Flux on the gums, treatment - how and how to treat gumboil

Flux on the gums is an extremely unpleasant, but quite common phenomenon, which is an inflammatory process in the periosteum area. The word “flux” is of German origin and is translated as “flow, flow.” Today, this term is not commonly used in professional circles. Instead, experts use the scientific name of the disease - odontogenic periostitis. In most cases, it overtakes the most patient patients who diligently avoid visiting a professional dentist for a long time. As a result, due to laziness or fear of the dentist, the patient receives severe swelling of the gums, constant dull pain, and in some cases, high fever.

Despite the fact that the phenomenon in question cannot be called a rarity, this does not make it any less harmless. The advanced form of periostitis is quite dangerous, so the health of the oral cavity and teeth should be taken as seriously as possible, and at the first signs of inflammation you should consult a specialist as soon as possible.

Causes of the disease

Patients often blame the careless work of dentists for the development of inflammatory processes in the oral cavity. Thus, “flux after wisdom tooth removal” is one of the most discussed topics on dental forums. In fact, the most common causes of periostitis are gum trauma and untreated tooth decay. Often the situation is complicated by the patient’s reluctance to visit the dentist in a timely manner. As a result, food debris inevitably accumulates in places of damage, which eventually begin to rot. Further, the pus accumulates and then begins to rapidly spread, affecting healthy tissues of the oral cavity.

The most common causes of gumboil are damage to the gums, poor oral hygiene and caries.

Treatment of flux on the gums with folk remedies cannot guarantee a high-quality result. Most often, self-prepared medicinal products can only suppress the pronounced manifestations of the disease, and not eliminate the causes of its occurrence. For this reason, when the first symptoms of periostitis appear, it is important to undergo high-quality flux treatment in dentistry, which can guarantee complete relief of the inflammatory process.

Treatment

Treatment for flux can be boiled down to a catchphrase in Latin: “Ubi pus, ibi incision,” which translates as “Where there is pus, there is an incision.” Treatment of flux begins with eliminating the cause that caused the flux. That is, from the removal of the causative tooth. Next, they begin to drain (empty) the purulent focus by opening (incision) in the area of the flux. The abscess is emptied, the abscess cavity is washed with antiseptic solutions, and drainage is installed through which pus will be released. Regardless of the type of flux, the principle of treatment remains the same: opening the lesion, drainage.

In the postoperative period, daily antiseptic treatment (washing) with antiseptic solutions is carried out. There is a peculiarity in the treatment of these diseases (flux, periostitis, phlegmon, etc.), which is that immediately after surgery and up to 1-2 days, facial swelling (flux) may increase. This should not be taken as a worsening of the disease. The fact is that any surgical intervention is perceived by the body as an injury, and the body responds to this by increasing tissue swelling in the area of injury. This may be accompanied by increased swelling of the eyelids, cheeks, etc. Painful sensations decrease and subsequently decline as acute inflammatory phenomena subside. As a rule, antibacterial drugs, antihistamines and painkillers are prescribed after surgery.

If there is an advanced case of flux, which is accompanied by a violation of the function of external respiration (the patient may suffocate), then hormonal drugs are prescribed, and even an operation is performed - a tracheotomy. The operation consists of making an incision in the area of the tracheal rings and installing a tube. As the swelling of the upper respiratory tract (pharynx, larynx) decreases, when the threat of asphyxia (suffocation) has passed, the tube is removed from the trachea, and the patient breathes through the natural airways. The duration of prescription of drugs is determined by the attending physician. The drainage in the wound is periodically changed, and the wound is removed when cleansed. The duration of drainage in the wound is also determined by the attending physician, based on the clinical picture of the disease. The drainage can remain in the wound for an average of 3 to 10 days.

If the incision for flux was made through the oral mucosa, then additional suturing of the wound is not required in the future. The wound in the oral cavity will heal on its own (by secondary intention). If the incisions were on the skin side, then after the acute inflammatory processes have subsided, the wound can be sutured. After suturing the wound (and this can be 2-4 weeks after surgery), the patient is also prescribed antibacterial drugs and painkillers, and the wound is drained.

With inadequate treatment, as well as in advanced cases of flux, complications such as suffocation, penetration of infection into the cranial cavity, onto the membranes of the brain, into the neck and into the mediastinum (part of the chest cavity where vital organs are located), penetration into the orbital cavity with damage to the optic nerve and the occurrence of a systemic inflammatory reaction (sepsis), which leads to multiple organ failure and even death.

