What are the risks of fistulas on the gums?
A fistula on the gums should definitely be presented to a dentist as soon as possible. The dentist can initiate a suitable treatment in view of the clinical picture. In general, the fistula itself does not pose a risk.
However, it is an indication of chronic inflammation within the oral cavity. The main risk of such an inflammation is that the inflammatory processes can spread to the jawbone. In the long term, the jawbone is attacked and its structure is changed.
The jawbone tends to become thinner and thinner and can no longer provide adequate anchorage for the teeth. Patients who do not have a fistula on the gums treated promptly are therefore at risk of losing teeth. Due to the extensive bone loss, this can even affect completely healthy neighboring teeth.
In addition, chronic inflammation, regardless of its location, has been shown to cause a weakening of the immune system. This in turn makes the affected patients more susceptible to other diseases. A fistula tract does not necessarily result in the removal of a tooth, but it can occur as a complication if all other therapy attempts have failed.
The prognosis of a root canal treatment is positive, which is why the majority of fistulas recede simply by disinfecting the canal system and filling the root. If the fistula tract still remains and pus emerges, a root tip resection is initiated as a therapeutic step, in which the fistula tract is usually removed completely. If this attempt also fails, a tooth removal is considered.
In some cases the tooth can then no longer be preserved.Since there are a variety of causes for the development of a fistula on the gums, the timely treatment of any changes within the oral cavity is of primary importance. The prevention of a fistula on the gums, which can be accompanied by severe pain, primarily involves improving oral hygiene. In this context, participation in a dental prevention program should be considered.
Persons with poor oral hygiene should start by consistently cleaning their teeth three times a day. However, it should be noted that not only the quantity, but above all the quality of oral hygiene plays a decisive role in the prevention of fistula on the gums. Especially the interdental spaces are often neglected by most of the patients affected.
To ensure effective cleaning of these interdental spaces, so-called interdental brushes (interdental space brushes) and/or dental floss should be used at least once a day. In addition, caries should be examined promptly by a dentist and treated immediately if necessary. In this way, the development of inflammatory processes within the oral cavity can be prevented.
Regular professional tooth cleaning (PZR) is also considered an effective method of preventing fistula on the gums. The formation of a fistula can be a result of an inflammation under a root tip through which the inflammatory secretion can drain away. As soon as the patient notices the fistula, he or she should consult the doctor for appropriate treatment.
Often the patient cannot see the fistula because it emerges, for example, on the palatal side of the teeth and is only discovered as a chance finding during the checkup. If nothing is done against the fistula, pus constantly emerges from the exit of the fistula, so that the inflammation persists and there is a risk of abscess formation.
