A fistula on the gum (also called a fistula) is an opening in the gum from which pus is released, often with blood. A fistula appears against the background of caries, periodontitis, and also due to poor-quality dental services. Over a long period, the fistula develops asymptomatically, but subsequently can lead to severe complications. Therefore, if a purulent formation appears on the gum, you should immediately contact your dentist.
Fistula on the gum: causes
A fistula on the gum is a hole that forms as a complication after inflammatory pathologies, including untreated ones. It can also occur after dental intervention (poorly provided services). Very often, a fistula is formed as a complication of long-term chronic periodontitis.
Also, the reasons for its appearance may be:
- damage to the tooth root;
- advanced caries;
- pulpitis;
- inflammatory processes of the cyst;
- problems with the growth of wisdom teeth;
- improper teething in children;
- granuloma - inflammatory processes in the tissues of the periosteum and the apical region of the tooth root (accompanied by an increase in temperature, enlarged lymph nodes and other signs).
Main treatment methods
The answer to the question of how to treat a fistula on the gum in a child is given by the dentist after a careful examination of the patient and collection of anamnesis. It is important that the doctor considers the process comprehensively, using not only medication, but also therapeutic methods. Sometimes proper local surgical intervention is also necessary. Let's talk about each of the listed measures in more detail.
First aid methods
When parents and a child visit the dentist, they need to answer questions about how long ago the first symptoms appeared and whether the child has other concomitant diseases. At the first stage, the symptoms of the disease are relieved, and then a deeper plan is drawn up to eliminate the root cause of poor health.
There are several basic first aid methods:
- Relieving pain syndrome. If the baby has a high fever and all signs of inflammation, you can give him antihistamines - Nurofen, Cifecon, paracetamol.
- Reducing swelling. It is best to use safe gels, such as Kalgel.
- Removal of pathogenic bacteria. Most often, this reduces inflammation. It is recommended to rinse or carefully treat the affected area with Miramistin or Chlorhexidine.
First aid helps to slow down the spread of the inflammatory process and reduce it. But you should take medications only with a clear understanding that the baby is not intolerant to them. It is best to consult a doctor.
Subsequent drug treatment will be based on taking properly selected antimicrobial drugs, antiseptics, anti-inflammatory and antihistamines.
Surgical intervention
Surgery is usually the last option to correct the situation. Doctors resort to it when other means are completely ineffective.
The main reason for prescribing such treatment is the widespread spread of soft tissue inflammation. The area becomes more and more extensive, and pus is actively flowing from the fistula.
In this case, the doctor removes the fistula and scrapes out the affected tissue. Today, laser processing is used for this purpose, which automatically seals small vessels. The likelihood of infection is minimal and the procedure itself is much faster and painless than using traditional surgical instruments.
Next, depending on the situation, the question of the need to remove the tooth is considered. Often it can be preserved and done with simple filling of the canals. A more detailed answer to the question about treatment methods can only be given after a careful examination of the patient.
How a fistula is formed
The process of fistula formation looks like this. A small hole appears in the gum near the base of the tooth. Its color stands out a little against the background of healthy tissues - the color is rich pink or red. At the same time, the remaining teeth remain healthy and do not hurt.
At first, the fistula looks like a small swelling, then it grows and resembles a pimple or an abscess. The last stage - the seal opens, after which mucus or pus comes out of it. Then the wound becomes covered with a scar, but does not disappear. In the future, the development of the fistula can become chronic - it will open several times a year and exude pus. During exacerbations, mild pain will be felt.
Types of gum fistulas
In modern dental practice, there are two types of gingival fistulas:
- external;
- internal.
An external fistula is a flow channel ending with a hole on the surface of the gum, through which purulent and other pathological masses are discharged into the patient’s oral cavity. In turn, internal fistulas are called passages that do not have access to the gum surface, do not interact with the external environment and remove pus from the source of inflammation into free anatomical spaces in the thickness of the tissue.
Symptoms of a fistula: how dangerous is it?
Fistula manifests itself with a number of symptoms:
- unpleasant odor from the mouth;
- tooth mobility;
- feeling of foreign taste;
- mucous membrane is bluish or, conversely, pale in color;
- discharge of purulent mucus, often with blood;
- painful sensations during mechanical contact (chewing food, drinking hot drinks, brushing teeth).