Soft tissue incisions, which are used in the surgical treatment of flux, must ensure complete sanitation of the purulent focus and adequate drainage. Surgical treatment should not be replaced by the prescription of strong antibacterial drugs. Waiting tactics, delays in performing surgery, and small incisions that do not provide adequate drainage of the purulent focus are unacceptable. We must not forget that surgery for a purulent process in the maxillofacial area and neck is often an operation to save the patient’s life. The occurrence of complications is more likely when the patient has concomitant chronic diseases: diabetes mellitus, coronary heart disease, anemia, diabetes mellitus and others. Elderly and senile age are also factors that can aggravate the course of this disease.

Symptoms of gumboil

Symptoms are expressed in the appearance of a purulent sac or thickening of the gum area. The photo shows a clear example of gumboil on the gum. It is this infiltrate that is the main sign of the development of the disease. Experts distinguish two main forms of periostitis:

The acute form is accompanied by severe toothache, severe tissue swelling, and swelling of the cheek. As the disease develops in the lower jaw, inflammation of the lymph nodes and swelling of the chin may occur. Often the advanced form of the disease causes elevated body temperature.
The chronic form of the disease proceeds slowly and imperceptibly, which is its insidiousness. Often there is thickening of the jaw bone in the affected area. Despite the fact that there are practically no pronounced symptoms in this case, the consequences of this form of flux are no less dangerous.

How and why inflammation occurs

The main cause of flux is a bacterial infection: microorganisms living in the oral cavity secrete acids that destroy demineralized tooth enamel with the formation of a carious cavity. If caries remains untreated, over time, bacteria completely destroy the layer of hard dental tissue, penetrate into the soft core of the tooth, the pulp, permeated with nerves and blood vessels, and then spread through the root canal and enter the tissues surrounding the apex of the tooth root, causing their inflammation.

Often the inflammatory process is accompanied by the release of fluid (exudation), which accumulates in the resulting root pocket. Due to the pressure of the fluid, at first a person feels pain when biting, then, as inflammation develops and pus forms, the pain becomes constant and very severe. At the same time, the temperature rises, and the tissues surrounding the inflammatory focus become severely swollen.

There are a number of factors that increase the risk of flux formation, especially in the presence of an untreated carious process. This:

cyst near the root of the tooth;
presence of tartar;
infectious inflammation of the gum pocket;
crack or chip of a tooth, damage to an old filling;
hypothermia of the body;
presence of a throat infection;
Irregular brushing of teeth.

When the periosteum in the upper jaw becomes inflamed, the swelling spreads to the upper lip and cheek under the eye. In the case when tooth flux affects the lower jaw, the lower lip and part of the cheek swell, and the lymph nodes of the neck swell. In some cases, the abscess spontaneously breaks out, and its contents flow into the oral cavity, which leads to a gradual attenuation of the inflammatory process and its transition to a chronic form. However, it does not stop completely, and the source of infection in the body remains, often for many years.

Diagnostics

Before proceeding with dental flux treatment, the doctor must conduct an appropriate diagnostic examination. The exact diagnosis is determined based on data obtained during a clinical examination and x-ray diagnosis. Laboratory tests allow you to accurately determine the stage of the inflammatory process. Only after making an accurate diagnosis will a specialist be able to decide what to do with gumboil and which method of treatment in this particular case will be optimal.

Why does flux form?

Dental diseases are always the precursor to gumboil. Most often lead to suppuration:

Untreated caries. If caries is not treated, the inflammatory process begins to spread to other tissues. Pulpitis and periodontitis gradually develop.
Mechanical injury. Injury can lead to more than just crown destruction. Very often, an inflammatory process develops in injured tooth or gum tissues. Without treatment, purulent processes develop and gumboil forms.
Periodontitis. In more than half of the cases, gumboil develops precisely against the background of periodontitis, as its complication. This is due to the fact that purulent processes from periodontal pockets can spread to the neck of the tooth.
Poorly sealed canals. Before filling, the canals must be completely cleaned and the filling material must completely fill the cavity. If at least one of the conditions is violated, the infection from the canal spreads to other tissues.

How to treat flux?

If your tooth hurts and gumboil appears on your cheek, you shouldn’t panic and look for something to rinse your mouth with. “Grandmother’s” treatment methods really help get rid of acute pain and relieve some swelling, but they have not yet helped anyone cope with purulent compaction, which is the main danger. How and with what to treat flux? How to remove gumboil in case of gum inflammation? Only a qualified dentist can give detailed answers to these and other questions.

Self-medication with folk remedies will only help dull the pain and relieve swelling a little. Only a qualified dentist can completely remove pus and eliminate the cause of inflammation.

How is flux treated in dentistry? Currently, there are two main methods of treating gumboil on the cheek:

Opening the pus sac, in which the doctor removes the accumulated pus through a small incision. The procedure is performed under anesthesia. After removing the pus, the specialist installs a drainage at the site of the incision - a special rubber strip that ensures the outflow of pus and prevents the wound from healing ahead of time.
Cleaning an abscess through a root canal is necessary if the inflammation is a consequence of caries or a crack in the tooth.

