<unk>  (lat.:<unk>  ludovici) is a type of severe cellulitis involving the floor of the mouth and is often caused by bacterial sources. Early in the infection, floor of the mouth raises due to swelling, leading to difficulty swallowing saliva. As a result, patients may present with difficulty speaking and drooling. As the condition worsens, the airway may be compromised and hardening of the spaces on both sides of the tongue may develop. Overall, this condition has a rapid onset over a few hours. The majority of cases follow a dental infection. Other causes include a parapharyngeal abscess, mandibular fracture, cut or piercing inside the mouth, or submandibular salivary stones. The infection spreads through the connective tissue of the floor of the mouth and is normally caused by infectious and invasive organisms such as Streptococcus, Staphylococcus, and Bacteroides. Prevention is by appropriate dental care including management of dental infections. Initial treatment is generally with broad-spectrum antibiotics and corticosteroids. In more advanced cases endotracheal intubation or tracheostomy may be required. With the advent of antibiotics in 1940s, improved oral and dental hygiene, and more aggressive surgical approaches for treatment, the risk of death due to<unk>  has significantly reduced. It is named after a German physician, Wilhelm Frederick von<unk> , who first described this condition in 1836.
Ludwig's angina
Streptococcal pharyngitis
Herpes esophagitis
Tropical ulcer
Lymphocytic esophagitis
Cytomegalovirus esophagitis
Eosinophilic esophagitis
Rhinitis medicamentosa