Gum inflammation is a common occurrence that can happen due to many reasons. But, sometimes, you may detect swollen gum around one tooth. There are various reasons for inflamed gums around the tooth. Below, we have listed the causes of this condition.
Causes of Swollen Gums Around a Tooth
These reasons might be why your gum is puffy around a single tooth:
- Poor Dental Hygiene
Food debris starts accumulating between the tooth and gum line. Frequent brushing and proper flossing can remove this debris. Therefore, debris can cause gum around one tooth to swell if you don’t adhere to proper dental hygiene. Gradually, improper oral hygiene can lead to gum disease. Signs that you need to improve your dental hygiene include:- Pale or red gums
- Bleeding gums while brushing
- Swelling in gums
- Loose tooth
- Pus discharge from tooth
- Bad breath
- Foul taste in the mouth
- Gum Disease
The harmful bacteria in your mouth can infect your gums, causing inflammation and leading to periodontal disease. First, you might experience bleeding gums, bad breath, and red, tender gums. This is the gingivitis stage, which can be reversed with treatment. However, it may develop into a more severe stage, periodontitis, if not treated on time. In the latter stage, your tooth might become loose or fall out, and your gums start receding too.
Therefore, if your gum is inflamed around one tooth, it is better to visit a dentist to prevent gum disease. - Dental Abscess
Your gum might be swollen around one tooth due to a bacterial infection. Sometimes, pus collects in your gums and forms a dental abscess. A dental abscess can be due to tooth decay or fractures that affect the tooth’s nerve (Periodic abscess) or the gum (Periodontal abscess).
If you have an abscessed tooth, it is better to visit your dentist immediately. The infection will not go away on its own and requires medical attention. It can reach your jaw and other body parts if left untreated.
Other Causes:
You can also get a swollen tooth around one gum due to poor fitting of dental appliances like dentures, viral or fungal infection, medication side effects, lack of sufficient nutrients, and reaction or sensitivity to mouth wash or toothpaste.
Treatments for Gum Swollen Around One Tooth
The following might help treat an inflamed gum at home:
- Using an antiseptic mouthwash can help prevent the buildup of plaque and bacteria
- Stirring a teaspoon of salt in a glass of warm winter can make a saltwater solution that remarkably improves the condition of your oral health.
- After brushing your teeth, apply turmeric gel for ten seconds to reduce swelling in your gum.
- Visiting your dentist for tooth scaling and planing, incision and drainage, deep teeth cleaning, root canal, or other professional treatments can help. They will examine the condition of your swollen gums and suggest treatment accordingly.
What’s the Takeaway?
If your gum is swollen around one tooth, it can be due to poor dental hygiene, gum disease, or dental abscess. You can maintain good oral hygiene and have a healthy diet, limiting sugary and alcoholic snacks to prevent gum inflammation. If you have swollen, painful gums, our Royalty Dental Associates dental team is just a few digits away at (281) 655-0500 (Spring Cypress) or (281) 288-0900 (Cypresswood).
