How to manage a swelling in the upper lip after an accident?

Question

Hello doctor,

I had an accident nine months ago in which my two front teeth were removed. That included the central ones, and the other was half broken. Since then, I have been using false teeth. Recently, I noticed that the half-broken tooth has turned black at the bottom, where the roots used to be. Over the last week, I have experienced swelling and hardness in the orbicularis muscle of my upper lip, just below my nose.

Today, I observed some swelling near the center of my upper lip. I have been applying warm water to reduce the swelling, as sometimes I wake up with this swelling. This situation started last week. However, I am unable to reach the area between my upper lip and nose hole. I thought this was because of the cold weather, but now I am worried about the underlying issue.

Kindly help.

Thank you.

Answer 1

Hello,

Welcome to icliniq.com.

I read your query and understood your concern.

Firstly, I would like to inquire if you are experiencing any pain or fever. Are there any signs of tenderness in your teeth? Moving on to the matter of the broken tooth, have you already received any treatment for it? There is a significant likelihood of it becoming infected. It appears that there might be an infection in the tooth, which could be causing the swelling in your upper lip.

To address this issue, I suggest you consult a dentist, as it is important to have the infection treated with antibiotics. If there is any pus accumulation, drainage might also be necessary. Additionally, treatment for the broken tooth is essential.

Depending on the tooth's condition, options like root canal treatment with tooth restoration, post and core placement, or tooth extraction might be considered. Furthermore, I suggest you discontinue using warm water on the swelling, as it could exacerbate the situation. Instead, I suggest you apply an ice pack to the swelling for relief.

I hope this has helped you.

Kindly follow up if you have more doubts.

Thank you.