How to get rid of swelling on the cheek. What to do if your cheek is swollen, but the tooth does not hurt

Swelling of the cheek from the mucous membrane is a sign of an inflammatory process in the oral cavity. Inflammation of the cheek from the inside not only affects the appearance of the face, disrupting its symmetry, but can also cause a number of serious complications.

If you notice a swollen cheek, even if your teeth and gums show no signs of disease, you should immediately seek dental advice.

The causes of cheek swelling can vary. Inflammation can result from many different factors. However, a number of the most common causes of swelling can be identified:

1. Dental. As a rule, the cause of cheek inflammation lies in gum or tooth disease. A number of possible situations can be identified:

• inflammation may be caused infectious infection at the root of a tooth that has already been filled, when the nerve has already been removed, but the root canals have not been completely cleaned;
• tooth extraction during a complex surgical operation it can cause, which can, in turn, lead to swelling and redness of the mucous membrane of the cheek;
• gum diseases, like, can also cause inflammation of the cheek, and such a disease cannot be left unattended, since it can subsequently develop into periodontitis or periodontitis, depriving the patient of teeth;
• wisdom tooth eruption often associated with a number of unpleasant consequences, one of which may be inflammation and swelling of the cheek if the tooth.

At the first sign of cheek swelling, you should consult a doctor.

1. Infectious diseases. With the exception of purely dental infections, there are many other infectious diseases that cause inflammation of the cheek on the inside. For example, mumps affects the parotid salivary glands, which causes severe swelling in the neck and cheek area. In adulthood, this disease is difficult to tolerate and its treatment must be carried out under the strict supervision of an infectious disease specialist. Another infection that can cause inflammation of the cheek is lymphadenitis, which affects the lymph nodes closest to the oral cavity.
2. Allergic reaction. In case of individual intolerance to certain foods, as well as insect bites, an acute anaphylactic reaction may occur, causing swelling and redness of the neck, lymph nodes and salivary glands.
3. Injuries. Swelling of the cheek may well be a consequence of a soft tissue bruise and goes away within a day. If the injury does not damage the jaw joints, bone tissue and teeth, the worst consequence will be only a trace of a bruise and a hematoma that disappears over time.
4. Tumor. The rarest, but at the same time the most dangerous causative agent of inflammation and swelling of the cheek will be. It develops relatively slowly and at first it can be difficult to identify a tumor, and its symptoms can be mistaken for manifestations of other diseases.

First aid

Depending on the causes of edema, first aid methods vary. So, in the event of an injury, unless it entails damage to the facial bones, you should alternate between dry and cold compresses, and also cover the bruised area with anti-inflammatory gel.

Swelling of the cheek on both the left and right sides, in this case, will only be a minor cosmetic defect for a while.

Inflammation of the cheek cannot be ignored

If the cause turns out to be dental, you should visit the dentist immediately, and while waiting for the visit, you can use pharmaceutical anti-inflammatory drugs and to relieve inflammation of the cheek inside.

As for an allergic reaction, antihistamines will come to the rescue.

If swelling of the cheek occurs due to an insect bite, you can also use compresses made from anti-inflammatory agents.

Nevertheless, You should still visit a doctor and avoid active self-medication. Removing primary symptoms does not mean eliminating the problem, and only a specialist can prescribe effective and correct treatment.

Do not apply hot compresses to the site of inflammation., since they are capable of initiating a purulent process. Also, It is better to refrain from taking antibiotics before a doctor makes a diagnosis.

Eruption of wisdom teeth may be one of the causes of cheek swelling

Treatment

If you notice continued swelling of your cheek, The first thing you should do is visit the dentist. Moreover, if the patient has previously suffered from oral diseases. If there is no dental cause, you may be referred to a number of other doctors, from an otolaryngologist to an oncologist.

The very first procedure will most likely be an x-ray of the problem area. Based on the image data, the doctor will be able to determine the diagnosis and prescribe appropriate treatment. Self-medication without consulting a specialist can have an extremely negative impact and lead to aggravation of your problem. It is important to remember that any inflammation in the oral cavity is a good reason to seek qualified medical help.

The situation when a person has a swollen cheek is quite unpleasant. In addition to the fact that this does not add aesthetic pleasure, it can also cause physical discomfort. On the one hand, this happens most often when a tooth hurts, but if there is no pain, but a tumor is present, then what could it be?

Causes of swelling of the soft tissues of the face

If there is no pain, but the cheek is swollen, then we can talk about the presence of harmful bacteria in the body, in other words, an infection. It could be a small wound on the inside of the cheek that has become infected with bacteria. For example, in the recent past, a tooth broke off, and when the jaw moves, it touches the soft tissue, and if there are teeth damaged by caries in the oral cavity, it is easy to introduce an infection into such a wound.

