Have you ever noticed a discolored, swollen area in your mouth that resembled a pimple or blister? Maybe the area hurt a little bit, maybe not. Either way, it’s something that should be mentioned to Dr. Samsavar, during your next visit to the International Institute of Cosmetic Dentistry. Why is it worth mentioning? Simply put, it could be a mucocele, sialolith, ranula or something more disconcerting. They all involve soft tissue and many of the salivary glands found in the mouth.
The list of glands includes, but is not limited to the submandibular, sublingual and parotid. Over time, they may clog much like the pores on your face. When that happens, the clog creates a backup of saliva that leads to the formation of hard, little stones or soft, pus and saliva filled cysts. The stones are known as sialoliths and the other two items we mentioned earlier are classified as cysts. In some instances, Bellevue dentists will have to drain or otherwise remove them during an office visit. In others, the problem will disappear on its own.
However, many people opt to have dentists look at the pimples or cysts as soon as they form for one simple reason. They could indicate the presence of infection or an underlying disease. The list of problems that are sometimes accompanied by ranulas, sialoliths and mucoceles includes, but isn’t confined to the following:
Non-Hodgkin Lymphomas
HIV and Full-Blown Aids
Drug and Alcohol Abuse
Diabetes
Mouth or Throat Cancer
Sjogren’s syndrome
Salivary Gland Cancer
Gingival Cysts
Sarcoma
If Dr. Samsavar has concerns, he may save materials removed during the draining process and send them to a local lab for further examination. If the exam results come back indicating that infection and disease are likely to blame, he may suggest other treatments accordingly. To learn more about treating mucocele, sialoliths and ranula that may be causes for concern, please contact our Bellevue dentist today for an appointment.
