Quite often, parents may notice a soft bump that appears on their child’s gum when pressed. What could be the reasons for this phenomenon?
- inflammation of the roots (both baby teeth and molars, permanent ones);
- the beginning of tooth eruption.
Why does an abscess occur?
There can be many reasons for the formation of a lump (fistula, swelling), but the most common of them is undetected or ignored caries. Not all children maintain oral hygiene and eat properly, and not all parents carefully control this, which causes caries to appear on one or several teeth at once.
If caries is not treated, it will develop into pulpitis, extending beyond the tooth area and affecting the upper part of the root. As a rule, a lump appears just near the tooth whose root is inflamed. Typically, a lump can be noticed near a tooth with caries or with a filling that was placed long ago or poorly; Another common reason for its appearance is an injury received from a strong blow or an accidental fall, which can trigger the onset of the inflammatory process.
Stages of development of an abscess:
- As a result of caries, the infection penetrates into the pulp, affecting the root tip.
- Pus begins to form near the top of the root.
- Purulent formations fall under the mucous membrane of the gums.
- A cyst appears, looking like a small lump from the outside.
The most important symptom of an abscess is a soft and painful swelling, even with slight pressure.
Sometimes, due to an excess of pus, the lump may burst under pressure, and then a fistula appears - a small hole in the gum, which is connected with the source of inflammation located in the upper region of the root. A feature of the fistula is the constant release of purulent formations.
If inflammation decreases for some reason, the fistula may close on its own. However, when the child’s immunity decreases and the inflammatory process begins again, accompanied by pus formation, the appearance of a fistula will not be long in coming.
Reasons for the formation of cones
The appearance of a swelling or bump in the oral cavity in children can be caused by two fundamentally different conditions:
- Inflammation of tissue in the area of the roots of milk or permanent teeth with the formation of an abscess.
- The formation of a cyst-like structure on the gum in the area where a temporary or molar tooth is about to emerge.
Since cysts and ulcers have different origins, it is worth considering their symptoms and treatment separately.
How to treat an abscess on the gum?
If an abscess or fistula appears, then you should not expect that the situation will resolve on its own: you need to make an appointment with a dentist. Treatment of an abscess on a baby tooth and a molar one will be different.
The appearance of an abscess on a baby tooth indicates periodontal inflammation. Such teeth must be removed, since the inflammatory process in the upper part of the root, accompanied by the formation of pus, may well spoil the molar, which will soon erupt in place of the milk tooth. This happens because the roots of temporary teeth are located next to the rudiments of molars. Bad bacteria and infection can also enter the lymph nodes under the jaw, causing them to become inflamed. The occurrence of a fistula means that pus will constantly seep into the mouth, which can cause the development of tonsillitis, since the tonsils will become infected. Various colds in a child are a direct consequence of an abscess on a tooth. Also, do not forget that toxins formed in the area of inflammation will definitely enter the bloodstream: this can result in allergic reactions, asthma and other serious general somatic diseases.
If we are talking about an abscess on a molar, then ordinary treatment is required for adults (provided that the tooth is not fundamentally damaged and can still be saved from removal).
Having discovered an abscess in a child, you should not try to cure it on your own. You can easily find a lot of advice on the Internet on how to relieve inflammation, but no amount of rinsing or even taking powerful antibiotics can eliminate the inflammatory focus located at the root of the tooth. Moreover, it is useless to hope that the tooth ache will stop. A bursting lump (this often happens) indicates only a short respite, during which, meanwhile, bacteria will still continue to enter the bloodstream and spread throughout the body. This situation can turn into a serious problem if the child has diseases of the respiratory system, heart and other internal organs.
Often, dentists suggest leaving teeth near which the inflammatory process is occurring, persuading the parents of a young patient to carry out the silvering procedure. The arguments for refusing removal can be very compelling: possible problems with diction and pain during the removal operation. However, such dentists neglect the information contained in every textbook on dentistry, which clearly states that a baby tooth with a purulent focus must be removed. Silvering will only complicate the situation, and an unresolved inflammatory process can lead to asthma, tonsillitis and even diabetes: in comparison with these diseases, temporary problems with diction will seem like sheer nonsense.
