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Trench Mouth Disease

A severe form of gingivitis, trench mouth disease is an extremely painful bacterial infection that involves swelling, infected and bleeding gums and ulcerations around the gums and teeth. Trench Mouth disease is caused by harmful bacteria that are allowed to grow due to poor oral hygiene, poor nutrition, smoking, or from throat, tooth or mouth infections. Other factors that may cause this disease include emotional stress or a compromised immune system. Named for the prevalence of soldiers experiencing it during World War I due to being stuck in the trenches, trench mouth disease, while uncommon in the United States, can be extremely dangerous and painful for those who suffer from it.

Trench mouth symptoms include severe gum pain, bleeding from the gums when a small amount of pressure is applied, red and swollen gums, pain when eating or swallowing, a grey film on gums, crater-like sores between the teeth and gums, bad breath, a foul taste in the mouth, and fever along with swollen lymph nodes. Trench mouth symptoms develop extremely quickly and can progress to dangerous levels if left untreated.

The good news is that trench mouth treatments are highly effective and a complete recovery can be expected within a couple of weeks if brought to the attention of a dentist early. Trench mouth treatments include medications such as antibiotics, pain relievers, and topical anesthetics to make eating and drinking less painful. Additional trench mouth treatments include a gentle but thorough cleaning of the teeth and gums that includes a debridement or removal of dead gum tissue from the infected area. After the mouth has recovered and is less sensitive, a deeper cleaning process, called root planing, will be performed to remove the plaque and tartar from beneath the gum line.

Trench mouth disease is an incredibly painful disease that is completely preventable with good oral hygiene, a well balanced diet and regular visits to your dentist. However, if you believe that you may have trench mouth disease, don’t be afraid. At Howell Dental Associates, we can quickly and safely get you on the road to recovery and give you back your beautiful, healthy smile.

For more information about trench mouth disease and how our New Jersey dental office can help, call (732)-363-5115 to schedule an appointment and start treatment today.