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.

Prevention measures

It's no secret that it is easier to prevent any disease than to treat it later. The same is true with periostitis. To reduce the risk of developing the disease described, it is very important:

control how thoroughly the child brushes his teeth;
take him to the pediatric dentist every six months for a preventive examination;
competently treat all emerging infectious pathologies;
follow the recommendations given by the doctor after tooth extraction.

These simple rules allow you to keep baby teeth healthy until permanent teeth begin to emerge in their place.

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.

Main symptoms and manifestations

In the first days of development of the inflammatory process, the child complains of moderate pain in the mouth. The gums at the site of inflammation swell slightly and become hyperemic. Children under 3 years of age may become capricious and refuse to eat. Most often, this stage of the disease goes unnoticed, and parents attribute its first manifestations to the child’s bad behavior.

As the purulent process develops, the child’s condition becomes more severe. The pain becomes intense and pulsating. A purulent focus forms on the gum in the form of a small whitish formation on a red, swollen background. Due to active inflammation, significant swelling of the soft tissues of the face develops. If flux appears on the upper jaw, then such swelling can be located not only on the cheek, but also spreads to the parotid region and the eye. If the flux is localized in the lower jaw, then tissue swelling may also affect the cervical region.

The baby’s general condition suffers and the temperature rises (sometimes to quite high numbers), the child complains of weakness and lack of appetite.

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 did gumboil appear after dental treatment?

Swelling of the gums indicates the occurrence of an inflammatory process, which caused the complication. If painful sensations are observed against the background of the tumor, the main reasons for this may be:

Periodontal inflammation. The tumor is observed on both cheeks, but pronounced swelling occurs only on the infected side.
Neglected teeth, improper placement of fillings. Before swelling occurs, pain occurs. After 2-3 days, a flux with pus may form.
Incorrect development of wisdom teeth. A hood forms from the mucous membrane, in which food particles accumulate and become inflamed.
Removal of a tooth. Due to mechanical damage to the tissue, swelling can be considered normal.
Cyst. The inflammatory process lasts for 1.5-2 years and injures the periosteum. The pathology occurs against a background of severe pain.

Attention! Swelling of the cheek after dental treatment can develop due to infection in the socket, which not only causes discomfort and swelling, but can also lead to more serious consequences.

If there is no pain during swelling, the reasons for this are as follows:

allergic reaction to anesthesia, dental materials (swelling sometimes affects the entire face);
removal of the nerve: part of the nerve may remain in the canals; after installation of the filling, flux appears;
dissection of the gums, extracted tooth (in these cases, swelling is normal);
infectious inflammation of the lymph in children, accompanied by aches and fever;
neurological diseases accompanied by swelling, congestion in the ears, sore throat, weakness.

Important! In the case of severe pathologies of internal organs, the drainage of fluid is often disrupted; as a result, it accumulates in the nose, cheeks, neck, cheekbones and near the eyes.

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.

How to treat an abscess on the gum?

If an abscess or fistula appears, then you should not expect that the situation will resolve on its own: you need to make an appointment with a dentist. Treatment of an abscess on a baby tooth and a molar one will be different.

The appearance of an abscess on a baby tooth indicates periodontal inflammation. Such teeth must be removed, since the inflammatory process in the upper part of the root, accompanied by the formation of pus, may well spoil the molar, which will soon erupt in place of the milk tooth. This happens because the roots of temporary teeth are located next to the rudiments of molars. Bad bacteria and infection can also enter the lymph nodes under the jaw, causing them to become inflamed. The occurrence of a fistula means that pus will constantly seep into the mouth, which can cause the development of tonsillitis, since the tonsils will become infected. Various colds in a child are a direct consequence of an abscess on a tooth. Also, do not forget that toxins formed in the area of inflammation will definitely enter the bloodstream: this can result in allergic reactions, asthma and other serious general somatic diseases.

If we are talking about an abscess on a molar, then ordinary treatment is required for adults (provided that the tooth is not fundamentally damaged and can still be saved from removal).

