I have a swollen lump in my gums around 2 molar teeth on the bottom left. Both teeth ache a little but my gums hurt to the touch. This is starting to hurt enough to bother me in my sleep. I tried flossing around the teeth but it hurts too bad. I am wondering if maybe there is something stuck between my tooth and gums. Is there something else I can do to remove whatever is causing the pain? Andree
Andree – It is possible that there is something lodged between your two teeth and gums, but it is more likely that you have a gum abscess, which can cause painful, swollen gums. Two of the common causes for a gum abscess are a tooth infection and periodontal disease. In either case you should contact your dentist right away. If you don’t have a regular dentist, find one who offers same-day appointments for dental emergencies.
Causes of Swollen Gums
Tooth infection
If your tooth is infected, the pulp tissue in the tooth is inflamed. Inflammation travels through the canals of the tooth roots and into the root tips, causing an infection. The infection needs to be removed from the tooth with a root canal treatment. Antibiotics will be prescribed to ensure your body is clear of infection.
Periodontal (gum) disease
One of the symptoms of gum disease is swollen gums. Also, the tooth may hurt when you chew or bite on it, and the tooth may feel somewhat loose. If your tooth is not infected, the gum abscess will need to be drained. The tooth roots also need to be cleaned and flushed with antibacterial solution. Antibiotics may be prescribed. After the abscess is removed, periodontal disease needs to be treated. You will have a series of appointment for deep cleaning of your gums, commonly referred to as scaling and root planing.
Don’t put off the dental appointment. The sooner you get treatment, the less painful and easier it will be to resolve.
This post is sponsored by the family dentists of Hillsdale Dental Care in San Jose.