Often in advanced stages of the disease there is a need for tooth extraction. Typically, this procedure is carried out when there is deep destruction of the causative tooth or if there is a large infected area between the tooth and the gum. Removal is also used if there is a sufficiently large crack in the tooth that cannot be treated.

Typically, the doctor begins by making an incision into the periosteum or lining of the mouth. The causative tooth is usually removed gradually, that is, in parts. For this, a special dental saw or laser is used. Modern equipment has made it possible to make the procedure for tooth extraction quick and completely painless, so there is no need to be afraid of treatment. After the operation, the sharp edges of the incision are smoothed, which is then washed with peroxide or other antiseptic agents and fixed with sutures.

You cannot pierce or squeeze out the tumor yourself.

If you have gumboil, never follow advice from the Internet on how to treat it at home by piercing or squeezing with sharp objects (for example, a needle). Why? Firstly, it is difficult to follow all the rules of asepsis at home, and you can introduce an infection into the wound, which will worsen the situation.

Secondly, it is almost impossible to squeeze out pus without leaving a residue; moreover, it can be pressed into the tissue even more strongly. And this will subsequently lead to the development of such serious pathologies as phlegmon and osteomyelitis, which will have to be treated in a hospital setting.

Antibiotics for flux

As noted above, flux is a consequence of a bacterial infection, which is often treated by taking antibiotics. Many, at their own peril and risk, try to cope with inflammation by independently taking quite strong medications that can cause serious damage to the health of the entire body. Effective and at the same time safe treatment of flux with antibiotics can only be prescribed by a qualified specialist.

Antibiotics for flux are prescribed by a doctor individually. Self-use of strong medications is fraught with serious consequences for the entire body.

Antibiotics, like anti-inflammatory drugs, are used in dentistry for flux as part of complex maintenance therapy. The only way to stop the inflammatory process and remove the pus is surgery. Antibiotics are usually prescribed at the very beginning of treatment if the disease is in the earliest stages of its development, but identifying such inflammation at the initial stage can be quite difficult. As a rule, the dentist is able to detect the very first signs of periostitis by accident, for example, during a routine examination of the oral cavity. The specialist prescribes antibiotics for flux individually, depending on the characteristics of the patient’s body and the general clinical picture.

Types of flux

This pathology is characterized by several stages of its clinical development. At the first stage, minor pain appears. The second stage is characterized by swelling and redness of the gums in the area of infection.

During the third stage, pus appears, the temperature rises, and the cheek and gum area swell noticeably. At the fourth stage, a person feels a sharp throbbing pain, swelling intensifies, and an extensive inflammatory process may begin. The following types of flux exist:

Ordinary.
The pathological process occurs without infiltration of the periosteum by pus;
Fibrous.
With this type of periostitis, inflammation spreads to the periosteum tissue;
Read also: Hematoma in the oral cavity: causes, symptoms and treatment methods
Orthodogenic periostitis.
The disease manifests itself in the form of osteomyelitis, which is a serious complication requiring surgical tooth extraction;
Albuminous flux.
Chronic pathology, which is characterized by a sluggish course, subfertile temperature and suppuration.

Only a dentist can determine the type of disease and prescribe proper treatment, but before visiting, it is necessary to stop the process.

Flux - treatment in children

If a child has flux, you should never give him medications on your own, and especially antibiotics. Only a dentist can prescribe a medicinal course of treatment. Antibiotics destroy both pathogenic and beneficial bacteria that help fight infection, so the unauthorized use of such serious drugs can lead to negative consequences for the child’s entire body.

Treatment of gumboil largely depends on the causes of its occurrence. So, this process is not much different from the treatment of periostitis in adult patients. As a rule, to begin with, the specialist makes a small incision in the area of the inflammation and ensures the outflow of pus using a special drainage system. The treatment then continues at home under the supervision of parents. Most often, a complex of medications is prescribed, but in some cases, a specialist may allow you to limit yourself to rinsing with special decoctions and solutions.

When do you need dental help?

Flux has pronounced symptoms. The main one is the appearance of an abscess on the gum next to the diseased tooth. The abscess develops gradually. At first, the gums swell a little and a small red or whitish bump is noticeable on it. After some time, a noticeable fistulous tract forms on the lump, from which pus flows. The development of periostitis is accompanied by other symptoms:

Swelling and swelling of the gums, lips, cheeks. Sometimes they can be so large that facial features are distorted.
Severe cutting pain in the tooth area. Innervates the temporal region, orbits.
The diseased tooth begins to become very loose, even if there was no mobility before or it was insignificant.

