Ask the Dentist: How can I treat my swollen gum?

 

A: It is essential to find out the cause of the gum swelling. Swollen gums can be caused by numerous reasons, such as gum disease (gingivitis and periodontitis), oral infection, and other health issues. Depending on the root cause, swollen gums can be treated with good oral care habits and dental procedures such as non-surgical or surgical gum treatment, root canal treatment, or surgical incision and drainage.

Gum disease

Gingivitis is the early stage of gum disease that causes inflammation of the gums. At this stage, it may not necessarily be painful. It can be easily reversed with good oral hygiene habits like brushing two times a day, flossing daily, and regularly visiting your gum specialist (periodontist) or dentist for professional teeth cleaning (scaling and polishing).

In more advanced stages of gum disease where gums are severely inflamed and detached from the teeth forming deep pockets (periodontitis), root planning treatment with a periodontist is required to remove the tartar (hardened plaque) that is deeply entrenched. Sometimes, surgical gum therapy may be indicated to further improve the health of the gums and the stability of the teeth. If left untreated, however, gum disease will continue to progress and lead to further bone loss, gum recession, and eventual loss of teeth.

Oral infection

If there is an infected tooth, a dental abscess (accumulation of pus) will form on one area of the gums. Most gum abscesses will heal quickly after the area is cleaned thoroughly, the pus is drained and the tooth infection is treated.

Yeast infections such as oral thrush may cause swelling too. Treatment methods include medications and ointment.

Other issues

Other possible causes of swollen gums include ill-fitting dentures, crowns, or other dental appliances, and side effects of medications.

If you find that the gum swelling lasts longer than 2 to 3 days, seek help from your periodontist or dentist promptly even if you do not experience any pain or fever to prevent the problem from worsening.

Dr Daylene Leong is Dental Specialist in Periodontics with Specialist Dental Group®She received her training in the specialty area of Periodontology from the University of Michigan, USA. Dr Leong is a Diplomate of the American Board of Periodontology and a Fellow of the Academy of Medicine, Singapore. She has a special interest in periodontal regeneration, gingival aesthetic and plastic surgery and dental implants.

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