Stomatitis in a child is a very common phenomenon caused by an inflammatory process of the oral mucosa, which also occurs in newborns. We can say that raising a child and not knowing what stomatitis looks like in children is almost impossible. Quite often, the symptoms of the disease initially resemble those of a respiratory infection with a characteristic fever, stuffy nose and poor appetite. But after a short time, parents notice the appearance of blisters and ulcers on the gums, cheeks and inner lips, which can be caused by various pathogens. The child behaves anxiously, capriciously, sleeps poorly... Even for an adult, it is very difficult to endure the painful sensations that arise from stomatitis, not to mention children, who cannot always clearly explain what is tormenting them. Parents, of course, are concerned about the question of what causes stomatitis in children and whether the occurrence of such a disease can be prevented. Let's try to understand this thoroughly.
Indications for use
The ointment copes well with inflammatory processes and draws out pus. The main indication for use is the formation of purulent wounds.
The product treats wounds and boils. Also used for severe forms of hemorrhoids, herpes, purulent skin rashes. Can be used as local therapy for inflamed lymph nodes.
The patient is prescribed anti-allergy medications, vitamins, and calcium gluconate. In advanced cases, an operation is performed to open the pustules and carry out antibacterial treatment.
Some doctors prescribe ointment for a runny nose and sinusitis, when the problems are caused by a microbial infection.
The ointment showed excellent results in the treatment of purulent formations in the oral cavity. Levomekol will help fight stomatitis, periodontal disease, and inflammatory reactions. Also used as a pain reliever when removing or inserting teeth.
What problems may arise after tooth extraction?
Many patients experience swelling and pain in the gums during the first time after tooth extraction, but in most cases these problems quickly disappear. If the removal was traumatic, recovery may take longer. What factors influence the rate of wound healing?
- Her condition immediately after the operation, determined by the qualifications of the surgeon.
- The addition of a secondary infection, in most cases provoked by the patient himself.
- The patient has diseases that affect blood clotting and prevent the formation of a blood clot.
Therefore, it is so important to seek qualified dental care - in a reputable clinic, with an experienced surgeon who does not make annoying, unforgivable mistakes during surgery.
Instructions for use
The ointment can be used by adults and children from 3 years of age. The product is applied to the open wound using sterile cotton wool and secured with a bandage. You can inject ointment into a purulent wound using a syringe.
The dressing must be done every day until the pus is completely removed from the wound.
If the affected surface is large enough, then the permissible dose per day should not be more than 3 g.
The ointment should be used within 4 days from the moment of infection. In severe conditions, the course of treatment can be extended to a week. With prolonged use, osmotic shock may occur in healthy cells.
For sinusitis, ear inflammation and runny nose
If you have a runny nose, soak a cotton pad with ointment and insert it into your nasal passages. If possible, keep for 3-4 hours. For ear inflammation and sinusitis, you need to make a tourniquet out of gauze, soak it in ointment and insert it into the ear for 8-12 hours.
In dentistry
When a tooth is removed and the oral mucosa is damaged, you need to rub the ointment with light circular movements into the problem areas. You can use the ointment no more than 3 times a day.
For hemorrhoids
Before applying the product, you need to rinse the anal area with water at room temperature and dry with a towel. After this, you can apply the ointment.
For burns
Levomekol has proven itself well for burns of varying severity. In severe cases, the ointment is only an aid and cannot replace general treatment. Before applying the ointment, the affected area of the body should be washed and covered with a napkin treated with ointment. The bandage needs to be changed 4 times a day.
For acne
Acne appears as a result of bacterial and infectious infection. Dermatologists recommend applying a thin layer of ointment to small rashes and leaving for 3-4 hours. Afterwards, rinse with water. In this way, acne can be treated for no longer than 12-14 days. In case of isolated rashes, it is better to cover the treated area with a gauze bandage.
What happens in the mouth after tooth extraction?
A wound formed in the mouth creates problems:
- it can bleed for quite a long time;
- food can get into it and cause repeated injury;
- it can fester, infecting surrounding tissues.
How long does it take for gums to heal after tooth extraction under normal conditions? After the surgeon removes the tooth, the healing process begins, and the ligament surrounding the removed tooth begins to contract. A blood clot forms in the wound itself, which will protect it from infection. After a couple of days, granulation tissue begins to form, which over time is replaced by osteoid tissue. As a result, after 2–2.5 weeks the edges of the wound come closer together, and then young bone is formed, over which the gums take shape.
special instructions
It is better to avoid simultaneous use with drugs that inhibit hematopoiesis.
