Diagnosis
Depending on the location of the oral abscess and the cause, the diagnosis and treatment is carried out by a dentist, orthodontist or ENT specialist. An anamnesis is first taken. Here, the patient is asked what he/she knows about his/her illness – i.e. how long the abscess has existed, when it was noticed, whether any pre-treatments have been carried out, etc.
Afterwards the physician takes a look at the abscess. If pus emerges, in particularly extensive cases a smear is taken to determine the pathogen. If there are accompanying symptoms and suspicion of an underlying disease, further examinations are carried out, such as a blood test to measure various parameters in the blood.
The time until a mouth abscess is completely healed depends on many different factors. In principle, the earlier an abscess is treated in the mouth, the faster the healing process. In addition, the immune system plays an important role. The stronger this is, the faster and less complication-prone an oral abscess can heal.
Abscess in the cheek
An abscess in the cheek can be caused by bacteria in the oral cavity. A cheek abscess can be related to an abscess of the jaw. The symptoms of a cheek abscess correspond to the typical signs of inflammation – similar to other parts of the oral cavity. The choice of treatment is often a surgical procedure.
Lip abscess
Abscess during pregnancy
During pregnancy the development of oral abscesses can be favoured due to a changed hormonal balance and a possibly weakened immune system. Treatment of a mouth ulcer during pregnancy is carried out after a medical evaluation of the benefit-benefit ratio. As a rule, however, the pus should be drained, as otherwise the body suffers from a constant burden of inflammation.
Cigarette consumption
Cigarette smoke can delay the healing process of a mouth abscess. Therefore, it is strongly advised to refrain from smoking. In addition, regular smoking can promote the development of a mouth abscess.
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