Tooth pain after a blow to the face: causes and cures

The most common form of jaw injury is a bruise. No one is immune from this. For example, with a strong blow to the jaw, soft tissues, blood vessels, and capillaries are affected, resulting in the formation of hematomas and swelling. This is accompanied by severe pain and discomfort.

To avoid complications, it is recommended to consult a doctor immediately after injury. The fact is that impaired jaw function entails a chain of negative consequences: difficulties while eating, deterioration in the quality of spoken speech, etc.

Causes of bruises of the lower and upper jaw

• collisions with surfaces;
• various types of blows (during road accidents, collisions with other people, domestic fights, contact sports, accidental blows with objects, etc.);
• falling onto a hard surface.

Most often, signs of a bruise and fracture of the jaw occur in people against the background of road accidents, domestic conflicts, or industrial emergencies. In most cases, it is the lower jaw that is susceptible to bruises.

The severity and nature of the injury also depend on the following factors:

• collision zones;
• the type (and sharpness) of the object that had a detrimental effect on the bone;
• speed of collision or approach with an object;
• condition of facial tissues and bones during mechanical trauma.

Jaw fracture

This is perhaps one of the most obvious reasons for severe jaw pain. The cause-and-effect relationship between blow - jaw fracture - pain is clear to everyone. Among the first symptoms indicating a fracture rather than a bruise are: unbearable pain, difficulty opening the mouth, malocclusion, swelling, bruising. In this case, immediate contact with an ambulance and maxillofacial surgery is required.

If you feel that your jaw hurts, do not delay in seeing a doctor, as this symptom may be a sign of the onset of a dangerous disease.

You can also read the article “Surgical dentistry”.

The main symptoms of a jaw bruise

• pain in the bruised area, which becomes especially severe with pressure and movement;
• inflammation of the lymph nodes;
• difficulties in speaking;
• it becomes painful for a person to chew;
• there is a loss of strength;
• a lump may form on the jaw;
• temperature rises;
• the jaw goes numb;
• swelling, redness, swelling, and hematomas are noticeable in the area of ​​contact with an object or hard surface.

Unlike the symptoms of fractures, with bruises the jaw connects to the skull. Violation of the connection, as a rule, occurs in fractures (open and closed), dislocation, fracture, etc.

Clinical picture

First of all, the doctor conducts a visual examination of the bruised area to identify hidden injuries that cannot be identified by a person without medical education. For example, symptoms of dislocations or fractures may not appear immediately. Professional consultation allows you to begin timely treatment, if required.

To recognize a jaw bruise, it is important to pay attention to the following symptoms:

• severe pain in the place where the blow fell, intensifying when pressed;
• visual signs (eg, swelling, redness, abrasions, bruises);
• limitation of jaw mobility when yawning, talking, chewing;
• inflammation of the lymph nodes;
• general weakness.

Jaw bruises are less dangerous than more severe injuries, so recovery is usually quick.

The doctor may order an x-ray or computed tomography to establish an accurate diagnosis. These studies will assess the condition of the internal tissues of the affected area.

What to do if your jaw hurts?

If your jaw hurts, it hurts to chew, and the above symptoms are also observed, you should urgently contact a jaw surgeon-traumatologist.

First aid for such injuries looks like this:

• apply a bandage;
• use cold (applications made of ice, snow, frozen objects wrapped in fabric or polyethylene);
• rest until examined by a doctor;
• if your jaw hurts badly on the right or left, you can take a painkiller.

Until the doctor examines you, you should never heat the bone or place it in direct sunlight, so as not to provoke a deterioration in the patient’s condition.

First aid

Before proceeding with the treatment of the emerging pathology, the victim should be given first aid and taken for examination to a traumatologist in order to refute more serious damage to the bones of the skull (fracture, dislocation, displacement).

First of all, it is necessary, using available auxiliary items, to ensure cooling of the injured area. If the injury occurred at home, it is recommended to apply ice, frozen meat, vegetables or fruits to the bruised area of ​​skin.

It is worth remembering that direct contact of the cold compress with the skin is not allowed. It is better to wrap ice products with a towel, rag or bag.

