Without opening, draining and removing purulent masses, treatment will not bring positive results. Trying to help yourself at home will only waste valuable time and increase the likelihood of complications. The infection can quickly spread through the blood and lymph to internal organs and even cause sepsis.

Why does inflammation of the periosteum occur?

There are three ways that pathogenic bacteria enter the periosteum:

odontogenic factor - dental diseases become the source of inflammation: caries, cysts and granulomas of the tooth root, pulpitis. Bacteria penetrate deep into soft tissues. Quite often, periostitis is observed as a result of a long and complicated process of eruption of “eights”;
hematogenous factor - infection occurs as a result of bacteria entering the tissues from the bloodstream or lymph flow. As a rule, this happens in connection with ENT diseases, furunculosis of the face, neck, abscesses, etc.;
traumatic factor - mechanical damage to the periosteum during fractures, impacts, complex tooth extractions leads to inflammation.

Tip No. 2: monitor the state over time

If your cheek is swollen from a tooth, this is not always a reason to panic. Often, minor swelling is considered a normal reaction of the body to surgical intervention and medical manipulations by a doctor. For example, such as removing the pulp or the tooth itself, treating advanced periodontitis, placing medications in the tooth canals, and injecting an anesthetic. Swelling of the cheek could be a consequence of dental implantation or surgery to increase jaw bone tissue. Indeed, in all of the above situations, the specialist acted on living tissues, nerve endings, blood vessels and capillaries.

Remember that swelling of the soft tissues is considered normal during the first 2-4 days after exposure to a traumatic factor (treatment, surgery), then it should subside. During these periods, it is best to monitor your condition over time and pay attention to accompanying symptoms.

Minor swelling of the soft tissues of the face may be associated with the eruption of baby and permanent teeth in children. In this case, it is better to consult a specialist in order not to miss a serious inflammatory process and to correctly distinguish the pathology from diseases with similar symptoms (mumps, bacterial infections of the upper respiratory tract1, inflammation of the lymph nodes).

The reason for an emergency visit to a doctor should be a sharp deterioration in health: an increase in body temperature several days after treatment, the appearance of bad breath, difficulty breathing, increased swelling, severe pain. In all other cases, there is no reason for an unscheduled visit to the clinic, and measures taken at home, which we will discuss below, will help cope with swelling.

The tumor should always be monitored over time

“A month and a half ago I had the following problem: my cheek was swollen and there was a sharp pain. True, I almost immediately guessed what was wrong and went to the dentist. Three years ago, my wisdom tooth began to grow; on an x-ray, the doctor determined that it was growing into my cheek, and even then he suggested removing it. I refused because... I hoped that there would be no problems, and if there were, I would quickly deal with them... Then the doctor warned that at least once every six months I need to take an x-ray and see what’s wrong with this tooth. But, naturally, I gave up on this. All this time I did not go to the dentist at all. And here you are... The tooth had to be removed urgently, due to acute inflammation. It took a very long time to heal, I had to take antibiotics. I even had to take sick leave for a week, I felt so bad. Now I think that I waited in vain, then I suffered so much.”

Markov Alexander, review from 32top.ru

Types of inflammation

Symptoms of inflammation of the periosteum of the tooth depend on the form of the process. In the acute form, pain and swelling are severe, difficulty swallowing, spreading of swelling to the face and neck, and enlarged lymph nodes may be observed. Acute inflammation occurs over several days.

The chronic form may bother the patient for several months. Symptoms are more moderate; a fistula may appear - an opening through which inflamed tissues get rid of purulent contents.

There are also two types of both acute and chronic inflammation:

serous - more often provoked by traumatic injury, swelling forms quickly, but the pain is more moderate and tolerable, relief occurs, on average, after 5 days;
purulent - more dangerous, characterized by severe throbbing pain, severe swelling and redness of soft tissues, and higher body temperature.

In both cases, you should definitely consult a doctor, since the risk of complications is very high.

Tip #3: Apply a cold compress to your cheek

If your cheek is swollen from a tooth, then it is important to know how to properly remove the swelling. You can try using a cold compress (it helps especially well after surgery), but you can do the procedure within the first 24 hours after surgery.

