Diagnosis

The diagnosis of a thick cheek is usually clearly assigned to a focus of inflammation. To make the correct diagnosis, it is necessary to see a dentist. The dentist takes an x-ray to clearly identify the affected region as the origin and can initiate the individually adapted therapy depending on the severity of the symptoms.

Therapy

In case of a pronounced thick cheek, the dentist cannot do without a surgical intervention. Local anesthesia is used at the affected area, which is not easy in inflammatory tissue, as the anesthesia cannot develop its full effect in this tissue. The dentist makes a relief incision in the affected area to allow the pus secretion that has formed in the cavity to drain away.

This so-called incision already gives the patient the feeling of pressure relief during the treatment. The complete contents of the abscess are “squeezed out” and then disinfected with a rinsing solution. This rinses out all bacteria from the wound.For supportive healing, a tamponade strip is inserted into the cavity, which is soaked in a medication and ensures that the wound does not close immediately and that any remaining secretion does not re-encapsulate.

The strip is changed daily until the patient is completely free of symptoms. In addition to this surgical therapy, antibiotics can accelerate the complete healing process. The arrangement will be discussed individually with the dentist and the dosage of antibiotics will depend on the patient’s case.

In addition to antibiotics, painkillers such as ibuprofen are prescribed, which have an anti-inflammatory effect and relieve the pain. The dose prescribed by the dentist should also not be exceeded. If the cause of the thick cheek is due to a tooth, a subsequent therapy must be initiated by the dentist, where it is decided whether the tooth is still worth preserving.

In the worst case the tooth must be removed, a so-called tooth extraction. Although home remedies are very popular with many patients before the visit to the dentist, they are not recommended as the only self-therapy for abscesses. Sedatives such as clove oil or rosemary leaves can temporarily relieve the inflammatory pain, but cannot reach the focus below the root tip.

The affected area can be cooled with cold compresses or ice cubes wrapped in a towel. You can also rinse your mouth with chamomile tea. Chamomile has disinfectant and anti-inflammatory properties and can help prevent infection or provide initial relief in the event of infection.

Heavy physical exertion or sporting activities should be avoided at first. Furthermore, a fundamentally extensive and intensive oral hygiene is very important. In addition to this, one should pay special attention to a healthy diet during this time to strengthen the immune system.

Home remedies can also be used to support dental therapy. Nevertheless, the procedure must be discussed with the dentist in order not to reduce the success of the therapy. The first self-therapy, which the patient can carry out himself, is to cool the swelling, which is reddened and warmed.

This measure makes sense, since inflammatory germs prefer heat to multiply. Cooling ensures that the pathogens do not spread so quickly and relieves the pain. Ideally, a cooling compress can be wrapped in a kitchen towel and applied to the affected area for about 15 – 20 minutes without pressure.

This procedure may be repeated, but the cooling process should not be continuous, otherwise the body will resist the cooling with increased blood circulation, which would be counterproductive for the reduction of the swelling. In general, antibiotics are recommended for thick cheek, as the boil can spread rapidly and the antibiotic quickly eliminates all bacteria. The dentist decides individually, depending on the patient case, size and severity of the abscess, whether antibiotic administration is sufficient as the sole therapy or whether it is prescribed as a supportive measure to a surgical treatment or whether a sole relief incision is sufficient as a therapeutic measure.