The spread of COVID-19 continues to affect us all. With the uncertainty of what is yet to come as a result of this pandemic, we continue to monitor the situation and remain focused on the health and safety of the patients we love, our dedicated staff, our community, and our families.
In accordance with the latest recommendations from the ADA (Australian Dental Association), and to make sure we are doing our part to prevent unnecessary exposure to our patients and staff ads well as the further spread of the virus, we will be deferring all routine dental treatments and restricting appointments to urgent treatment and emergencies only.
In this post, we’ll address a common patient concern of swelling inside your mouth or the jaw.
Dental Emergency Situations – Swelling Inside Mouth or Jaw
If you’ve suddenly noticed swelling inside your mouth or jaw, you need to take it seriously. Don’t simply hope the swelling will disappear, and avoid using home remedies. If you ignore the problem the swelling can worsen, and you can develop pain that you didn’t have before.
Causes of Swelling
There are two common causes of swelling:
- Your tooth may have developed an infection in the nerve. As the nerve is deep within the tooth, it can’t be seen. However, it can result in an abscess. In some cases, this pocket of pus can be easily seen. You may notice a small, fluid filled lump.
- You may have developed an infection in the gum around the tooth. You may notice your gum is red or puffy.
What to Do
How you should manage the swelling:
- To reduce the swelling and pain, rinse your mouth with hot salt water. Focus the heat on the area where the swelling has occurred.
- Never use a hot pad on the outside of your mouth. This can cause the infection to spread.
Call Dr Hoffenberg at TLC Dental. You’ll be asked some questions so we can determine the cause of the problem. Depending on the circumstances, we may advise you to come into the office, or we may prescribe antibiotics for you. Antibiotics can eliminate the infection, and the swelling will start to disappear.
If you haven’t experienced an injury that resulted in swelling in your mouth or jaw, it’s likely you’ve developed an infection. Regardless of the specific location, an infection requires professional help. If it’s not taken care of promptly, complications can occur. It can affect your oral health, and even your general health.
Start with this information and easy tips to manage the swelling, and contact us in Sydney for emergency dental services. As soon as we’re aware of your situation, we can recommend the treatment that’s right for you.
The ADA’s website can be reached here: Australian Dental Association