What should I do if my face swells from periodontitis?

Written by Wang Peng
Dentistry
Updated on February 03, 2025
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If periodontitis has already caused facial swelling, active treatment can be targeted at the periodontitis. First, if there are large deposits of tartar on the crown of the tooth, these should be removed using ultrasonic cleaning to eliminate the tartar and suppress the proliferation of anaerobic bacteria. Then, manually scrape the tartar, diseased bone, and granulation tissue attached to the root surface of the gums and thoroughly rinse with hydrogen peroxide solution. If an abscess has already formed in the periodontal area, it needs to be incised under local anesthesia, then drain it using a rubber strip, and treat with systemic antibiotics such as cephalosporins or nitroimidazole drugs to alleviate the patient’s condition.

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Written by Li Bao Hua
Dentistry
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Can periodontitis be cured?

Periodontitis is a serious condition that develops if gingivitis is not treated promptly. Mild periodontitis can be cured. If periodontitis is detected early, it can be controlled by dental cleaning, removing dental plaque, food residues, tartar, or soft deposits around the teeth, and then rinsing and medicating the gum tissue. If periodontitis further progresses to cause partial absorption of the alveolar bone, this stage can also be treated by guided bone regeneration to cure periodontitis. If severe, with extensive absorption of the alveolar bone and significant loosening of the teeth, it is very difficult to cure.

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Written by Li Cui
Dentistry
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What to do if periodontitis causes a fever?

Periodontitis is an inflammation of the gums and oral cavity. When a patient has periodontitis, they may experience pain and swelling. When the inflammation is severe, the patient may have a slight fever. In such cases, it is generally recommended that the patient take oral antibiotics effective against anaerobic bacteria, such as metronidazole or tinidazole, as well as anti-inflammatory antibiotics like amoxicillin, cephalosporins, levofloxacin, or erythromycin. If fever occurs, it is recommended that the patient take antipyretic analgesics, such as ibuprofen sustained-release tablets or acetaminophen tablets, which can relieve pain and reduce fever. If the periodontitis is severe, it is advised that the patient should promptly visit a hospital and follow a doctor’s guidance to develop an appropriate treatment plan. (Note: The use of medications should be under the guidance of a physician.)

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Written by Li Bao Hua
Dentistry
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How is periodontitis caused?

Periodontitis is a destructive inflammatory condition of the periodontal supporting tissues. The primary initiating factor of periodontitis is dental plaque, which occurs due to not brushing or rinsing promptly after eating. Over time, soft deposits accumulate around the teeth, which can calcify into tartar. The tartar contains a large amount of biofilm, such as the dental plaque biofilm, which can damage and cause bleeding or congestion in the gingival tissues, manifesting as bleeding when brushing teeth or eating. If gingivitis is not treated in time, it may lead to periodontitis. Periodontitis is also related to other systemic factors, such as genetic factors or smoking, mental stress, etc. Sometimes, discoloration of the tooth surfaces or food impaction can also cause periodontitis.

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Written by Li Bao Hua
Dentistry
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Is cleaning teeth useful for periodontitis?

Periodontal cleaning is useful and necessary for gum disease. Cleaning for periodontal disease is a basic treatment method. Gum disease results from the progression and severity of gingivitis, which occurs when teeth are not adequately cleaned after brushing or mouth rinsing is not done promptly after eating. Food residues or plaque accumulate around the gums, causing prolonged irritation, congestion in the gum tissues, or bleeding during eating, which are also the earliest symptoms of gingivitis. This can further lead to the formation of tartar, which attaches to the root surfaces above and below the gums, known as supragingival and subgingival tartar, respectively. Subgingival tartar poses a greater risk as it may lead to the resorption of the alveolar bone. Therefore, it is essential to remove local irritants through dental cleaning in treating periodontitis, followed by subsequent treatments.

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Written by Li Bao Hua
Dentistry
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Is periodontal disease the same as periodontitis?

Periodontal disease includes periodontitis, but periodontal disease covers a much broader range than periodontitis. Periodontium is the supporting tissue of the teeth, which includes the gums, alveolar bone, and dental cementum, so the scope of periodontal disease is very broad, while periodontitis is just a branch of periodontal disease. Periodontitis is caused by tartar, soft plaque, or dental plaque around the teeth, which if not promptly removed by teeth cleaning, can lead to congested gums or bleeding during brushing. Severe cases can cause absorption of the alveolar bone. Once destructive absorption of the alveolar bone occurs, teeth will become loose and may even fall out. It can also be said that periodontitis is a severe stage in the further development of periodontal disease.