Having discovered an abscess in a child, you should not try to cure it on your own. You can easily find a lot of advice on the Internet on how to relieve inflammation, but no amount of rinsing or even taking powerful antibiotics can eliminate the inflammatory focus located at the root of the tooth. Moreover, it is useless to hope that the tooth ache will stop. A bursting lump (this often happens) indicates only a short respite, during which, meanwhile, bacteria will still continue to enter the bloodstream and spread throughout the body. This situation can turn into a serious problem if the child has diseases of the respiratory system, heart and other internal organs.

Often, dentists suggest leaving teeth near which the inflammatory process is occurring, persuading the parents of a young patient to carry out the silvering procedure. The arguments for refusing removal can be very compelling: possible problems with diction and pain during the removal operation. However, such dentists neglect the information contained in every textbook on dentistry, which clearly states that a baby tooth with a purulent focus must be removed. Silvering will only complicate the situation, and an unresolved inflammatory process can lead to asthma, tonsillitis and even diabetes: in comparison with these diseases, temporary problems with diction will seem like sheer nonsense.

But the formation of an abscess can be prevented, and this is not difficult to do - just teach the child to maintain oral hygiene. At an early age, a child cannot be adequately responsible for his actions, including those related to the care of the oral cavity, teeth and gums, so responsibility for the procedure lies entirely with his parents, who must control how and when the child brushes his gums and teeth . It is the parents who should buy the most effective baby toothpaste that guarantees maximum protection against caries.

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.

First aid for flux: what can and should be done at home

Let’s make a reservation right away: treatment of this pathology should only be carried out by a doctor. Non-traditional home therapy methods are unacceptable in this case. Not only are they ineffective, but they can also harm the child. But the most dangerous thing is that by giving preference to home treatment methods, precious time is lost, which increases the risk of complications.

Home treatment methods are relevant while waiting for a visit to the doctor. For example, if you are unable to see a dentist immediately, then before visiting the clinic, use the following recommendations:

Antiseptic drugs . Contact your doctor and find out which medications should be used to rinse your mouth. The doctor will recommend antiseptic solutions such as chlorhexidine, furatsilin and others.
Soda and salt . If antiseptic drugs are not available, you can rinse your mouth with a solution of soda and salt. It is not difficult to prepare such a solution. For 250 ml of boiled warm water, take one teaspoon of salt and soda. You should rinse every 30-40 minutes.
Medicinal herbs . A number of medicinal plants have pronounced anti-inflammatory, antibacterial and sedative effects. Such herbs include chamomile, sage, lemon balm, St. John's wort and oak bark. The mentioned medicinal herbs are used both individually and in the form of collections.

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.

What is gumboil of baby teeth?

Flux is an inflammation of the tissues surrounding the bone (periosteum).
The pathology is acute and is often accompanied by a purulent process, which, in the absence of proper therapy, spreads to other tissues and parts of the face. In the medical literature, the periosteum is called the periosteum, so the disease is also called periostitis. Pathology often occurs in children due to the anatomical and physiological characteristics of the child’s body. So, unlike permanent teeth, a child’s baby teeth are more porous. The pulp of primary teeth is located closer to the gingival surface. In addition, the root canals for baby teeth are wider than for permanent teeth. All these circumstances contribute to the spread of the infectious and inflammatory process. Pyogenic bacteria multiply better in such conditions, which is why flux develops quickly in a child.

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.

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.

Features of tooth extraction in children

Pediatric dentistry is focused on the treatment and prevention of oral diseases. In this case, psychological support for the baby is important. Specialists must act delicately, instilling trust and relieving the child of fears. This is especially important in case of forced tooth extraction. Therefore, there are several unspoken rules of the pediatric dentist.

Do not use the word “pain” or the particle “not.” Children do not accept denial and react sharply to unpleasant phrases.
Do not discuss the details of the procedure in the office. Medical terms and unfamiliar words frighten the baby.
Try to hide dental instruments from the eyes of the small patient. Forceps, packages of syringes and drill attachments can drive even the most courageous tomboy into hysterics.

This procedure requires high professionalism and great care from the doctor. With one careless movement, he can damage the germ of a new tooth and the tissue of the socket, which will cause a delay in eruption and various dentofacial deviations.

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.