Overview
Trench mouth is a serious and painful dental condition that occurs due to a very high bacterial infection of the gums due to which the gums are greatly affected by swelling / inflammation and also gum / gum ulcers; however, this is rare and not contagious. This condition is also known by other names: Vincent’s disease and acute necrotizing ulcerative gingivitis (GUNA).
This condition can occur at any time in your life, but it usually affects people under the age of 35. This condition mainly affects people whose oral hygiene is poor because these people have high levels of bacteria that cause gum infection. This can be easily treated and cured; However, if you leave it without any treatment, it could cause serious damage not only to the mouth but also to the jaw. ANUG is also seen in people with HIV.
Some of the famous people affected by ANUG were: American novelist William Styron, African American soccer player Ernie Davis, and actress Marilyn Monroe.
Symptoms
Trench mouth symptoms are foul odor (halitosis), pasty saliva, radiating pain from constant gnawing that intensifies when eating hot or spicy food and chewing, bleeding, red and swollen gums, etc.
Causes
The main reasons for ANUG are poor oral hygiene, smoking, stress, nutritional deficiency, etc.
Treatment
Treatment with ANUG usually lasts for a period of two weeks to be effective. Some of the corrective measures for ANUG are salt water rinses, hydrogen peroxide rinses, over-the-counter pain relievers, antibiotics, brushing and flossing, and professional dental cleaning.
Prevention
The main reason for the appearance of trench mouth in most cases is poor oral hygiene. Therefore, this could be avoided by proper daily brushing, flossing, and regular mouthwash treatment. Smoking is an important factor in the appearance of trench mouth and should be avoided.
- Good general health including proper nutrition and exercise.
- Good oral hygiene including brushing, flossing, and regular professional cleaning.
- Cope with stress
- Give up smoking
- Avoid irritants like spicy or spicy foods.
Complications
It is very essential that you take immediate necessary steps to treat ANUG because this condition will not go away on its own. The infection could spread to the entire mouth if you do not take steps for treatment, thus causing damage to the bone. Some of the complications are dehydration, tooth loss, loss of tissue in the cheeks, lips or jaw, pain, spread of infections and periodontitis.