Symptoms of a swollen cheek

The typical symptoms of a thick cheek are explained by the swelling. The affected person notices the increase in size and notices it especially when moving the cheek muscles. For example, chewing can be hindered by the insufficient mobility of the swollen cheek and speaking can be made difficult by the disturbed deformability of the mouth.

Depending on the cause, pain and fever may be added. If it is very pronounced, the mimic muscles may even be disabled and a distinct feeling of tension may develop. In general, every swollen cheek caused by inflammation is overheated and rather soft to the touch, whereas encapsulated processes, such as an abscess in the skin, feel rather hard.

Headaches can be accompanying and are usually caused by a feverish inflammation with simultaneous pain in the limbs. If a swollen cheek hurts, this is due to irritated nerve fibers. They can be sensitized by swelling or directly by inflammatory cells or pathogens.

The character of the pain varies depending on the location of the irritated nerves. If, for example, nerves in the mucous membrane are affected, it is often a localizable, stabbing pain. If nerves in the muscles are irritated, it is a pain when the affected muscles are tensed.

If nerve endings of the teeth are the cause, it is a dull, difficult to localize pain. On the basis of the localization of the pain, it is also possible to differentiate quite precisely which nerve is responsible for the transmission of the pain. A swollen cheek does not necessarily have to be accompanied by pain.

The causes for painless swelling are variable.

An abscess in the initial stage can only cause pain later, so that at first only the swelling is present.
Furthermore, salivary stones in the large salivary glands can also cause swelling without pain. The salivary stones are formed when saliva accumulates in the glands and the flow rate is low.
In addition, benign tumors of the salivary glands can also cause swelling that does not cause any pain.
Thickened lymph nodes can also cause painless swellings in Pfeifferian glandular fever caused by the Eppstein-Barr virus.
Due to the variety of causes, the affected person should not handle the symptoms lightly and should have them clarified quickly.
The dentist uses an x-ray image for diagnosis. For a reliable clarification, an ultrasound examination by the oral and maxillofacial surgeon can also be consulted.

A swollen oral mucosa can cause a so-called parulis, which is known as a “thick cheek“, as a result of not being treated. The classic cause of thickened oral mucosa is gingivitis (= inflammation of the gums) or periodontitis (= inflammation of the periodontium).

Especially pregnant women are susceptible to inflammation in the oral cavity due to the hormonal changes and the softer tissues. In the case of an infection, the body tries to fight against it with its immune system and the surrounding lymph nodes swell, which makes the cheek swell even more. If the immune system cannot fight the bacteria, the infection spreads.

This can lead to the formation of an abscess. The cheek is now strongly thickened and hard, it feels warm and is flushed. Therapeutically, all bacteria must be removed from the abscess and gum pockets.

The secretion of the abscess is drained with a relief incision. A swollen eye in combination with a thick cheek is always an emergency situation, because it is an ascending infection. This condition should be taken very seriously as it is an indication of a fulminant bacterial inflammation with pus formation.

A dentist or family doctor should be consulted immediately, who can open a possible abscess. The swelling of the eye or eyelid indicates that the infection has spread to the eye area.The brain is located in close anatomical proximity to the eye socket. It is essential to prevent the inflammation from spreading to this area.

Otherwise, the inflammation has the chance to spread further towards the brain, which can have serious consequences such as meningitis or even inflammation of the brain itself. These are life-threatening conditions. Such symptoms are not to be trifled with.

Swollen lymph nodes usually indicate an inflammatory process. In combination with a swollen cheek, they are usually enlarged under the chin towards the ear or on the front of the neck. Their swelling indicates an immune reaction of the body to bacteria, viruses or cell debris, indicating that the inflammation is serious for the body.

If the cheek is only swollen on the inside in the direction of the oral cavity, there is usually an injury to the mucous membrane. The wound responsible for this can often be seen by inspecting the oral cavity itself. Depending on the depth and size of the defect, the mucous membrane is able to regenerate itself within a few days or must be supported by medication to help the wound heal.

In principle, if a cheek is swollen from the inside, a “bump” or a changed mucous membrane can be seen or felt and can often be assigned to a trigger in the conscious memory, e.g. after an accidental bite on the inside of the cheek. A parulis or “thick cheek” is associated with pus formation in the majority of cases. Pus consists of dead defense cells of the blood and symbolizes that the body has tried to fight the infection and the pathogens, but could not do it on its own.

Other components are cell residues and proteins. The formation of pus results in an abscess, the pressure and secretion of which must be relieved by a surgical incision to prevent the infection from spreading to the entire orangery. The yellow pus secretion is highly infectious, has an unpleasant smell and tends to spread. If the abscess is not treated, a sepsis, commonly known as blood poisoning, can develop, which is life-threatening because the bacteria attack the cardiovascular system.