If the injury occurred on the street or in another place where it is not possible to get ice from the refrigerator, doctors recommend using snow, rags (pieces of things) soaked in cold water, bottles of cold water or iron tools. In such situations, it is also very important to avoid direct contact of the object with the skin, because you can introduce an unfavorable infection into the resulting wound area.

To eliminate excessively intense pain, you can take a non-steroidal painkiller.

Under no circumstances should heating the damaged area be allowed. Such manipulations do not improve, but only worsen the situation.

The jaws, the field of a cold compress, should be kept at rest (wrap with a bandage or other material at hand) and go for examination to the hospital, where the doctor will tell you in more detail about the treatment of the bruise.

Diagnosis and treatment of jaw bruises

For minor injuries, including cracks in the jaw, hospitalization of the patient is not necessary. The following steps are used for diagnostics:

• general examination by a dentist, maxillofacial surgeon, orthopedist-traumatologist. You may need to consult a neurologist (for example, in the case of a parallel concussion) or an otolaryngologist (if the ENT organs are affected);
• radiography of the maxillofacial area;
• computed tomogram (CT).

Based on the existing picture of the patient’s health condition, treatment will be prescribed. Main stages of therapy:

• creating maximum rest for the patient (bed rest);
• applying a pressure bandage;
• warming procedures for the regeneration of hematomas and restoration of damaged tissues (you can use dry heat, a lamp, ozokerite applications and other physiotherapy procedures);
• use of painkillers.

To avoid negative consequences, you need to provide competent and timely medical care to the victim, undergo diagnostics in a trusted clinic, and follow all the doctor’s recommendations and prescriptions.

Folk remedies

There are several proven, simple and at the same time effective ways to have the positive effects of alternative medicine. They are indispensable products for pregnant women, children, as well as people who have a severe allergic reaction to medications. You can make a choice based on personal preferences or doctor’s recommendations.

Treatment at home for bruises can be carried out using the following means:

• Table salt solution. Compresses are prepared from it, which are used for any complexity of bruises. To prepare, a tablespoon of salt is dissolved in 150 ml of boiled water. Then take a sterile bandage, soak it in the solution and apply it to the problem area. The compress is covered with a thick cloth on top. The gauze pad with salt can be left overnight.
• Grated potatoes. The tubers should be washed and cleaned first. Grate one tuber on a coarse grater, place in linen cloth and wrap several times. After applying the bruise, cover the top with a thick towel. Compressor exposure time is 30-40 minutes. For best results, make 3-4 applications in a row.
• Cabbage leaf. Before applying it, you should knead it a little or make cuts on it to let the juice out. The sheet is applied to the sore spot 2-4 times a day until it dries completely.
• Onion and garlic. The two ingredients are ground and mixed together. The resulting slurry is added with half a tablespoon of salt; it is recommended to wrap the mixture in gauze and place it in the area of ​​the bruise.
• Beetroot and liquid honey. Finely grated root vegetables are mixed with a tablespoon of natural honey. The procedure is carried out 1-2 times a day for 2 hours.
• Laundry soap. This remedy helps reduce the pain response. The soap is grated and mixed with raw chicken yolk. I apply a compress every half hour up to 6-8 times a day. You can also rub a damp cloth with laundry soap and apply an application to the bruised area.
• Apple vinegar. This is one of the most effective remedies. To prepare the solution, you need to take 2 teaspoons of vinegar and dilute it in 1 liter. water. Soak a clean cloth in the solution and apply 3-4 times a day for half an hour.

Popular folk remedies for bruises

The video in this article shows how to properly apply a warm and cold compress for bruises.

What happens if you don’t seek help in time?

• post-traumatic periostitis or inflammation of the periosteum;
• jaw deformation;
• inflammatory process of bone tissue;
• contractures or weakening of joint mobility;
• development of tumor processes (oncology).

Thus, if any mechanical injuries occur in the relevant area, it is imperative to contact a medical facility. The sooner you visit an experienced doctor, the sooner you will eliminate complications and return to a normal lifestyle.

Why you shouldn't delay visiting the dentist

At first glance, pus on the gums looks like a problem that you can deal with on your own. This is a misconception. A negligent attitude towards one's own health and ignoring the need for treatment increases the risk of complications.

