A fistula on the gum of a milk tooth in a child is a canal where a neoplasm with a hole is localized. This is medically called a gum fistula. In this case, you should immediately contact your dentist.
A fistula on the gum is a signal indicating a pathological condition in the oral cavity. It can form on the outer or inner side of the gum. It is usually visible to the naked eye.
The result of an incompletely erupted tooth
An incisor that has not completely erupted can often provoke the formation of a fistula on the gum of a milk tooth in a child. The space between the sac that covers the crown of the growing incisor and the enamel increases in size and fills with fluid. As a result of all this, as a rule, a follicular cyst is formed, which is a thin capsule lined with squamous stratified epithelium. In that case,if its shell from the side of the oral cavity becomes infected, then a serious process of suppuration occurs. Such inflammation is chronic, and it provokes the formation of fistulas on the gums of milk teeth in a child.
They can form on the mucous membranes of the palate, depending on the location of the tooth. The cause may be caries along with a periorbital abscess. Sometimes a fistula may also form on the child's face. It usually occurs in advanced cases against the background of spontaneous opening of an abscess or after violations of the integrity of foci of inflammation.
Why does a fistula occur on the gum of a baby tooth?
What are the causes of this disease?
Pus comes out through the fistulous canal, which has formed for one reason or another within the gums, which does not allow it to stagnate in it. In addition, this reduces the likelihood of damage to he althy tissue. But, nevertheless, it is difficult to call a gingival fistula a favorable manifestation, since its occurrence indicates the presence of pathological processes. In children, a fistula of a milk tooth (in the photo you can see the process of its formation) can develop due to provoking factors.
Granulating periodontitis as a cause
Children may experience gingival fistula mainly because of this disease. Granulating periodontitis is, first of all, a complication of caries, which affects, including milk incisors. If it is not cured in time, it will subsequently cause the formation of an abscess andfistula in a child on the gum. The problem can also overtake if caries was previously treated, but they did it wrong or simply did not complete the corresponding process.
Becomes a catalyst for the development of the disease and the presence of a viral disease or hypothermia in the child's body.
A fistula over a milk tooth in a child may occur due to odontogenic osteomyelitis.
Odontogenic osteomyelitis
This pathology is the appearance of an infectious inflammation of the jaw bones, which is caused by dental ailments. Immunity in children is very weak, so the disease can develop quite rapidly. Due to the fact that against this background the temperature increases greatly, it is necessary to treat the disease in a hospital.
Cyst as another reason
A fistula on the gum of a milk tooth in a child can provoke a cyst.
Such a neoplasm appears due to improper development of the incisors or the complete absence of their timely therapy. In the event that a cyst near the tooth is accompanied by a spreading infection in the tissue, then a fistula is quite possible.
Appearance of odontogenic sinusitis
This is another cause of fistula in children. It is provoked by dental pathologies, and the disease itself is an inflammatory process of the sinuses, which are located above the upper jaw.
Injury
Injuries can be caused when a baby falls. In addition, they are observed as a result of chewing solid food, inept use of cutlery andthe like.
Influence of the inflammatory process
Most often, the appearance of a fistula is explained by the impossibility of eruption of molars in children (this condition is also called retention). This manifestation is caused by the peculiarities of the gum structure, as well as the early loss of milk teeth in babies.
A cyst may form in the region of the fallen out milk incisor, and if its shell becomes infected, then a gingival fistula occurs. Such a manifestation as retension is very rare. As a rule, this is an ailment that accompanies other, more dangerous, systemic diseases (for example, we can even talk about rickets).
Incorrect treatment as a provoking factor
The cause of a fistula can, among other things, be a banal low-quality filling of dental canals. When the canal is not completely filled with filling material, voids are formed in which all kinds of bacteria can collect and multiply. They serve as provocateurs of inflammation and the appearance of pus.
In the event that a child has a fistula on the gum, this may also be a consequence of the fact that the roots were damaged during the treatment of the incisors. Parents should remember that not only molars, but also milk incisors in children are in great need of timely, and at the same time, high-quality treatment, since caries, along with infections, can be transmitted from diseased teeth to he althy ones, and from milk teeth to primary incisors.
In some examples, gingival fistulais able to form after the loss of the milk incisor immediately before the appearance of the root in this area. True, this is not considered a deviation, since over time the fistula recedes on its own. But, nevertheless, it is worth contacting a doctor in order to examine and find out the cause of education.
Symptoms of pathology
In the event that a fistula appears on the baby's gum, when examining the oral cavity, even a non-specialist can see it. Education is a tubercle, resembling a pimple in appearance. It is filled, as a rule, with pus or blood, and its color is appropriate.
