Your jaw may swell up due to different reasons. A sudden swelling of the jaw, tongue, or mouth may signal a medical emergency and you must seek immediate help.
What Causes the Jaw to Swell Up?
An infection may cause lymph nodes near the jawbone to swell giving the appearance of a fuller face. Swelling of the jaw because of a viral infection can be corroborated by the presence of other symptoms such as fatigue, fever, and headache. An injury to the jaw from a fall or a vehicular accident can lead to an inflammation. Inflammation due to trauma will likely be accompanied by pain and visible bruising. A tooth abscess resulting from bacterial infection of the tooth pulp is another common reason for a swollen jaw. A tooth abscess requires immediate attention because the pus-filled abscess can lead to infection of the bone and surrounding tissue. Apart from a swollen jaw, other symptoms of an abscessed tooth include swollen gums and fever. A tooth removal results in a swollen jaw. The pain and swelling subside after a day or two while taking pain medications. A partially erupted wisdom tooth can result in a condition known as pericoronitis in which the gums swell and pus may build up around the tooth. The infection, if not controlled, may cause a swelling of the lymph glands in the neck and a swelling of the jaws. Tonsillitis, mumps, infections of the salivary glands, Lyme disease, syphilis, arthritis, lupus, Ludwig's angina, etc. are some of the other reasons for a swelling of the jaw. Given that a swelling of the jaw can be due to any of the causes mentioned above, singly or in a combination, it is important that a proper diagnosis is made. The choice of treatment procedures and medication following an accurate diagnosis. Call to schedule an appointment today.
Dental Blog | Madison Oral Surgery and Dental Implants The doctors at Madison Oral Surgery and Dental Implants have provided this blog to help our patients and the community. We hope our blog will cover the many topics that you and your family may be interested in. Madison Oral Surgery & Dental Implants, 2921 Landmark Place, Suite 100, Madison, WI 53713 ^ (608) 960-7650 ^ madisonoralsurgeons.com ^ 3/23/2023 ^ Key Phrases: Oral Surgeon, Dental Implants, All on 4, Wisdom Teeth Extractions
Your jaw may swell up due to different reasons. A sudden swelling of the jaw, tongue, or mouth may signal a medical emergency and you must seek immediate help.