About our e-newsletters
- Free e-newsletters
- Mayo Clinic expertise
- We do not share your e-mail address
Housecall, our weekly general-interest e-newsletter, keeps you up to date on a wide variety of health topics with timely, reliable, practical information, recipes, blogs, questions and answers with Mayo Clinic experts and more. Our biweekly topic-specific e-newsletters also include blogs, questions and answers with Mayo Clinic experts, and other useful information that will help you manage your health.
Housecall Archives
Mayo Clinic Housecall
Stay up to date on the latest health information.
What you get
- Free weekly e-newsletter
- Mayo Clinic expertise
- Recipes, tools and other helpful information
- We do not share your e-mail address
Treatments and drugs
By Mayo Clinic staffTreatment of trench mouth is generally highly effective, and complete healing often occurs in just a couple of weeks. However, healing may take longer if your immune system is compromised, such as by HIV/AIDS.
Medications
Because trench mouth involves an overgrowth of bacteria, antibiotics are often prescribed to eradicate the bacteria and prevent infection from spreading. You may also need over-the-counter or prescription pain relievers. Getting pain under control is important so that you can eat properly and resume good dental care habits, such as brushing your teeth. Your dentist may also recommend a pain reliever that you can apply directly to your gums (topical anesthetic).
Cleaning your teeth and gums
Treatment also includes a thorough but gentle cleaning of your teeth and gums. Your dentist removes any dead gum tissue (debridement) to help reduce pain. Your mouth may be rinsed with an antiseptic solution. When your gums are less tender, you'll undergo a type of tooth cleaning called scaling and root planing. This procedure removes plaque and tartar from beneath your gumline and smooths any roughened surfaces of your teeth.
Right after cleaning, your gums will be quite tender. Your dentist will probably advise you to rinse your mouth with a hydrogen peroxide mouthwash, salt water or a prescription mouth rinse, in addition to brushing gently with a soft toothbrush. Once your gums begin to heal, brush and floss at least twice a day — preferably after every meal and at bedtime — to prevent future problems.
When surgery is necessary
Although your gums are likely to heal and return to their normal shape with professional cleaning and proper home care, you may need surgery to help repair them if you have extensive damage.
- Chow AW. Epidemiology, pathogenesis, and clinical manifestations of odontogenic infections. http://www.uptodate.com/home/index.html. Accessed July 7, 2010.
- Wilder RS, et al. Gingivitis and periodontitis in adults: Classification and dental treatment. http://www.uptodate.com/home/index.html. Accessed July 7, 2010.
- Gingivitis. The Merck Manuals: The Merck Manual for Healthcare Professionals. http://www.merck.com/mmpe/sec08/ch095/ch095c.html?qt=trench%20mouth&alt=sh. Accessed July 21, 2010.
- Academy report. Treatment of plaque-induced gingivitis, chronic periodontitis, and other clinical conditions. Journal of Periodontology. 2001;72:1790.
- Informational paper. The pathogenesis of periodontal disease. Journal of Periodontology. 1999;70:457.
Find Mayo Clinic on