After using the product, the reactive susceptibility of the skin may increase, which is why hypersensitive reactions may then appear at the time of using the ointment.
If you need to use the ointment for longer than a month, you will need to take a peripheral blood test.
The drug does not in any way affect the ability to drive a vehicle or operate other dangerous machinery.
There are no cases of negative effects when taken in parallel with other drugs.
If the ointment gets on the mucous membranes, you need to rinse them well with water. If the ointment gets inside, you need to rinse the stomach with activated charcoal.
What can the patient do after removal?
To help the wound heal, the patient must take steps to prevent secondary infection. To do this, immediately after the intervention you need to accurately follow the general recommendations of the dentist.
- Press the cotton swab placed in the hole firmly with your teeth. This is important to stop bleeding and blood clot formation.
- For the same reasons, you should not eat or drink for 3 hours.
- Once a clot has formed, it is necessary to exclude the possibility of injury and removal. Do not rinse your mouth vigorously, inspect the wound with your fingers or a toothpick, smoke, drink alcohol, hot foods and drinks, or solid foods.
- Visits to the fitness center, sauna, and beach should be excluded for several days. Physical activity and overheating can lead to complications.
Causes of stomatitis in children
In childhood stomatitis, the mucous membrane of the oral cavity is affected: small, white or yellowish, fluid-filled pimples appear on its surface. In some cases, ulcers form.
Stomatitis is predominantly a childhood disease, although it can also occur in adults. The rash affects the inside of the cheeks, tongue and gums. The disease causes a lot of inconvenience: pimples hurt and itch, and their appearance is accompanied by a burning sensation in the mouth.
Among the main reasons for the development of stomatitis are:
- poor oral hygiene;
- mucosal injuries;
- diseases of the gastrointestinal tract;
- burns of the oral cavity;
- pathogenic bacteria that enter the oral cavity with dirty hands, toys, etc.
Types of stomatitis
Everyone is more accustomed to saying “stomatitis”, but it would be more correct to say “stomatitis”, since this is a generalizing concept for a whole group of diseases. Depending on the causes of stomatitis, it can be divided into several types, each of which has a number of characteristics.
Viral or herpetic stomatitis in children
One of the most common types of stomatitis in children is caused by the herpes simplex virus. Typically, a child becomes infected through airborne droplets. In addition, the virus is transmitted through dishes, toys, and household items. Most often, herpetic stomatitis appears in a child between the ages of one and four years. The disease begins with a cold, accompanied by lethargy and increased body temperature. Sometimes there is a runny nose and cough. Around the second day, small round or oval erosions of a light yellow color with a bright red border appear on the lips, tongue and inside of the cheeks. Swelling appears, the gums begin to bleed, and the child refuses to eat.
Traumatic stomatitis in a child
The disease is caused by mechanical trauma to the oral cavity. For example, burns from hot food, a too hard nipple, the habit of chewing a pencil. In addition, traumatic stomatitis often occurs in children with malocclusion due to frequent biting of the cheeks and tongue.
Candidal stomatitis
Appears in children under one year of age. The cause is Candida fungi. The main symptom is the appearance of a white coating in the baby’s mouth. It should be noted that this should not be confused with regular flowering after feeding. A cause for concern is if plaque persists and the baby refuses to eat.
Drug or allergic stomatitis in children
Caused by certain allergies or reactions to medications. If this type of disease is suspected, it is necessary to identify and remove the allergen, otherwise there is a risk of unpleasant consequences, including anaphylactic shock.
Each type of stomatitis is characterized by a certain childhood age. Young children often have candidiasis or fungus (thrush). At the age of “I want to know everything” in a child of 3-4 years, stomatitis is usually infectious in nature, when the infection is transmitted through dirty hands or objects. From one to four years, an acute herpetic form of the disease is often observed.
Treatment of stomatitis in children
After a medical diagnosis of stomatitis in children under one year of age, a specialist prescribes highly effective drugs to combat the existing type of disease. Experts recommend that parents, at the first suspicion of stomatitis in a child, increase the amount the child drinks to irrigate the oral mucosa and remove toxins from the body. Clean drinking water without gas, fruit drinks or compotes that are not too sweet or sour; herbal teas are perfect for this. During this period, it is worth refusing to drink the child from concentrated juices and drinks with gas in order to avoid irritation of the mucous membrane.
After this, the specialist begins medical manipulations to cure stomatitis in the child.