The disease may also be accompanied by symptoms not directly related to the oral cavity. It is manifested by such signs as apathy, general weakness, and fever.
Despite the small area affected, the fistula poses a certain health hazard. Thus, purulent discharge can penetrate the lymph or blood, which will lead to diseases of the internal organs, pathological processes in facial tissues and even loss of teeth. Therefore, even at the first relatively mild symptoms, it is important to consult a doctor.
It is worth keeping in mind that the disease is asymptomatic for a very long time. Moreover, if treatment is delayed, this can lead to partial death of the periosteum. And then the patient will have to remove not one, but several teeth at once.
Swollen gums in a child
If your child has become capricious, lethargic, has a fever and complains of pain in the mouth, it may be gumboil. The scientific name for this phenomenon is periostitis. The disease is associated with inflammation of the tissues of the periosteum of the alveolar processes. It is caused by a decrease in immunity and the proliferation of pathogenic bacteria with the formation of pus.
Symptoms:
- weakness, painful condition;
- increased body temperature;
- possible refusal to eat;
- redness of the gums in one place, swelling;
- swelling of the cheeks/lips, asymmetrical face in a child.
What to do? Take your child to the dentist as soon as possible.
In this case, you don’t need to make an appointment in advance - you will see a doctor with the wording “for acute pain.” The specialist will open the tooth and rinse the canal, and in the future you will have to make sure that the child rinses his mouth with an antiseptic solution. It is also possible for a doctor to prescribe antibiotics.
The dentist will also recommend making an appointment with him after the inflammation has subsided. It is necessary to put a filling on the tooth, since the open canal will periodically become inflamed, and it is undesirable to leave it like that.
Diagnosis and treatment of fistula
To carry out a diagnosis, you must contact your dentist. The doctor orders an x-ray and conducts a visual examination. Treatment is carried out in a clinical setting. Therapy depends on the cause of the fistula. For example, fillings are used to treat caries, and when an infection is detected, appropriate medications are used. The dentist can also perform treatment with ultrasonic waves or laser.
In some cases, a fistula appears due to poorly done filling of the canal. Then the patient is given an anesthetic, the filling is removed, the dental canal is cleaned and then a new high-quality filling is performed.
If the cause is a cyst, it is removed, which also requires the intervention of a dentist. For recovery, the use of antimicrobial agents, antibiotics, and antihistamines is indicated. If swelling occurs, the doctor may prescribe rinsing with a salt solution.
Short description
If an inflammatory process, dental disease, or poor-quality therapy develops, a cavity appears that is filled with pus and blood. A canal connects it to the surface of the gum. It's called a fistula.
In other words, the hole is a kind of tube that helps release pus from the infectious focus. The shade of the fistula differs from the color of healthy gums; it is pinkish or reddish in color.
Healthy teeth do not become infected. The hole appears gradually, so even an early stage can be detected. Initially, the gums become swollen, after which an abscess begins to form.
Then the purulent or mucous contents come out, and tissue scarring begins. In this case, the disappearance of the channel is not observed, as a result of which relapse occurs periodically.
Is treatment possible at home?
A fistula can only be treated in a clinic. But if it is impossible to urgently visit the dentist, for example, the pain occurred at night, it is recommended to rinse the mouth with the following means:
- infusion of chamomile;
- infusion of oak bark (dry raw materials can be purchased at a pharmacy);
- if there is purulent discharge, the mouth should be rinsed with a solution of salt and soda or antibacterial agents.
The described measures help relieve pain, but do not eliminate the cause of the disease. Therefore, in any case, you need to see a dentist.
How to cure a hole in the gum
Before treatment, the doctor prescribes an x-ray examination to determine:
- hole position;
- condition of the roots;
- affected area.
Treatment is prescribed only by a qualified doctor. The therapeutic action plan is drawn up based on what caused the hole in the gum.
Drug therapy
To eliminate the inflammatory process and the source of infection, antibacterial drugs (tetracycline, metronidazole, lincomycin) are prescribed. If a hole in the gum is associated with caries or pulpitis, the tooth is treated. Regular external treatment of the inflamed area is also prescribed:
- Rinse your mouth with chlorhexidine. The solution has an anti-inflammatory, antiseptic effect. Pathogenic microflora is destroyed and the natural immunity of the mucous membrane is restored. Rinsing is carried out with undiluted preparation 2-3 times a day.
