Mouth rot is the common name for stomatitis. It is a bacterial infection which settles into the gum tissue, palate or tongue. If left untreated, it can invade the jaw bone; advanced cases may require resectioning of the bone or tissue. One important fact often overlooked by pet owners is that mouthrot is not a disease itself - it is a secondary infection triggered by a systemic infection.
Stomatitis presents as yellowish-whitish plaques, or irregular blotches on the gums. If poked, it is somewhat soft, rather like curds. In fact, iguana pus is referred to as caseous as it rather curdish or cheesy in nature, rather than what is produced by mammalian abscesses.
Treatment is not something to be attempted by a child; many adults are too squeamish to try it themselves. A vet can show you how to work on it ... you should see a vet anyway. Systemic antibiotics are often indicated, and it may be quite painful and traumatic to dig out a plaque, requiring that the reptile be anaesthetized and the work be done under sterile conditions.
mouth rot?
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