Pus on the tongue can be caused by conditions such as Ludwig’s angina, periodontal disease, sialolithiasis, and throat infections. These conditions result in the formation of infectious pus-filled abscesses, which can originate on or under the surface of the tongue. Medical professionals suggest that pus from the initial actual tongue infection is rare. Treatment may involve antibiotics or draining the pus using a needle during minor inpatient surgery.
Common causes of pus on the tongue include Ludwig’s angina, periodontal disease, sialolithiasis, and throat infections. All of these conditions result in the formation of one or more infectious pus-filled abscesses, which includes live malignant bacteria, dead tissue, and white blood cells that the body has generated to fight off the bacteria. Pus-filled sacs can originate on or under the surface of the tongue. Medical professionals suggest that pus from the initial actual tongue infection is rare since the tongue has a fortified outer layer and constant blood flow, both of which make it highly resistant to harmful bacteria. Often, however, abscesses form on the gums, throat, palate, or cheeks, causing pus after an abscess bursts and drains.
Ludwig’s angina is a type of submandibular swelling, which causes abscesses on the floor of the mouth and a collection of pus on the underside of the tongue. Sometimes, the pus is so large that it sticks up on the tongue and makes it difficult for an infected person to swallow or breathe. This condition is more likely after a severe dental infection. It occurs mainly in children, adolescents and adults under the age of 30. Medical professionals often prescribe antibiotics to kill bacteria; a surgeon may also drain pus using a needle during minor inpatient surgery.
With periodontal disease, a condition characterized by tooth decay and infection, oral bacteria infest the pockets around the gum line and roots of the teeth, often resulting in inflammation and odorous pus between the teeth and, subsequently, on the tongue. Pus is greatest when the inflammation of decayed teeth is so severe that a tooth abscess forms which then leaks or bursts. It may be necessary to relieve such an abscess through a root canal or the complete removal of the infected teeth.
Sialolithiasis is a viral infection that causes lumps under the tongue, inside the cheeks or on the roof of the mouth. These lumps can leak pus onto the tongue, making the infection worse and causing fever or body aches. In some cases of sialolithiasis, pus-filled nodules or tumors may emerge directly on the top of the tongue. Other viral and bacterial infections, such as strep infections, can cause inflammation, redness, and pus on the tonsils or back of the throat that can eventually expand and spread to the tongue. In some cases, a cold sore caused by the herpes virus can cause sores on the roof of the mouth that drain downward; this is rare, however, as most cold sores affect the lips and the outer perimeter of the mouth.
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