The rules for applying a cold compress are as follows:

take ice or any other product from the freezer and wrap it in a soft cloth (gauze, towel),
apply the compress externally to the side of the cheek where the swollen tissue is located,
hold for about 10–15 minutes,
repeat the procedure every 1-2 hours throughout the day.

A cold compress will help reduce swelling.
Cold promotes the narrowing of blood vessels and capillaries, the outflow of blood and fluid, reducing the inflammatory process, and resolving hematomas. As a result, the swelling of the cheek should decrease after a series of procedures.

Never warm a cheek that is swollen from a tooth or apply warm compresses to it. Heat, unlike cold, dilates blood vessels, increases blood circulation, and can contribute to the spread of infection to neighboring tissues and areas, which will only worsen your situation and increase pain.

Tip #4: Use medications that will help reduce swelling

If your cheek is swollen from a tooth, then the first thing you need to do before going to the doctor is to try to “disarm” the bacteria living in the oral cavity and prevent tissue swelling from growing by stopping inflammatory processes. Rinsing with the antiseptic “Chlorhexidine”, as well as “Miramistin” or “Furacilin” will help to do this. Instead of these remedies, you can use a decoction of chamomile or a solution of soda in water.

To reduce tissue swelling and relieve pain, you can also use applications based on topical drugs: Metrogyl Denta, Levomekol, Cholisal, cooling decongestant ointments and gels - Troxevasin, Fastum Gel. But antibiotics cannot be used without a doctor’s prescription.

Anti-inflammatory drug "Metrogil Denta"

If the cause of soft tissue swelling is an allergy to medications or medications used by the doctor during dental treatment, then you must take an antiallergic drug. For example, “Suprastin”, “Zodak”, “Tavegil”, “Erius”. It is important to prevent the tumor from spreading to the neck and respiratory tract - this can lead to Quincke's edema and anaphylactic shock. If you have difficulty breathing, coughing, or a skin rash, do not wait for the swelling to subside - call an ambulance immediately.

Clinical researches

Repeated clinical studies have proven that the two-component mouth rinse ASEPTA ACTIVE more effectively combats the causes of inflammation and bleeding compared to single-component rinses - it reduces inflammation by 41% and reduces bleeding gums by 43%.

Sources:

The role of anti-inflammatory rinse in the treatment of periodontal diseases (L.Yu. Orekhova, A.A. Leontyev, S.B. Ulitovsky) L.Yu. OREKHOVA, Doctor of Medical Sciences, Prof., Head of Department; A.A. LEONTIEV, dentist; S.B. ULITOVSKY, Doctor of Medical Sciences, Prof. Department of Therapeutic Dentistry of St. Petersburg State Medical University named after. acad. I. P. Pavlova
The use of drugs from the Asepta line in the complex treatment of inflammatory periodontal diseases (N.V. Berezina E.N. Silantyeva S.M. Krivonos, Kazan State Medical Academy. Kazan.) N.V. BEREZINA, E.N. SILANTIEVA, S.M. KRIVONOS Kazan State Medical Academy
Report on determining/confirming the preventive properties of commercially produced personal oral hygiene products: Asepta toothpaste used in combination with Asepta mouthwash and Asepta gum balm Head. Department of PFS Doctor of Medical Sciences Professor S.B. Ulitovsky St. Petersburg State Medical University named after Academician I.P. Pavlova. Faculty of Dentistry. Department of Preventive Dentistry.

Tip #5: Avoid activities that cause blood flow to the head

Blood rushing to the soft tissues in the facial area increases pressure on the sore area, increases discomfort, increases swelling, and increases the spread of bacteria. To make the swelling of the cheek less significant and painful, we will tell you how to act. Of course, it will not be possible to remove it completely, but it will be possible to reduce the intensity of the unpleasant sensations.

First, temporarily exclude from your diet foods that increase blood circulation: hard and hot, spicy and salty foods. Avoid drinking caffeinated and alcoholic drinks. Try not to drink too much, because... this provokes internal swelling of the tissues. You should also chew food on the side of the jaw that is opposite to the swollen side, so as not to further injure the tissue.

