A phlegmon, also known as a dental abscess, is a very common inflammation that appears in the gum area. The cause is, in most cases, an infection generated by the accumulation of bacteria from caries or gum disease.
How do phlegmons affect the patient?
Phlegmons are usually very painful for the patient, since they develop an accumulation of pus in the gums and teeth that will worsen and spread until it affects the bone that supports them. For this reason, if you have a phlegmon, it is necessary to go urgently to a specialized dental clinic, so that we can refer the pain and make a good multidisciplinary diagnosis to properly treat the cause that has generated it.
Below, our specialists tell you what to do if you detect a phlegmon or abscess and how to prevent it from getting worse.
What is the cause of dental phlegmons?
The accumulation of bacterial plaque in the mouth. These bacteria, if not eliminated, settle on the teeth and gums and can cause cavities or gum disease such as gingivitis and periodontitis, pathologies that can lead to the appearance of abscesses or abscesses if not treated in time.
In order to avoid the accumulation of bacterial plaque, it is essential to have a correct daily dental hygiene and to attend regular dental check-ups at the clinic. In addition to dental hygiene habits, diet also plays an important role in the appearance of phlegmons: foods high in sugars (sweets, industrial pastries, precooked foods, etc.) or foods with processed starches (white bread, biscuits, cereals, some legumes, etc.) and sugary drinks (soft drinks, juices and alcoholic beverages, etc.) can cause caries and the formation of phlegmons.
A weakened immune system due to times of stress or health problems such as diabetes can also lead to the appearance of dental phlegmons.
Symptoms of dental phlegmon
From the moment it originates, the phlegmon or dental abscess can produce several of the following symptoms:
- Intense pain in the affected area, which appears suddenly and does not subside with time.
- Swelling and redness of the gums, which spreads to the cheeks and other areas of the mouth as the phlegmon worsens.
- Pain or discomfort when chewing.
- Dental sensitivity to cold and heat.
- Halitosis: bad breath and bad taste in the mouth.
- When the infection is widespread, it also usually causes fever and malaise.
What to do if you have a phlegmon in the mouth
It is necessary to go urgently to a reliable dental clinic. Generally, at the first visit, we will drain the pus from the phlegmon and prescribe specific medication so that the pain and infection subside. However, this will not be a permanent solution until the cause of the infection is treated. For this, it is important to have a good diagnosis and analyze whether the problem is caused by a cavity or by a problem in the gums.
If it is a gum problem, we will recommend scaling and root planing, which consists of removing all the bacterial plaque between the gum and the bone that holds the tooth. If the origin comes from a caries, we must assess the extent to determine the treatment to be performed: If the caries has affected the nerve of the tooth, we must perform an endodontic treatment and a correct dental restoration. If the infection has already affected the dental bone, tooth extraction may be necessary.
Thus, it is advisable to go to a dental clinic with a multidisciplinary team in order to access the most conservative and effective treatment.
What not to do if you have a phlegmon in the mouth
There is a lot of misinformation about the treatment of dental phlegmons. There is talk of home remedies that promise to solve the problem by puncturing the phlegmon and draining it oneself at home. It is very important not to try to treat phlegmon without consulting a specialist, because instead of solving the problem, we can worsen the infection.
Thus, you should never puncture or attempt to explode a dental abscess or abscess. The only home treatments recommended by specialists are those that relieve the symptoms of pain and swelling while going to the dentist’s office, such as applying ice to the affected area or cleaning and rinsing the teeth well to prevent the infection from spreading.
How is a phlegmon or abscess prevented?
Good oral hygiene is the most important thing to reduce the risk of developing an abscess. Brushing teeth properly, using dental floss and interproximal brushes to clean interdental areas, and using dental rinses are the three essential steps to prevent the accumulation of dental plaque.
In addition, periodic maintenance should be carried out in a dental clinic specialized in prevention, in order to remove all the bacterial plaque that we have not been able to remove in our daily hygiene. The plaque calcifies generating the known ‘tartar’ or dental calculus, which can only be removed with ultrasound equipment in a dental clinic. At Clínica Puyuelo we carry out personalized prevention plans and we have special technology to eliminate bacterial plaque and thus prevent caries and gum disease. Therefore, having a check-up with our preventive dentistry is one of the best options to follow.