In case of mechanical injuries, even if there is no visible damage to the face, that is, the blow was caused by a blunt object, it is not surprising that the cheek is swollen. This means that there was an internal bruise, which caused this manifestation. Sometimes with this reaction the body notifies us of an allergic reaction to any product, medicine or hygiene product. A case where the cheek is swollen can also be considered as a manifestation of another disease - lymphadenopathy, that is, inflammation of the lymph nodes in close proximity to the face. However, in the situations listed above, cheek swelling may not occur in any person, but only in those who have problems with the immune system.

When should you sound the alarm?

The above cases are not dangerous manifestations of any serious disease that requires emergency medical attention. But if your cheek is swollen after tooth extraction, you should think about it. It is especially worth paying attention to the accompanying symptoms: increased body temperature, severe throbbing pain in the place where the tooth was, a general weakened state. You can try to lower the temperature, reduce pain and relieve swelling, but if after a while the symptoms not only do not go away, but also worsen, consult a doctor immediately. In this case, a clinical picture of the presence of antibodies or an infectious agent in the body is observed.

Another case that requires immediate consultation with a doctor is swelling while taking medications that presumably caused this swelling. It is necessary to conduct an allergic reaction to a number of substances. If the tumor grows and you are still taking any medications, this is fraught with very serious consequences.

If your cheek is swollen after tooth extraction or during an allergic reaction, it is better not to carry out any self-medication. Please note that if you have symptoms such as high fever, severe pain and general intoxication of the body, go to the hospital immediately! If the tumor is purely physiological in nature, that is, after an injury or with inflammation of the lymph nodes, you can try to remove it yourself. Most often, alternating compresses are used: cold and dry heat. You can rinse your mouth with antiseptic solutions (furacilin, hydrogen peroxide, dioxidin).

Flux is an inflammatory process that most often occurs in people who do not follow the rules of oral hygiene and are careless about their health. The name “flux” is widely used among the people, but dentists use the medical term that defines the disease as periostitis. There are enough photos and videos on the Internet from which you can clearly find out what this disease is, what it looks like, and understand the methods of its removal.

Reasons for the appearance of flux

Not only poor oral hygiene can lead to the development of this disease, there are many other reasons:

• dental cyst;
• neglected caries;
• mechanical injury;
• inflammation of the so-called pocket between the gums and teeth;
• chronic and acute tonsillitis;
• furunculosis;
• seasonal and colds;
• hypothermia and others.

All of the above reasons are a source of development and spread of infection, which leads to the occurrence of periostitis. Leftover food can also rot and become a favorable environment for the proliferation of pathogenic bacteria that provoke the appearance of gumboil, which is why it is so important to keep your mouth and teeth clean.

Symptoms of periostitis

Decoctions for oral administration

Decoctions of medicinal herbs can be used to treat gumboils not only as an independent remedy, but also in combination with other methods of therapy (we recommend reading:). A decoction of knotweed and plantain has an excellent antibacterial and anti-inflammatory effect. To prepare it, you need to pour a glass of boiling water over one part of each herb and simmer on low heat for 15-20 minutes. Then let it brew and cool.

You can brew green tea with sage using the same recipe. This medicinal decoction perfectly soothes and relieves pain, and also has antiseptic properties. After each meal, you need to rinse your mouth for a long time to remove food debris and prevent bacteria from multiplying.

Using compresses

It should be remembered here that flux is an inflammation, so compresses should be either at room temperature or cooled. Propolis is highly effective in the treatment of periostitis. A piece of this miraculous substance must be chewed a little to soften it and applied to the sore spot. You can also use cotton wool moistened with alcohol tincture of propolis for these purposes, but care should be taken here so as not to burn the mucous membrane. Propolis perfectly relieves pain, stops the inflammatory process and fights infection, and helps get rid of an abscess on the gum. Don't forget about allergies to bee products.

A compress of cotton wool soaked in saline solution helps a lot. This method increases the effectiveness of rinses, so it is better to combine them and use them comprehensively.

Treatment with ointments

For local treatment of periostitis, ointments with anti-inflammatory, antibacterial, and antiseptic effects are excellent. These include:

• Vishnevsky ointment, which is especially effective for suppuration and inflammatory processes;
• Metrogil denta (relieves swelling and eliminates the source of infection);
• Levomekol (healing, regenerating and anti-inflammatory agent).

The cost of these ointments is insignificant, but the effect is amazing. The use of local medications will help remove swelling after flux, stop the spread of infection further and protect healthy tissues and mucous membranes from infection. They are quite effective in eliminating pain, soothing and healing.

Medicines

For lotions and rinses, you can use not only home remedies prepared according to folk recipes, but also ready-made pharmaceutical preparations:

1. For compresses, tinctures of medicinal herbs are suitable - Rotokan, Malavit and others;

Cheek swelling can be a symptom of both local and general causes of inflammation. Therapy depends on the diagnosis. Symptoms for inflammation of the gums, periosteum, and salivary glands are similar and require anti-inflammatory treatment.

