Why is the lower lip swollen and what to do?

To determine the reason why your lower lip is swollen, it is important to remember when and under what circumstances you noticed it: after eating something, or you might have been bitten by insects, etc.

In this article, we will discuss not only the causes of this condition, but also first aid and treatment.

Causes of swelling of the lower lip

Possible causes include:

• result of an allergic reaction;
• consequence of the inflammatory process;
• manifestation of a viral or infectious disease;
• lip injury (bruise, bite, consequences of piercing, etc.);
• diseases of the oral cavity (in particular, gums);
• herpes disease;
• consequences of dental procedures.

1. The most common reason why the lower lip is swollen is an inflammatory reaction - it can be suspected if, along with the swelling, a strange odor appears from the mouth, pus or other fluids are released, pain in the lip occurs. This condition is most often observed in the presence of a wound on the lip (as a result of a strong bruise, a deep scratch, when squeezing out a boil or pimple, etc.). The resulting tumor must be treated, otherwise it can become inflamed and even suppurate, which will subsequently require surgical opening of the abscess.
2. Often patients complain that the lower lip hurts and is swollen - what could be the reason for this condition? Indeed, sometimes such symptoms accompany infectious and viral diseases, such as respiratory infections, flu, herpes, etc. A dental infection may also be the cause, especially if there were untreated teeth in the lower jaw area. The inflammatory process in the gum tissue can spread to the periosteum, which will cause an influx of fluid to the soft tissues of the lip, which will cause its swelling. What else can provoke dental problems: ignoring dental treatment, poor-quality dental treatment, improperly performed filling, deficiencies in antiseptic treatment during dental treatment procedures. Additional factors contributing to the development of such a condition may be stressful situations, weak immune defense, long-term chronic diseases, overwork, hypothermia.
3. If the lower lip is very swollen, this may be one of the common signs of an allergic reaction. You can suspect this cause by remembering the circumstances of the lip swelling. Perhaps the swelling began to appear after eating some new or exotic product? Or did you try a new face cream, a new toothpaste, a new lipstick? If the swelling has something in common with an allergy, then the lip swelling will be accompanied by itching, pink rashes on the skin. Sometimes allergic rhinitis or conjunctivitis appears.
4. What could be the reason if the lower lip is swollen from the inside? Most often, this is a consequence of mucosal trauma: this happens when nervously biting the lips, being injured by fish bones and other food elements, and also after a piercing procedure. As a rule, a deep trauma (cut, puncture, bite) of the mucosa with the formation of edema in the tissues is required for the tumor to occur.

The same condition with lip swelling can develop due to herpes - the appearance of itchy painful rashes on the lip. Herpes is a viral chronic disease that manifests itself with hypothermia, weakened immunity, chapped face, etc.

If you visited a dentist before the swelling on your lip appeared, the swelling is most likely due to a complicated or careless dental procedure during filling or other manipulations. Such swelling usually goes away on its own.

[ 1 ], [ 2 ], [ 3 ]

What to do if your lower lip is swollen?

What you can do yourself if you find that your lower lip is swollen:

• if there is a wound on the mucous tissue or on the skin at the site of swelling, apply a cotton pad soaked in 3% hydrogen peroxide or furacilin;
• If there are no visible wounds and the swelling can be attributed to trauma, apply a cold compress to the lip;
• A compress of aloe juice or simply a leaf of the plant cut lengthwise helps well;
• if none of this is available, it is recommended to brew a tea bag and, after cooling it, apply it to the swelling area;
• if the lip is swollen on the inside, you can rinse your mouth with infusions of medicinal antiseptic plants. This can be an infusion of sage, yarrow, calendula, chamomile, St. John's wort. You can also rinse with regular disinfectant liquids, such as furacilin, stomatidin, gevalex, etc.

If the swelling is associated with an allergy, it is recommended to use antiallergic medications such as suprastin, tavegil, claritin, etc.

Drink more pure water or tea to restore the water balance in the body and speed up the removal of fluid, and with it, toxins. Freshly squeezed juices, fruit or vegetable, are a good option for drinking. Try to eat less salt, or even give it up completely - this way the swelling will go away faster.

How to treat a swollen lower lip?

For insect bites, local cooling agents such as ice cubes wrapped in a towel, a cold compress, or special cooling ointments for bites can help.

Allergic reactions are treated by first eliminating the causes of their occurrence. Pet hair, pollen, food, cosmetics and detergents - it is necessary to determine what exactly caused the allergy. After that, you can take an antiallergic drug, for example, Claritin.

Cold sores on the lips are very common – the well-known herpes, which can also cause swelling on the lip. If this disease is not uncommon for you, then you should always have the appropriate medication in stock: 5% acyclovir or zovirax. Ointments against herpes will effectively eliminate swelling and relieve discomfort.

Damaged bitten lips, angular cheilitis, bites, cracks - this is the result of instability of the nervous system and lack of vitamins and other essential substances in the body. Such wounds need to be disinfected so as not to aggravate the inflammatory process. Try treating them with 3% hydrogen peroxide, furacilin or another antiseptic.

In case of infectious and viral diseases (flu, acute respiratory viral infections, colds, sore throat), lip swelling should be treated simultaneously with the underlying disease.

If the swelling is related to dental problems, you will need to visit a dentist who will examine your mouth and find the problem.

In the future, to protect yourself from unforeseen situations and keep your lips beautiful and healthy, it is important to follow a few simple rules:

• When going outdoors, take some kind of mosquito and midge repellent with you to protect yourself from accidental bites;
• take care of yourself, eradicate the habit of biting your lips; - visit doctors in a timely manner - dentist, infectious disease specialist, etc.;
• avoid soft tissue injury;
• If you are prone to allergies, then you should be careful with new products – cosmetics, food, etc.

And also: strengthen your body, support your immunity with a healthy diet, a healthy lifestyle, and hardening. And if any disease occurs, or your lower lip swells, consult a doctor. If you do this in a timely manner, then in 1-2 days you will forget about the problem.