Symptom Pus | So dangerous is a fistula in the mouth

Symptom Pus

Pus is a classic symptom of fistulas in the mouth and always occurs when the fistula or the fistula duct has made its way from the focus of inflammation to the surface of the mucous membrane. The fistula or the fistula tract itself is a means to an end: the deeper lying inflammation site, in which pus is formed, wants to get rid of the inflammatory secretion. One solution is to form a passage through the tissue to a surface, through which the secretion, i.e. the pus, can be discharged or transported away. As a rule, fistulas in the mouth are already noticed by an inflammatory change in the area of the oral mucosa, i.e. before even pus can be seen and tasted.

Therapy

After a fistula has been diagnosed by the dentist, there are several ways to treat it. First and foremost, it is a matter of containing the spread of the infection and the inflammatory process. To do this, the dentist first opens the resulting pustule to suck out the contents.

This immediately relieves the patient of the painful feeling of tension. In the next step, antibiotics are administered locally or orally (in tablet form). These usually have to be taken for a certain time after the dental treatment in order to kill the remaining bacteria.

To monitor the course of the treatment, an X-ray is taken, on which the attending physician can assess the spread of the inflammation in order to decide whether additional surgery is necessary.If the inflammatory process is limited to the root of the tooth, it is still possible to refrain from tooth extraction by performing a so-called root tip resection, in which the tip is removed from the remaining root of the tooth under local anesthesia. However, if tooth tissue is affected, the affected tooth must be extracted to prevent it from spreading to the jawbone. The treatment of choice for a fistula in the mouth is the removal of the focus of inflammation as quickly as possible and the surgical removal of the complete fistula tract with the accompanying administration of antibiotics.

Only this leads to a definitive cure. A conservative treatment, for example by using home remedies, is not advisable, as a progressive spread of the fistula ducts and the inflammation can become dangerous. At most, this is also recommended as an accompaniment to symptom relief, for example, the use of disinfecting and pain-relieving mouthwashes.

Treating fistulas yourself, or piercing the purulent focus yourself to allow the fluid accumulation to drain off, is not advisable and should only be carried out by a doctor. The exact location of the fistula is difficult to determine and usually the unpleasant pain is the main focus of attention, so that additional pressing with a sharp object should not be used. Non-sterile instruments can further stress the site of inflammation.

In addition, the cause is still present and the easing of the pain could lead you down the wrong path. The pus that flows out should also be sucked out and not poured into the oral cavity. In general, abscesses located in the head, neck and ear area should never be treated by yourself, as the bacteria can migrate into the brain and cause meningitis there.

Accordingly, we advise against treating the fistula yourself. As a rule, the therapy of choice is the surgical opening and emptying, as well as the complete removal of the complete fistula tract. However, this procedure should be left to a specialist, independent manipulation in the oral cavity and an independent attempt to open the fistula should be urgently avoided.

The treating dentist or an oral surgeon removes the fistula under optimal conditions and usually initiates an accompanying therapy with antibiotics afterwards. It is important to know that fistulas are usually not opened and the pus is drained, even if the symptoms improve immediately afterwards. The focus of the inflammation as well as the entire and complete fistula tract must be removed, otherwise it can form again.