But the formation of an abscess can be prevented, and this is not difficult to do - just teach the child to maintain oral hygiene. At an early age, a child cannot be adequately responsible for his actions, including those related to the care of the oral cavity, teeth and gums, so responsibility for the procedure lies entirely with his parents, who must control how and when the child brushes his gums and teeth . It is the parents who should buy the most effective baby toothpaste that guarantees maximum protection against caries.
Purulent lump
The main reasons for the development of pustules on the gums:
- The most important factor that leads to the formation of a purulent lump or gumboil is periodontitis, which develops as a result of untreated caries. In this case, the size of the carious defect does not matter, and even the smallest lesion can cause a strong inflammatory reaction.
- Also, the cause of the formation of an abscess over a tooth can be an injury received from a fall or blow.
- Sometimes flux is a consequence of tissue damage from sharp objects (for example, if a child has the habit of chewing a pencil or toothpick).
Manifestations
The symptoms of this pathology are quite specific. At the initial stages of development of the purulent process, the child complains of pain and a feeling of fullness in the tooth area. At this time, a red swelling appears on the gum in the projection of the tooth root, which gradually increases in size, and pus accumulates in its center. This lump is soft to the touch and hurts when you press on it. As inflammation progresses, the formation becomes whitish and a white abscess forms.
At the same time, the general condition of the baby may suffer. Children become restless, refuse to eat, and their temperature rises.
If full treatment is not carried out at this stage, then as pus accumulates, the pressure inside the abscess increases and spontaneous opening of the white lump occurs. In this case, a fistula is formed, which connects the surface of the gums with the pathological focus. After the lump bursts, the child experiences relief of symptoms: pain decreases.
As the inflammatory process subsides, the fistulas can close on their own, but this does not mean that recovery has occurred, since the pathological focus itself remains unsanitized. With a decrease in the protective properties of the body, the disease can be activated with the reappearance of an abscess and fistulas.
Treatment
If a purulent lump is detected in the child’s mouth, it is necessary to contact the dentist as early as possible.
If the cause of the formation of an abscess or fistula is a baby tooth, then treatment will be reduced to its urgent removal. It is impossible to leave such a tooth, since the preservation of even a slight focus of inflammation can lead to the death of the permanent tooth germ.
If flux has formed over a molar, then all therapeutic measures will be aimed at preserving it. In this case, the dentist will open the lump, clean the cavity from purulent masses and treat it with an antiseptic. Removing a permanent tooth is a last resort and is carried out only when there is significant destruction.
Complications
Despite the fact that purulent bumps are rarely large, their complications can be extremely serious and dangerous.
- The death of the rudiments of permanent teeth leads to edentia. Such a condition in childhood can cause improper development of the maxillofacial apparatus and bite pathology, which will require serious orthodontic treatment in the future.
- Chronic purulent lesions and fistulas in the oral cavity are a source of infection, which can spread and cause inflammation in other organs: tonsils or adenoids.
- The constant inflammatory process changes the activity of the immune system, which becomes more sensitive to the effects of various allergens. In this case, the child may develop hypersensitivity reactions even to those substances to which allergies were not previously observed.
- If the abscess does not open outward, then the pus can spread deep into the tissues with the formation of phlegmon - a severe complication that is life-threatening.
Memo to parents
If you find a purulent lump in your child, then you need to remember several important nuances:
- It is strictly forbidden to try to open an abscess on your own. This can lead to pus entering the bloodstream and the development of sepsis - blood poisoning.
- You cannot carry out any warming procedures: apply compresses or rinse your mouth with hot liquid. This will only worsen the inflammation.
- Cold can be applied externally to the cheek in the area of the lump; this will somewhat alleviate the symptoms and slow down the development of the abscess.
- At the first symptoms of gumboil, you should contact your pediatric dentist for professional treatment.
A lump on an area of the gum where there is no tooth yet: what to do in this case?
