A 30-year-old man is brought to the emergency department for inability to open the mouth and pain and swelling on the lower jaw and upper neck that have been worsening over the past day. His temperature is 38.1˚C (100.6˚F), pulse is 102/min, respirations are 30/min, and blood pressure is 144/88 mm Hg. There is significant bilateral swelling of the floor of the mouth with involvement of the sublingual and submandibular salivary glands, and the right first and second molars are decayed and purulent. The skin of the upper neck and submandibular region is erythematous but the epidermis is intact. Which of the following is the most likely diagnosis?

Ludwig angina | Osmosis

Ludwig's angina is a bilateral infection of the submandibular space that consists of two compartments in the floor of the mouth, the sublingual space and the submylohyoid (also known as submaxillary) space. This infection most commonly arises from an infected second or third mandibular molar tooth.

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Ludwig angina

Pathology

Gastrointestinal system