Swollen mouth is usually a sign of allergy and may appear immediately or up to 2 hours after taking certain medications or eating foods that tend to cause allergic reactions, such as peanuts, crustaceans, eggs or soy, for example.
However, a swollen mouth may also indicate other health problems, such as cold sores, dry and burned lips, mucus or other swelling of the lips, so it is recommended to consult a family doctor or pediatrician, in the case of children, each time the swelling lasts more than 3 days or, immediately, in an emergency room , if breathing is difficult.
- Rubbing an ice stone on swollen lips can help deflate.
- But using allergy medications may also be helpful.
- Check the names of some allergy remedies.
The most common causes of mouth swelling are
Food allergy is the main cause of swelling of the mouth and lips and usually appears up to 2 hours after eating, and can also be accompanied by coughing, feeling of something in the throat, shortness of breath or redness of the face. However, other types of allergies can occur, caused by lipstick, makeup, pills, home bleach or plants.
What to do: Treatment is usually done with antiallergic pills, such as cetitrine or desloratadine, prescribed by your family doctor. In case of severe breathing difficulties, you should go immediately to the emergency room or call an ambulance, calling 192. In addition, it is advisable to perform an allergy test to evaluate the type of substances that produce a reaction to prevent it from returning. . Get up. In situations by using lipstick, makeup or cosmetics, it is also recommended to stop using the same product.
Herptic infection in the mouth can cause a swollen lip, accompanied by small blisters, as well as a tingling or numbness sensation in the area. However, other infections, such as thrush, can also cause swelling of the mouth, especially when the lips are cracked, increasing the proliferation of many microorganisms, causing redness around the lips, fever and pain.
What to do: It is necessary to consult a GP to assess the problem and identify the microorganism causing the infection, to start treatment with ointments or pills. In the case of herpes, the use of ointments and antiviral pills, such as aciclovir, may be necessary. Anti-inflammatory or analgesic pills, such as ibuprofen or acetaminophen, for example, can also be used to relieve symptoms of pain and tenderness in the mouth. Better understand the signs and how to cure herpes in your mouth.
Sunburn, hot foods, or acidic foods, such as lemon or pineapple, can cause swelling of the mouth that usually lasts about 1 or 2 days, accompanied by pain, burning, and color change in the area. The same can happen when you’re in extreme temperatures, in very cold places or with snow.
What to do: To reduce swelling and apply moisturizer, cocoa butter or petroleum jelly when lips are dry or burnt. Here’s how to make an excellent home moisturiser for dry lips.
Mucole is a type of cyst that causes small swelling in the mouth after the lips bite or after a stroke, for example due to the accumulation of saliva inside the inflamed saliva gland.
What to do: Generally, the mucocle disappears without any treatment after 1 or 2 weeks, however, when it increases in size or takes time to disappear, it may be advisable to go to the otolaryngologist to evaluate and drain the cyst, accelerating treatment.
Better understand the causes and treatment of cystic fibrosis
Inflammation of the teeth, due to tooth decay or abscesses, for example, causes swelling of the gums, which can spread to the lips. In this case, the person feels a lot of pain around the inflamed tooth, which can be accompanied by bleeding, bad mouth smell and even fever. Lips may also experience inflammation caused by pimples, folliculitis, or trauma, such as device use, which may appear suddenly.
What to do: In case of dental inflammation, the dentist should be consulted for the treatment of inflammation, with pain relievers, antibiotics or, if necessary, dental surgery. To relieve lip inflammation, compress them with warm water and anti-inflammatory tablets, such as ibuprofen, prescribed by your family doctor, may be used to relieve pain and swelling. Learn more about treating dental abscesses.
A fall can cause mouth injuries, which can also occur in a car accident, which can leave your mouth swollen for a few days until the injured tissues fully recover. Usually the place is very painful and the skin can have red or purple marks, sometimes the tooth can hurt the lip causing a cut, which is very common in children who learn to walk or who are already running and playing ball with friends.
What to do: Cold compresses and cold chamomile tea bags can be applied directly to the swollen mouth, which can deflate the area in minutes. It should be used 2 to 3 times a day.
Impetigo can also cause the mouth to swell, but there is always a scab on the lip or near the nose. It is a common childhood infection that is easily transmitted from one child to another and should always be evaluated by a pediatrician.
What to do: You need to go to the doctor to confirm that you’re really impetigo and indicate the use of an antibiotic ointment. In addition, it is necessary to take some important precautions such as not tearing the skin from the hematoma, keeping the area clean, showering every day and applying the medication immediately after. Discover more care to cure impetigo faster.
In addition to these, there are other causes of mouth swelling such as:
In the only way, it is important to consult a doctor if this symptom is present and cannot identify the reason.
It is also recommended to consult the emergency department as soon as the mouth is swelled:
In these cases, your doctor will be able to unlock your airways to facilitate breathing and, if necessary, use medications, but it may also be helpful to perform blood tests and allergy tests to identify what caused the swelling of your mouth, so it won’t happen again. .