A couple of weeks before the tooth erupts, a cyst may appear on the gum, looking like a lump filled with a clear or bluish liquid. Such bumps are by no means common: dentists do not consider such formations to be a pathology requiring treatment. In addition, such formations on the gums in no way indicate an inflammatory process.
According to statistics, a small percentage of children are affected by the appearance of such a cyst. The child may not even suspect that he has a lump in his mouth, because if he touches it, there is no pain. However, a dental examination is still necessary, because the inflammatory process may still begin, in which case intervention will be required. The presence of inflammation is indicated by such signs as increased body temperature, pain when touching the lump, and swelling of the mucous membrane.
Most parents do not like the fact that their child has a lump in his mouth: in this case, you can ask the dentist to make an incision under anesthesia, as a result of which the fluid inside the cyst will come out. As a rule, when part of the cyst is removed, the crown of the tooth about to erupt is visible.
How to help a child at home with suppuration?
If suppuration and the formation of a lump on the gum appear, it is recommended to contact a dentist as soon as possible, but, unfortunately, for various reasons this is not always possible.
If an adult can endure pain (although, of course, situations are different), then it is much more difficult for a child to endure painful sensations, and it is not easy for parents to watch their child suffer. There are ways to alleviate the baby's condition. Naturally, they will not replace full-fledged treatment, so you can resort to them only in situations where going to the doctor is impossible right now.
These include:
- take as much warm liquid as possible, which reduces intoxication of the body;
- eat liquid food (moderately warm, but not hot!), as it injures already damaged gums;
- If the pain becomes severe, you can use painkillers. For example, Nurofen or Paracetamol - the exact dosage depends on the age of the child, so before use you should carefully read the instructions for the drug;
- to reduce swelling, you can resort to cold - any frozen product from the freezer compartment of the refrigerator is wrapped in a soft cloth and applied to the cheek;
- use rinsing solutions that temporarily relieve pain - chamomile decoction or the drug chlorhexidine, which reduces irritation.
Treatment
Depending on whether a permanent or baby tooth caused a lump on the child’s gum , the doctor carries out appropriate treatment. If a permanent tooth is damaged, seek help immediately while there is a chance to save the child’s tooth. The doctor will have to remove the nerve and fill the canals. In this case, adult dental treatment is a necessity, because if high-quality treatment and appropriate treatment are not carried out, the child may lose a tooth.
Milk teeth are removed immediately - their root system has not yet had time to form, and it is impossible to properly fill the canals. In addition, if a diseased tooth is left, the molar may grow back with defects (stains, damage.
At the Family Dentistry Center, you can remove a child’s tooth without pain or fear. All procedures in the clinic are performed under medical sedation. While the baby is sleeping peacefully and does not feel pain or discomfort, the doctor can carry out all the necessary procedures. Being able to treat your teeth while you sleep is a great way to cope with dental phobia.
Preventive measures to prevent the formation of lumps on the gums
To reduce the likelihood of an abscess to a minimum, a child from childhood should be taught to carefully observe oral hygiene.
The list of the most effective measures includes:
- Brushing your child's teeth twice a day. First, parents should brush their child’s teeth themselves, showing how to do it correctly, gradually giving the child more independence in this matter;
- rinsing your mouth after every meal;
- minimizing sweets in the diet - it is important to ensure that the child keeps caramel and candies in his mouth as little as possible;
- Do not introduce your child to chewing gum (the product is especially harmful if it contains sugar).
Preventive measures for oral inflammation in children
To protect your child from unpleasant painful conditions, monitor his diet and pay attention to oral hygiene. Teach your child to brush their teeth correctly - on time and thoroughly. Come up with a home game that will help you remember that brushing your teeth is necessary.
Simple rules will help you maintain healthy teeth and gums:
- Do not allow children to chew hard and sharp toys or pencils.
- Bring your baby for a preventive examination to our clinic every 3-6 months.
- Create a nutritious diet with fruits and vegetables that you can chew and bite into.
- Avoid fast carbohydrates. Immediately after eating sweets, you should brush your teeth or rinse your mouth.
And remember: if a child develops a lump on his gum above a baby tooth, as well as any unusual symptoms, consult a doctor immediately.