Gingival fistulas usually have a head-shaped opening with a light color. In addition to external noticeable signs, the appearance of a fistula can also be determined by the following symptoms:
- The occurrence of pain in the tooth and the area around it. In case of pressure, eating, the pain intensifies.
- The gum swells and turns red against the background of the disease.
- From the mouth, if a child has a gum fistula, it smells bad.
- The tooth near which the fistula has formed becomes mobile.
- The disease can often be accompanied by fever in the baby.
- Pressing on the affected area is usually accompanied by the release of pus.
Probable Complications
If a gingival fistula is found in children, it must be cured by contacting a doctor, as such an ailment can result in the following consequences:
- Pus from outside the mouth canenter the body. This will serve to develop the inflammatory process in the kidneys, organs of the digestive system.
- In the event that pus is in the fistula channel for a long time, he althy nearby tissues begin to break down, it can penetrate into the maxillary sinus, provoking purulent sinusitis. It is able to get into the epidermis layer, and in this situation the cheek is affected.
- Often, because of the fistula on the milk tooth, the periosteum suffers. Pus is able to penetrate into it, which will turn into the development of a flux, and at the same time damage to its tissues.
Parents should take into account that even if the child's pain has subsided, it is still necessary to consult a doctor in order to receive treatment. The fact is that acute throbbing pains usually accompany the process of maturation of the fistula along with suppuration. When the pus finds a way out, the pain is significantly weakened, and the child feels relieved. But, nevertheless, this does not at all indicate the retreat of the disease.
How to treat a fistula on a baby tooth?
Treatment through traditional methods
First of all, the doctor must send the little patient for an x-ray. This is required in order to assess the area affected by the disease, and in addition, to establish an accurate diagnosis.
The fact is that outwardly gingival fistulas can look like other formations, for example, an unsafe cyst or a relatively harmless wen. Only by finding out the reasons, puttingan accurate diagnosis and determining the area of the lesion, the dentist will tell the parents how to treat the fistula of the gums over the milk tooth. There are a number of techniques used to do this.
Drug and therapeutic effects
His strategy is determined by the doctor, depending on what specifically caused the occurrence of the gingival fistula. As a rule, dental tactics are as follows:
- Open a tooth with canals.
- Remove dead tissue with pus.
- Produce disinfection of the oral cavity.
- Putting the medicine, placing a temporary filling.
The dentist determines the time during which the child will walk with the medicine. As part of the next visit to the dental office, the doctor performs the following manipulations: if there are no new lesions, then the temporary filling is removed by the doctor, the medicine is removed, and a permanent substitute is installed. Accompany the therapeutic treatment of a fistula that has arisen on the gums of a child with a medical method.
Usually, various antiseptics are used to combat the disease, along with anti-inflammatory ointments, gels, antibacterial and antihistamines.
Performing surgery
As a rule, the therapeutic effect is carried out only in cases where the formation has arisen near the molar. When it is milky, it is usually removed due to the development of a gingival fistula. Removal is required to avoidfurther spread of pus to oral tissue and he althy molars that may be affected.
In some examples, the treatment of fistulas on milk teeth in children shows the removal of the affected gum tissue along with the cleansing of the fistulous canal from the presence of pus in it. Many modern clinics use a laser for this, thanks to which the operation is painless, and anesthesia is not required at all. Therapy usually ends with rehabilitation, and at the same time with additional methods of treatment that help prevent the occurrence of recurrent formations (treatment of the affected area with a laser or ultrasound).
In addition, the doctor gives additional recommendations for oral care, involving rinsing along with processing with special products. In addition, dentists give recommendations regarding the diet, which must be followed during rehabilitation.
It must be said that children quite often encounter the formation of a gingival fistula, and, having noticed such a phenomenon in a baby, it is impossible to delay a visit to the doctor in any case. Next, consider the main recommendations from pediatric dentists.
Dental recommendations
In order to avoid the need to treat the fistula of a milk tooth, dentists advise the following:
- Pay special attention to the hygiene procedures associated with cleansing the child's oral cavity.
- Cure all dental diseases in time.
- Regularly bring the baby to the doctor forinspection.
- Immediately show the child to the dentist if a purulent lump appears on his gum.
Thus, a fistula over a baby tooth is an extremely unpleasant disease, especially when it occurs in a small child. However, with timely treatment, this usually does not cause any complications and does not have a negative impact on children's he alth.
The causes of such a fistula on the gums of the crumbs can be all sorts of local manifestations of diseases such as periodontitis, osteomyelitis, chronic odontogenic sinusitis, and so on. In this regard, in order to exclude their development, dentists advise regular visits to the doctor's office as part of prevention.
We hope the questions: if a fistula appeared on a baby tooth, what to do and who to contact, you now know the answer.
