Symptoms
Swelling in the mouth is often accompanied by toothache or pain when chewing, depending on the cause. Often a swollen cheek appears. This can be accompanied by difficulty swallowing. In the case of an allergic cause, there is often a rapid, severe swelling in the mouth after contact with the allergen, a furry feeling on the tongue, shortness of breath, racing heart and difficulty swallowing. An allergic reaction can always be life-threatening, which is why an emergency doctor should be called immediately.
Therapy
The first thing to do in case of an inflammatory swelling in the mouth is to cool it down. For example, ice cubes in a towel can be placed on the swollen area. The local cold causes the blood vessels to contract and the swelling to subside somewhat.
You can also drink calming teas, for example chamomile tea or sage tea, or use them for gargling. Camomile and sage have an anti-inflammatory, calming and pain-relieving effect. In the case of inflammation of the salivary glands, it is important to stimulate the flow of saliva.
Here it helps to chew gum, suck sweets or drink lemon tea. If the swelling in the mouth is very painful, taking anti-inflammatory drugs such as ibuprofen or paracetamol can also help. However, prolonged swelling in the mouth should always be clarified and treated by a doctor. In the case of caries or root canal inflammation, the affected tooth must be cleaned. In case of salivary gland inflammation, the use of antibiotics is often necessary.
Swelling after wisdom tooth surgery
Swelling in the mouth can often occur after oral surgery, for example after the removal of a wisdom tooth. It is often associated with a high level of suffering and is accompanied by severe pain. The operation results in local trauma in the oral mucosa, which is always accompanied by a natural inflammatory reaction in the body.
The symptoms usually last for several days, but decrease in intensity over the course of time. Therapeutically, constant cooling, drinking soothing, warm unsweetened teas, and avoiding solid, spicy or hot food and hot drinks helps here. In the beginning you should rather have soups and porridge.
Smoking and alcohol should also be avoided after the operation, because they can disturb the wound healing and intensify the inflammatory reaction. In addition, painkillers can also be taken in case of severe pain. If there are no complications, the wound usually heals within a few days and the swelling and pain subside.If there is no improvement or even a worsening of the symptoms within a few days, this may indicate an inflammation of the wound. It is therefore essential to consult the treating doctor again.
