When you have suffered an injury, the body reacts by inflaming or creating swelling in that area. Inflammation can occur on any part of the body, inside and out—even in the mouth. This is the way the body repairs itself. There are two types of inflammation: acute and chronic.

A type of acute inflammation would be when you scald the roof of your mouth sipping a hot beverage, or a burn your palate with a piping hot pizza. That last example is so common that the name “pizza palate” has been coined as a medical term to describe the scenario. Acute inflammation from a burned mouth is normally self-healing within a few days.

Chronic swelling of the mouth may be more serious. Chronic, means that it doesn’t go away, or it reappears from time to time. Normally, this kind of inflammation is caused by some sort of bacterial infection. When bacterial infection occurs inside the mouth, nine times out of ten it has something to do with gum disease. This falls under the purview of your dentist, and you should make an appointment to see us right away.

The seriousness of the inflammation is the first aspect to consider when deciding upon treatment. Does it hamper your daily activities such as eating, speaking, or breathing? Certainly, if it is causing that much difficulty you should see your dentist immediately whenever something is interfering with your normal functions. If the issue is not resolved within a week, or if it seems to be getting worse, contact us so that we can determine what to do next.

If you have chronic mouth inflammation, call Dr. Jeff Davidson and our helpful team at Mountain Peak Dental. Phone: 406-363-4010, or come by our office in Hamilton, Montana.