Anesthesia
The first step is to numb the mucous membranes so that the child can eat and drink properly and generally reduce the child's stress level. Choline preparations with salicylate or lidocaine are commonly used as pain relievers in children. For this purpose, medications to facilitate teething, for example Kamistad or Dentinox gel, are suitable. Gel products are preferable for children because they are almost instantly absorbed into the mucosal tissue. Prepare with lidocaine in the form of a spray should not be used in children under one year of age - this may lead to bronchospasm.
Direct treatment of stomatitis
After anesthesia, you can begin treating your baby’s stomatitis. Firstly, all rashes and wounds must be treated with a special preparation, depending on the type of disease. Antiviral drugs are used for herpetic stomatitis, antibiotics and antiseptic drugs for bacterial stomatitis, antifungal drugs for candidal stomatitis. Not only the affected area, but also adjacent areas must be treated - this will stop the spread of the pathogenic process.
An important condition for eliminating infection is thorough and timely oral hygiene. The surface of the child's tongue and teeth should be brushed twice a day; experts recommend rinsing the mouth after every meal or drink. For young children, hygiene procedures are carried out using a piece of gauze or a silicone fingertip.
Treatment of allergic stomatitis
If a specialist has identified the presence of allergic stomatitis or severe swelling of the oral cavity is observed, then the drugs Fenistil, Suprastin, Diphenhydramine are used.
Treatment of viral stomatitis
For herpetic stomatitis, antiviral agents should be used in the form of ointments containing acyclovir - Gerpevir, Virolex, Acik, Viferon, oxolinic ointment.
For relapses of viral stomatitis, experts recommend a general strengthening of the immune system with the help of Immunal, Interferon, Viferon in suppositories. The duration of treatment and dosage of the drug is determined by the doctor. Often, medical experts recommend using the drug Cholisal in gel form. Perfectly relieves swelling, inflammation, pain, fever, eliminates pathogenic microflora. The drug does not contain sugar, has no taste and has a light anise aroma. To treat stomatitis in a child under one year old, it is necessary to rub a strip of gelatin preparation no more than 0.5 centimeters long into the palate, gums and inner surface of the cheeks, teeth, 2-3 times a day after brushing the teeth.
Treatment of candidal stomatitis
For candidal stomatitis, the doctor uses antifungal drugs in the form of an ointment, for example, Clotrimazole, Candida, Candizol, and often prescribes soda rinses.
This helps create an alkaline environment in the oral cavity, harmful to pathogenic fungal microflora. Procedures with soda are especially effective in the treatment of candidal stomatitis in children under the age of one year, because at this age most drugs are contraindicated. To treat the oral cavity, you need to dilute a teaspoon of soda in a glass of warm boiled water, then wrap a piece of gauze around a clean finger and wipe the palate, inner surface of the cheeks, gums and sublingual space of the child, periodically dipping your finger into the solution. The procedure should be done after every child eats or drinks. Older children can rinse their mouths with baking soda themselves.
Treatment of aphthous stomatitis
With aphthous stomatitis, the first priority is to unload the affected area and speed up the healing of the poop. An aqueous solution of blue (methylene blue) has long been used for this purpose. It is not recommended to use a blue alcohol solution for this, since the ethyl alcohol in its composition will cause poisoning or burn the baby’s mucous membrane.
Wounds are treated with a blue cotton swab 3-6 times a day.
Treatment of traumatic stomatitis
According to experts, traumatic stomatitis most often occurs in children 1-2 years old. This type of disease is accompanied by bacterial microflora, so the use of medicinal and antiseptic agents will be required. For children under 2 years of age, use Cholisal, Solcoseryl, Actovegin gel, and also wipe the oral cavity with a solution of chlorhexidine or soda.
Treatment of bacterial stomatitis
For the treatment of bacterial stomatitis, drugs such as Tantum Verde, Orasept and Hexoral in the form of a spray, Doctor Theiss and Septolete in the form of lozenges and many others are effective. Experts do not recommend using lozenges to treat children under 6 years of age due to the risk of asphyxia, and sprays are suitable for treating bacterial stomatitis in children over one year of age. Antiseptic rinses and gel preparations with metronidazole are also effective.
Among solutions with an antiseptic effect, the drug Miramistin is especially recommended, as it promotes the regeneration of the affected mucous membrane and eliminates most pathogens. The aerosol can is convenient for treating children under one year of age. To do this, you need to make 3 injections and rinse your mouth with them for several minutes 3-4 times a day. Babies under the age of one year are treated with gauze soaked in the drug.