Since flux is caused by infection, it is characterized by symptoms that appear during any infectious process. The patient feels unwell, his temperature rises, his head hurts, and weakness appears. Lymph nodes on the head and neck become enlarged.

Any of these symptoms is a reason to consult a doctor. The more advanced the case, the higher the risk of complications. This disease is often accompanied by other pathological processes. For example, a cyst may form in tissues affected by infection.

How not to cause harm?

What to do if flux appears? Some patients mistakenly believe that swelling and severe toothache can be relieved on their own with the help of warming compresses, herbal infusions and other folk remedies. Unfortunately, such health experiments often end very badly. Thus, in order not to inadvertently harm yourself and provoke further development of the disease, the following contraindications should be observed:

No warming compresses that contribute to the spread of periostitis.
Never take painkillers less than 3 hours before visiting the dentist. Otherwise, you can significantly complicate the diagnosis process.
After opening a purulent lesion, you should not take aspirin. It can provoke bleeding, especially since it is completely useless as a pain reliever in this case.
If your condition has not improved 12 hours after surgery, you should see your doctor again.

Flux requires treatment not only of the gums, but also of the problematic tooth.

Many patients in dental clinics no longer ask the question of how to cure gumboil at home when they learn that lotions, rinses, taking pills and antibiotics are simply pointless if the problem tooth itself is not opened and cleaned. The fact is that flux mainly occurs due to advanced caries, pulpitis or periodontitis. Essentially, to get rid of it, you must first treat the dental disease.

If there is gumboil, how will the aching tooth be treated in dentistry? The doctor will open the crown to gain access to the root canals. They are thoroughly cleaned and subjected to antiseptic treatment, and medications are placed in them. A temporary filling can be placed on top.

Treatment of dental diseases helps in eliminating the problem

Often, treatment of a diseased tooth requires not 1, but at least 2–3 visits to the clinic. At each appointment, the doctor sends the patient for an x-ray to assess the situation, and, if necessary, refills the canals with medications. A permanent filling is placed only after the inflammation has completely passed.

Is it possible to cure gumboil at home? No, since all that the patient can do is influence the outer shell of the tumor and symptomatic manifestations (pain, fever, swelling). It is impossible to clean the tooth canals on your own, but this is where the infection is located.

Sometimes flux develops on teeth under crowns and with pins in the roots, or is a consequence of very advanced processes. Then it is not always advisable to treat a diseased tooth - you have to remove it. In a number of situations, specialists perform tooth-preserving operations. So, if the gumboil is caused by a cyst or periodontitis, then doctors can remove part of the root (perform resection) or perform a cystectomy (removal of the cyst).

What to do after removal or opening?

After opening the flux, you should not wait for the swelling to disappear immediately. Many patients feel that the flux does not go away after tooth extraction, although this is not the case at all. In some cases, the swelling may increase slightly after the procedure. Approximately on the third day after surgery, the patient should make a dramatic recovery, but the infiltration may remain for quite a long time. Within a few hours after the operation, the toothache in the area of the lesion should disappear and the body temperature should decrease.

Usually the swelling goes away only a few days after opening the purulent focus. Do not be alarmed if the swelling increases slightly after surgery.

The specialist installs a special rubber drainage in the incision, which you should never try to fix yourself. Otherwise, the recommendations are the same as for regular tooth extraction. You should not eat for several hours after the procedure. During the day, try to avoid hard and rough foods, as well as hot drinks. Regarding the use of medications in each individual case, the specialist gives individual recommendations.

How to recognize the disease

The main and most noticeable symptom of gumboil is the presence of a purulent sac in the gum tissue, which is located near the root of the tooth. However, it is not always clearly visible during external examination. However, the nature of the disease can be understood by a number of its characteristic manifestations, including:

acute pain in the affected tooth, radiating to the opposite jaw, back of the head, chin;
increased pain when biting;
noticeable swelling of the gums with discoloration of the mucous membrane;
spread of swelling to the cheek, lip and other facial soft tissues;
deterioration of health due to the effect of bacterial toxins on the body;
increased body temperature in the acute phase of inflammation;
swelling of the lymph nodes in the neck.

Acute pain of a pulsating nature does not stop for several days and is one of the obligatory signs of gumboil. As a rule, it cannot be completely removed even with the help of painkillers.

Treatment prices

The cost of flux treatment largely depends on the severity and severity of the disease, as well as on the method of therapy chosen by the specialist. It is worth noting that modern medicine offers all the possibilities for quick, effective and completely painless elimination of the causes and consequences of periostitis. In addition, the price for flux treatment is influenced by factors such as the level of prestige of the dental clinic, the cost of the equipment and materials used, and the level of qualifications of the practitioners.