Ludwig's angina, otherwise known as angina ludovici, is a serious, potentially life-threatening cellulitis^[1] infection of the tissues of the floor of the mouth, usually occurring in adults with concomitant dental infections. It is named after the German physician, Wilhelm Friedrich von Ludwig who first described this condition in 1836.^{[2] [3]} Other names include "angina Maligna" and "Morbus Strangularis."

Ludwig's angina should not be confused with angina pectoris, which is also otherwise commonly known as "angina". The word "angina" comes from the Greek word ankhon, meaning "strangling", so in this case, Ludwig's angina refers to the feeling of strangling, not the feeling of chest pain, though there may be chest pain in Ludwig's angina if the infection spreads into the retrosternal space.

Symptoms

The symptoms include swelling, pain and raising of the tongue, swelling of the neck and the tissues of the submandibular and sublingual spaces, malaise, fever, dysphagia (difficulty swallowing) and, in severe cases, stridor or difficulty breathing. Swelling of the submandibular and/or sublingual spaces are distinctive in that they are hard and classically 'boardlike'. Important signs include the patient not being able to swallow his/her own saliva and the presence of audible stridor as these strongly suggest that airway compromise is imminent.

Source : Wikipedia