Putrefactive forms of dental diseases occur with symptoms of general intoxication. In the absence of adequate medical intervention, the course of the disease can lead to pathological loosening and tooth loss, and provoke blood loss and sepsis. Acute periostitis is especially dangerous, which can lead to phlegmon of the jaw and other serious consequences, including death.

Diagnosis of TBI

Even if you provided first aid, know how to treat, and have previously encountered similar injuries, do not be arrogant. Examination of the victim by a qualified physician is mandatory. If you don’t want to call an ambulance, take him to the clinic yourself. Just before doing this, make sure that the spine is damaged and the skull bones are not cracked.

The most accurate conclusion can be made using magnetic resonance therapy and computed tomography of the head. The procedures are painless. With their help, you can thoroughly study the structure of the brain, look for the presence of hemorrhages, hematomas, etc.

If it is not possible to do MRI and CT (the clinic does not have machines), diagnostics should include:

• X-ray of the skull.
• Encephalography of the head.
• Examination by an ophthalmologist.

Encephalography will also help detect hemorrhage. In this case, hospitalization cannot be avoided.

If, after an injury, the patient has liquor leaking from the ears or bruises under the eyes in the form of glasses, you should consult a doctor immediately. Self-medication or lack of help, in this case, often leads to death.

You can undergo an MRI or CT scan in Moscow at any time of the day and regardless of the day of the week. You can find a clinic with 24-hour service, close to the patient, using the service: https://msk-mrt.ru/articles/. There are hundreds of medical centers operating in different modes here. Within a few minutes you can find a clinic and make an appointment by phone. Registration through the website allows you to get a discount on the examination.

Classification of TBI by severity

There is a special Glasgow scale. It helps determine the severity of the head injury. Experts conduct tests and evaluate:

• motor reactions;
• speech reactions;
• opening the eyes.

For each test, points are awarded and summed up:

• 14-16 - mild degree;
• 9-13 - average;
• 8 - heavy;
• 3 or less - deep coma.

Regardless of the severity of the injury, it is important to seek help promptly. Timely and adequate therapy reduces the risk of complications and improves the prognosis.

External use

External agents prescribed for bruises:

• "Ketonal";
• "Fastum gel";
• "Dolgit cream";
• "Finalgon";
• "Reparil gel";
• "Indomethacin".

Medicines containing heparin are very effective. It copes well with subcutaneous accumulations of blood and lymph, and also effectively relieves swelling. However, this drug has some contraindications.

People with poor blood clotting are prohibited from using such medications. Some gels contain horse chestnut extract, which is strictly contraindicated for pregnant women and people with kidney disease. Therefore, before using any medication, you must read the instructions for use.

Peculiarities of manifestation of traumatic brain injuries in children

In babies under one year of age, there is a sharp increase in temperature to 38°C and above. This reaction is associated with:

• wound infection;
• inflammation;
• suffered stress;
• inappropriate use of medications.

The child is not able to clearly describe his feelings, so it is quite difficult to make a diagnosis. There is a risk of underestimating the severity of the injury. Warning signs in this case are:

• pale skin;
• lethargy, drowsiness;
• increased heart rate.

Over time, vomiting, regurgitation, tearfulness, and capricious behavior appear. The baby sleeps restlessly and often gets up at night. If it is SHM, then the symptoms go away within a week.

Please note that infants and the elderly do not experience fainting during SHM.

Treatment

For severe TBIs, surgery is usually performed. The procedure may consist of primary surgical treatment. But sometimes, you have to do craniotomy, pump out fluid, remove hematomas, restore (assemble) the skull. After surgery, it is treated with medications.

If the victim is vomiting, it is stopped with an injection of Metoclopramide or Etamzilate. Pain is relieved with analgin. If there is no vomiting, they give a tablet (no more than 2 per dose), otherwise it is administered by injection.

In order to normalize blood circulation and metabolic processes in the brain, Etamzilat and Piracetam are prescribed. The standard dose is 2 tablets (varies depending on the patient’s age).

In addition, based on the nature of the injury and its clinical manifestations, he may prescribe:

Even if the patient is at home, it is important to follow the following recommendations:

• avoid sudden movements;
• stay in the shade, do not overheat;
• ensure silence;
• get plenty of rest and sleep.