What causes swollen gums around one tooth? Swollen gums can be painful and uncomfortable, but they’re not dangerous or permanent. In most cases, swollen gums are caused by something called edema, or swelling of the tissue due to extra fluid retention. Sometimes this fluid build-up results from inflammation or infection in the area, but it can also be caused by something as simple as biting down on food too hard or brushing your teeth too vigorously.
Bruxism, also known as bruxing or grinding, is an unconscious habit that involves nighttime teeth grinding or daytime teeth clenching. The habit can be difficult to stop and may result in tooth damage, which then requires filling chips to repair or even replacement of teeth. Bruxism can also lead to pain from constant pressure on your gums and jawbone. Make sure you schedule regular checkups with your dentist so that you can identify if you are suffering from bruxism and receive treatment for it as early as possible to prevent further damage to your mouth.
To start, it’s important to rule out trauma. If you recently had your teeth cleaned and experience pain or swelling days later, that could be an indicator of oral cancer. The most common sign of oral cancer is a sore that doesn’t heal after several weeks, so if you believe there might be something wrong with your mouth, schedule an appointment immediately. In addition to dental work—whether that’s for cosmetic dentistry or treatment for gum disease—the most common cause of swelling in the gums is injury. This could happen due to trauma or excessive force on your teeth; biting into something sharp or hard may lead to broken fillings and bleeding in the gums.
If your tooth filling gets loose or falls out, your dentist may not be able to put it back in. In most cases, they will drill into and remove part of your healthy tooth to make room for an artificial crown. These crowns fit over all of your teeth so they last longer than fillings and are more difficult to chip or fall out. If you do chip a filling, seek treatment immediately because bacteria can invade and cause an infection if left untreated.
If you fall and hit your face, it’s possible to chip your tooth or crack your jaw. In some cases, swelling from that injury will also extend into your gums and cause them to become noticeably bigger. If you aren’t feeling any pain from a swelling in one area of your mouth, however, there is probably no reason for concern. Most swollen teeth are temporary problems that go away on their own without any treatment at all. In fact, in many cases it isn’t even necessary to see a dentist.
The most common cause of swelling and pain are dental abscesses. These usually occur when you have an untreated cavity, or when you neglect to floss regularly and food particles get trapped between your teeth. When left alone, these can turn into infections, swell your gums and lead to more serious health problems. If you suspect that you might have a dental abscess (pus coming out of your gums, for example), it’s always best to call your dentist immediately. You may need antibiotics or other medications to treat these complications as soon as possible.
Remember, if you've got a chipped tooth filling or other injuries in your mouth (e.g., broken dentures), they could be causing irritation that would lead to swollen gums. Infections in your mouth can also lead to redness, swelling and pain. These infections are typically caused by untreated dental problems, such as cavities, damaged fillings and decaying teeth. If you notice symptoms of an infection in your mouth, it's important to see your dentist right away for treatment.
TMJ syndrome, or temporomandibular joint (TMJ) problems, can cause pain and swelling in your gums. The TMJ is where your jaw meets your skull and where you open and close your mouth. Although it's called syndrome, TMJ problems aren't really a syndrome in medical terms—it's not an illness or disease. It's more of a group of symptoms that occur together because of other conditions, including injuries to the TMJ area from tooth decay, chronic bruxism (tooth grinding), trauma to your face/head and even other health issues such as allergies.
If an adult loses a tooth, it’s possible that new teeth can start growing under existing ones. This phenomenon is called root resorption. Newer teeth erupt into empty spaces, pushing out old teeth that don’t have room to grow in any more. For example, imagine there are four molars at the back of your mouth, three of which have grown all they can in your mouth. The fourth molar won’t have room to grow further and will be pushed out by three other molars as they erupt. This can cause pain, infection and swelling.
