A mouth infection can have several causes ranging from a minor problem to something very serious. It can involve the teeth, gums, cheeks, lips and tonsils. It's rare that the tongue or the floor of the mouth becomes infected. When they do it's usually from trauma. There can be pain, bad breath, difficulty chewing which can aggravate a TMJ problem or systemic disease. A tooth infection is when a tooth dies and is treated with tooth extraction or a root canal. Dental infections can originate from a tooth abscess and if not treated aggressively can become serious.

           Another mouth infection is an gum infection and treatment depends on how bad the problem is. Most gum infections are first treated with scaling and root planing but in severe gum infections, more aggressive periodontal treatment is needed. An infection of the cheek and/or lip is often of viral origin and difficult to treat. Two very common problems involving the cheeks, lips and the gums are apthous ulcers, canker sores and herpes. Fortunately, they normally run their course and disappear 7 to 10 days later. Herpes stomatitis is caused by the herpes virus which also causes cold sores. The first herpes incident that a child has can be severe. It is most common in children 1-2 years old and causes many small, sore, open blisters inside the mouth and on the gums and tongue along with a fever.

          The tonsils are located at the back of the mouth and serve to protect the body from infections. A common mouth infection is related to tonsils and causes a sore throat and tonsilitis. Oral thrush, Candida albicans, is an infection that happens when someone is run down from another medical problem. Since babies have undeveloped immune systems, oral thrush is common in babies. In adults, oral thrush is a sign of another problem that should be investigated by a physician. It can be the first sign of HIV or diabetes.

          Hand, foot and mouth disease is a viral infection caused by a virus which causes a blister-like rash that involves the hands, feet and mouth. It's common in children.  If you have a mouth infection and would like to consult with Dr. Padolsky or Dr. Smith, make an appointment by calling 404-874-7428.