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Dr. Andrew Rynne

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Swollen Gum On Back Molar Next To Wisdom Tooth. Had Bad Infections Before. What Could It Be?

Hello I have a swollen gum on my back molar next to my wisdom tooth on the bottom left hand side of my mouth. It isn't really painful and I've been to the dentist recently where I had a full clean. Is it possible i have something stuck in my tooth. It was pusy but has stopped now. I have no swelling on my face and I have had a bad infection before so I realise it is no where as painful as that. Have you any idea what it could be? Laura
Tue, 30 Apr 2013
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Dentist 's  Response
Hello there ,

Thanks for writing your query,

Wisdom tooth is the last tooth to erupt in the oral cavity and often its eruption is associated with symptoms like pain and discomfort in eating , difficulty in opening mouth , swelling of the gums .

wisdom teeth are often tilted in position and impacted in the bone , gums overlying the tooth usually undergoes inflammation known as pericoronitis .

This pericoronal flap incorporates food debris which may undergo infection and lead to formation of pus or abscess pocket.

i would suggest you to go for symptomatic treatment at home like gargling with lukewarm saline water or antiseptic mouthwash like chlorhexidine or betadine.

You may need to get an OPG radiograph done for you which will show the exact position of the tooth, consult a dentist and get the tooth extracted surgically or the pericoronal flap can be removed by OPERCULECTOMY.

I hope this helps,

take care.
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Dentist Dr. Sonia Nayab's  Response
hi Laura
thanks for asking your query

swollen gums could be of multiple reasons like inflamation,infection,local irritant,trauma,food impaction,poor nutrition
the best treatment for swollen gums is the removal of plaque and tartar
Practice good oral hygiene. Brush your teeth twice a day and floss daily. Visit your dentist regularly and ask for tips to improve your technique. Over enthusiastic brushing and flossing can do more harm than good, leading to swollen bleeding gums.

Eat well. A well-balanced diet, including plenty of vitamin C and calcium, may reduce the likelihood of developing red swollen gums. And drinking plenty of water helps remove food particles from your teeth after a meal.

Avoid things that irritate the gums. Swollen sore gums may be aggravated by mouthwashes, alcohol and tobacco. Choose lukewarm or cool food and beverages instead of extremely hot ones that can be painful if you're nursing red swollen gums.

Relax. Stress isn't just bad for your overall health, it can also lead to swollen sore gums. Being stressed raises levels of the hormone cortisol, which leads to inflammation throughout the body -- even in your gum
hope this will help
thanks
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Dentist Dr. Tarush Thakur's  Response
Hi laura,
Thanks for writing,

As you have told that you had a full cleaning done, it eradicates the biggest cause of gingiva swelling, plaque and calculus accumulation.

Acute or sudden gingival enlargement results from bacteria carried deep into the tissues when a foreign substance is forcefully embedded into the gingiva. It may be a toothbrush bristle injury, or any sharp food stuff stuck in the gums (as you said).

In either case you have to visit a dentist and get professional help. As you told there was pus, which indicates active infection, you might also be prescribed antibiotics. Meanwhile, you can do warm saline gargles.

Stay healthy,
Thank you.
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Dentist Dr. Benley George's  Response
Hello,
It seems like you have a gum infection over your lower second molar tooth. It should be inspected by a Periodontist to identify the root cause. It could be an infection of a particular tooth also. An x ray could determine if the problem is related to a tooth or not. A course of antibiotics should be taken.

Regrds
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Dentist Dr. Sushma Rajesh's  Response
Hi Laura,

Thanks for posting your query.

I understand that you have swollen gums near the second molar. Since you mentioned you got professional cleaning done recently, it is unlikely that swelling is because of tartar or deposits. Did the dentist mention about any cavity in that region? Was any radiograph taken?

There is a possibility that something[ food ] would have got forcefully lodged in the area between your second molar and wisdom tooth which has lead to swelling and pus. There is also a chance that there was a cavity present which lead to food lodgement. Hence a visit to dentist is mandatory who will assess and tell you the cause and treatment .

Hope that answers your query.

Take care

Dr.Sushma Rajesh


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Dentist Dr. Qazi Ammara's  Response
Hi,

Thanks for asking the query,

According to your clinical history i suppose that there could be infection in your tooth which is draining its infection in the surrounding gums leading to swelling, inflammation, and redness of the overlying gums or can be something stuck in there.
I would suggest you to visit the Dentist get the checkup done take an x-ray of the affected area which will give the exact cause and treatment plan.
Meanwhile you maintain a good oral hygiene use antiseptic mouthwash rinses twice daily.

Hope this helps out.

Regards...
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Dentist Dr. Bibhu Dutt Nanda's  Response
hello and welcome to HCM forum,
I would like you to know that due to impaction of food particles below the gum theat covers the erupting molar, bacterial growth occurs, causing infection which is mild. The condition is called Pericoronitis, gums are sore in the area and in order to treat it i will recommend you to take care of your oral hygiene really well until the wisdom tooth erupts completely.
Kindly perform warm saline rinses(3-4 times/day),
Use an antibacterial mouth rinse,twice/day.
If the pain is unbearable then you can take over the counter painkillers at pharmacy(1 tablet every 8 hrs.).
Do not apply any hot compressed over the area.
i hope this answer was useful
i wish you good health
take care.
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Swollen Gum On Back Molar Next To Wisdom Tooth. Had Bad Infections Before. What Could It Be?

Hello there , Thanks for writing your query, Wisdom tooth is the last tooth to erupt in the oral cavity and often its eruption is associated with symptoms like pain and discomfort in eating , difficulty in opening mouth , swelling of the gums . wisdom teeth are often tilted in position and impacted in the bone , gums overlying the tooth usually undergoes inflammation known as pericoronitis . This pericoronal flap incorporates food debris which may undergo infection and lead to formation of pus or abscess pocket. i would suggest you to go for symptomatic treatment at home like gargling with lukewarm saline water or antiseptic mouthwash like chlorhexidine or betadine. You may need to get an OPG radiograph done for you which will show the exact position of the tooth, consult a dentist and get the tooth extracted surgically or the pericoronal flap can be removed by OPERCULECTOMY. I hope this helps, take care.