Looking at a person who has swelling of the cheek, thoughts most often come to mind about a childhood infection - mumps (mumps) - or about gumboil. In fact, there are many more reasons for swelling. It’s difficult to figure them out on your own, but depending on your medical history, you can decide who can help and how.

It is most logical to consider the issue, classifying it depending on the nature of the occurrence of inflammation of the cheek, as a result of which swelling appears. Infections are the most common causes of swelling. We can talk about local infection (if the source is in the cheek and adjacent tissues) and general (affecting the entire body).

Local infection

The cheek consists of muscle and adipose tissue, abundantly equipped with lymphatic and blood vessels. It covers the gums, teeth, temporomandibular joint and even the ducts of the salivary glands. Inflammation of any of these organs causes swelling of the gums and can quickly spread to the soft tissues of the cheek, sometimes affecting the eye area. A person is worried about severe bursting or throbbing pain in the cheek, fever, pain on palpation, increasing swelling and, possibly, redness. All signs of inflammation are observed.

The reasons may be the following.

Teeth

More often, against the background of dental disease (caries), swelling of the gums occurs, which can turn into gumboil (purulent disease of the oral cavity). Similar symptoms may occur after tooth extraction (extraction). If gum swelling and pain increase during the day, it is better to immediately contact a dentist. The doctor will sanitize the purulent focus (tooth or festering cavity after its removal) and tell you how to relieve swelling from the gumboil. Antibiotics are usually used in the form of tablets or ointments. With proper treatment, gum swelling goes away within two to three days.

Salivary glands

An infection in the oral cavity can cause inflammation of the ducts of the salivary glands and the salivary glands themselves (there are 6 of them: submandibular, sublingual and parotid). When examining the oral cavity, purulent contents are released from the ducts.

Sinusitis

The maxillary sinus is located in the body of the maxillary bone. Inflammation (sinusitis) and accumulation of purulent contents are also accompanied by a similar clinical picture. Swelling of the cheek may gradually affect the eye area.

Lymph nodes

If there are diseases of the immune system, inflammation of the lymph nodes may begin, after which swelling appears on the cheek. The eye area is not affected. Children may have lymphadenitis of a viral nature.

Inflammation of the facial nerve

With a cold, neuritis of the facial nerve may occur. This is often a one-sided process, accompanied by pain and impaired movement in the innervation zone. The face of such a person is distorted: he cannot control the facial muscles of the damaged side, so the corner of the lower lip hangs down, the slit of the eye is half-closed. In such a situation, you cannot self-medicate - you need to contact a neurologist.

Deep phlegmon of the cervical tissue

A rare pathology, which is preceded by swelling of the gums, osteomyelitis of the jaw and the development of perimandibular phlegmon of the neck (inflammation in the cellular space). It can also result from suppuration of neck cysts, trauma to the esophagus or trachea. Treatment is only inpatient. This is an advanced purulent disease that is life-threatening.

General infection

Mumps

This is an acute viral infection that causes damage and swelling of the salivary glands. Swelling can occur on one or both sides, does not affect the eye area, but spreads down to the neck. A distinctive feature is that the symptom occurs against the background of a previous fever and contact with patients. Treatment is usually symptomatic.

Infectious mononucleosis

An acute viral disease with symptoms similar to a sore throat. Only a doctor can correctly diagnose and prescribe treatment.

Diphtheria

Toxic diphtheria of the tonsils is a bacterial infection caused by Loeffler's bacillus. As the temperature rises, specific plaques appear on the tonsils. Prevention is vaccination, and treatment is anti-diphtheria serum; antibiotics are ineffective.

Tuberculosis

Tuberculosis of the salivary glands is increasingly appearing in Russia, and the swelling of the disease increases slowly.

Injuries

Mechanical damage to the cheek can cause swelling. In such situations, differential diagnosis is not difficult: the changes arose after the injury. If an object hits the area of ​​the eye, where there is loose subcutaneous fat, the swelling will last longer. Internal tissue injury from the teeth is possible; in this situation, healing can be expected within 2-3 weeks. The best help is to apply ice immediately after the injury and hold it there.

Allergic reaction

Allergic causes are rare and manifest themselves in the form of individual intolerance to some product, medicine or hygiene product. After taking an antihistamine, swelling quickly disappears. With a rapid increase in swelling (Quincke's edema), assistance should be provided within 15-20 minutes in the form of an injection of hormonal drugs.

Tumor

The rarest cause of cheek swelling. This symptom may appear against the background of lymphogranulomatosis, lymphosarcoma, or malignant formation of the salivary glands. Its distinctive features are slow dynamics and other signs of the cancer process.

Regardless of the causes of local inflammation and swelling of the cheek, the symptoms are almost the same. The principle of treatment is the same - sanitation of the purulent focus, antibacterial and anti-inflammatory therapy. Therefore, it is better to consult a doctor.

The list of body diseases that can cause swelling of the cheeks and even the eyes is wide, and the symptoms are specific, but only a doctor can understand them, much less recommend treatment.