- Rinse your mouth with chamomile tincture. Fresh or dried flowers are used to prepare the decoction. Four tablespoons of raw material are poured into 0.5 liters of boiling water and left for 2 hours. Strain the solution using gauze. Rinse the mouth 2-3 times a day.
- Using Cholisal ointment. This is a special drug that is prescribed for gum diseases. Relieves the inflammatory process, eliminates painful syndrome. The drug is approved from the first months of life. The ointment is applied morning and evening. The duration of use is determined by the attending physician.
Surgery
Surgical intervention is prescribed when a hole appears in the gum due to periodontitis or an infectious source at the root. Local anesthesia is used. The fistula is opened using a dental scalpel, and the accumulated exudate is removed using drainage. The cleaned hole is treated with an antiseptic drug, then a medicated bandage is applied.
If the infection is present at the root, opening of not only the gums, but also the alveolar process is required. Surgical root treatment is performed using an open method. At the end of the surgical intervention and bone tissue augmentation, the wound is sutured. If the root is severely damaged and there is no possibility of its preservation, the tooth is removed.
- Fistula on the gum: treatment in a child
Folk recipes
If a fistula appears on the gum, in combination with drug treatment, the use of traditional healing methods may be prescribed. The most common and effective recipes:
- Herbal infusion. To prepare the decoction you need 2 tablespoons of St. John's wort, the same amount of calendula and chamomile. The herbs are poured with 0.5 liters of boiling water. Leave for 2 to 3 hours. Rinse the mouth with the strained infusion at least 4 times a day.
- Sage decoction. Used to disinfect and restore damaged areas in the oral cavity. It can be infused with yarrow or oak bark.
- Eucalyptus ointment. The leaves are crushed and sunflower oil is added. The infusion of the resulting mixture should last for at least 24 hours. After this, add a small finely chopped onion. The prepared composition is wrapped in gauze and applied to the hole in the gum. Eucalyptus ointment helps draw out purulent exudate and accelerates healing.
- Propolis. If surgery was performed, the use of bee propolis may be prescribed to disinfect the wound. It dissolves in the oral cavity until completely dissolved.
Prognosis and complications
If a hole in the gum is identified in a timely manner and treatment is started, the person will have a favorable prognosis with complete restoration of the mucous membranes. If you follow all medical recommendations, the elimination of the fistula occurs within 2 weeks.
If there is no treatment or a person self-medicates, the likelihood of developing dangerous complications increases:
- abscess;
- phlegmon;
- osteomyelitis;
- sinusitis;
- sepsis;
- tooth loss.
Prevention of fistulas
The main measure for preventing fistulas is maintaining oral hygiene. It is necessary to undergo an annual examination by a dentist and, if necessary, begin treatment for caries and periodontitis in order to prevent the development of chronic diseases.
It is also advisable to be treated by experienced, qualified dentists, since poor-quality services can also lead to the formation of a fistula. After the intervention, you need to monitor your well-being to prevent the development of a fistula.
Content:
- Causes of the problem 1.1. Advanced caries, pulpitis 1.2. Granuloma 1.3. Periodontitis 1.4. Perforation at the root 1.5. Periostitis 1.6. Periodontitis
- Risk group for developing a fistula on a tooth
- Factors contributing to the appearance of a fistula tract
- How to recognize the disease
- How to cure a fistula
A fistula or fistula is a perforation of the gum tissue.
Visually, the formation resembles an abscess - it is round, with purulent masses inside and a red border outside. It can reach up to one centimeter in diameter. Serves as a channel for draining pus. A fistula on a tooth indicates that a pronounced inflammatory process is occurring in the deep layers. Due to damage to the periodontal zone, an accumulation of pathogenic microorganisms and dead cells occurs. To get rid of them as they accumulate, the human body acts very smartly - it creates conditions for the appearance of a fistula.
If this drainage channel did not exist, pus would accumulate in large quantities. One can only guess what dangerous consequences this would lead to.
