As with any gum infection trench mouth starts small. Early signs may be mild and you may not notice that you have a problem. Trench mouth is a common term for a very advanced and aggressive form of gum infection. Also known as Vincent’s stomatitis, or necrotizing ulcerative gingivitis (NUG) trench mouth got its name from World War I soldiers who spent long periods of time in the trenches without proper dental care. People who develop trench mouth have been without proper dental care for a longer period of time and it is most common today in underdeveloped countries. Fortunately trench mouth can be treated easily with the proper tools and medications.
Primary trench mouth symptoms include:
q Pain. Pain is not always present with many other kinds of gum infection. If you are having any form of gum or tooth pain see your dental professional as soon as possible to determine the cause.
q Bleeding gums with even the lightest pressure. Bleeding gums is often a first sign of early gum infection. Your gums should not “just bleed.” If your gums are bleeding, especially with regular brushing and flossing see your dentist.
q Gray film on the teeth. A gray film may often cover the teeth of trench mouth sufferers. This gray film develops as the infection begins to kill the gum tissues and the dead cells coat the inside of the mouth.
q Sores on the gums and between the teeth. These sores or ulcers can be very painful and may drain pus or infection from them. You may notice a bad taste in your mouth and have bad breath as a result of the infection
q Fever. Fever is our body’s way of fighting infection. If you have a fever along with any of the above symptoms see your doctor or dentist.