Avoiding coffee helps reduce swelling

Secondly, try to keep your head upright. To do this, use a high pillow when sleeping or resting.

Thirdly, reduce physical activity and avoid sports while swelling of the cheek is present. Also avoid visiting saunas and steam rooms, beaches (on hot sunny days), and do not take a hot bath. And, of course, give up such a bad habit as smoking.

Notice

: Undefined variable: post_id in
/home/c/ch75405/public_html/wp-content/themes/UltraSmile/single-item.php
on line
45 Notice
: Undefined variable: full in
/home/c/ch75405/public_html/wp-content /themes/UltraSmile/single-item.php
on line
46

Rate this article:

( 4 ratings, average: 5.00 out of 5)

toothache

Minaeva N.V. Modern strategy for antibacterial therapy of upper respiratory tract infections in children in outpatient practice / Medical Council. – 2021.

Expert “Before treating or removing a tooth, or any other surgical procedure, an experienced dentist must find out whether the patient has diseases or allergic reactions to medications that can lead to swelling. If a person suffers from hypertension (high blood pressure) or has problems with blood clotting, then the likelihood of developing edema increases sharply. The doctor’s task is not only to warn the patient about possible consequences, but also to minimize the risk of their occurrence with the help of supportive drug therapy.” Dental hygienist Victoria Nikolaevna Kashaeva

Consulting specialist

Kashaeva Victoria Nikolaevna

Specialization: Dental hygienist Experience: 7 years

Comments

Just a week ago I had a routine examination at the dentist, they took an X-ray of my jaws... the doctor did not find any problems. There was nothing to treat. A day ago my cheek was swollen, but there was no toothache. With what it can be connected? Maybe the doctor made a mistake?

Dina (12/23/2019 at 05:32 pm) Reply to comment

Editorial staff of the portal UltraSmile.ru (12/28/2019 at 09:14) Reply to comment

what should I do if my cheek is swollen due to a tooth and I am 13 years old but the tooth does not hurt

Nastya (05/09/2020 at 14:29) Reply to comment

I have clean canals in my tooth, but the pain is terrible when tooth comes into contact with tooth, and the gums are swollen, the doctor prescribed an antibiotic, if that doesn’t help, then remove the tooth)) funny)) if they see that the tooth is no longer viable, why bring my condition to constant pain for 5 days?

Irina (09/03/2021 at 20:52) Reply to comment

Write your comment Cancel reply

Treatment of gingivitis

Treatment of gingivitis must be comprehensive. Usually it takes place in several stages.

Thorough diagnosis. The doctor finds out what form of the disease the patient suffers from and what triggered the inflammation. If it turns out that gingivitis has internal causes, the patient is also referred to other doctors for more complete treatment.

Removing plaque and stone. Since stone and plaque are the main causes of gingivitis, they must be removed to get rid of the disease. This is done using special dental instruments, ultrasound or laser - the method is chosen depending on the condition of the gums and the equipment of the clinic. It is important to remove plaque not only from the visible surface of the teeth, but also from under the gums, since otherwise the inflammation will not go away.

Drug therapy . To relieve inflammation, the patient may be prescribed anti-inflammatory drugs and antibiotics. They are prescribed both internally and locally, in the form of applications. Taking medications allows you to relieve existing inflammation, which will not disappear even after removing the plaque.

Surgical operations. If the gums have grown excessively, or, conversely, have exposed the roots of the teeth too much, surgical intervention may be required. Surgeries on the gums are called patch surgeries; they are usually easy for the patient and do not cause complications - the gums heal quickly and easily. Sometimes operations are performed using a laser, which reduces bleeding and has an additional disinfecting effect.

Teaching proper hygiene. This is an important stage for consolidating the results of treatment. The dentist helps the patient choose a brush and toothpaste, prescribes the use of an irrigator if necessary, and shows the correct technique for brushing teeth.

Depending on the complexity of the situation, treatment of gingivitis takes from several weeks to several months. It is important to be systematic and not give up treatment in the middle, when the symptoms seem to have disappeared - inflammation may return, and the entire therapy will have to be repeated again.