Gum Swollen around One Tooth
Sometimes when you are brushing or flossing your teeth you might notice that you have a swollen gum around one tooth. Although this may seem uncommon, it is not that unusual, and it could be attributed to a number of different causes.
What Can Cause Swollen Gums Around One Tooth
There are a variety of reasons that your gum will swell in just one area around one tooth, including poor hygiene, gum disease, or an abscess affecting that tooth.
- Poor hygiene- If you do not brush and floss your teeth properly, you will leave behind food debris. This missed debris will form plaque and tartar on your teeth causing decay and inflammation. Over a brief period, the bacteria in the plaque will infect the soft tissue developing into gum disease. Signs of poor dental hygiene includes pale gums, red gums, swollen gums, bleeding while you are brushing, pus leaking from around a tooth, a loose tooth, having persistent bad breath or a bad taste in your mouth.
- Gum disease- When this bacteria in the mouth infects the gum tissue surrounding the tooth, it will cause inflammation, which will lead to periodontal disease. According to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, (CDC), almost half of the American adults over the age of thirty have some stage of periodontal disease. Symptoms of gum disease can include swollen gums, tender or bleeding gums, sensitive teeth, loose teeth, or the gums pulling away from teeth creating pockets.
- Abscess- An abscessed tooth is often the result from an untreated cavity, an injury, or old dental treatment. This then allows bacteria to infect your tooth creating a pocket of pus. This pocket of bacterial infection can occur at the root or in the gums at the side of the root. Symptoms of an abscessed tooth will include severe, persistent, throbbing toothache, sensitivity to hot and cold, sensitivity to chewing and biting, a fever, or swelling in our gums or jaw.
It is important to see your dentist if you believe you might have an abscessed tooth. The infection will not go away on its own. If left untreated, the infection can spread to your jawbone. The infection can spread, leading to profoundly serious health problems.
Preventing Swollen Gums Around One Tooth
Exercising proper dental hygiene habits at home is one of the most important things you can do to prevent problems such as gums swelling around teeth. Take these steps for good dental hygiene:
- Remove the bacteria by brushing after meals and before bedtime, at least twice a day.
- Floss at least once each day to remove the particles between your teeth.
- See your dentist twice a year for a checkup and a professional teeth cleaning.
If you do notice a swollen gum around one tooth, it could be the result of gum disease, poor dental hygiene, or an abscess. Make an appointment to see your dentist to make sure that your swollen gum is treated properly.
Simply spending a few minutes a day practicing good dental hygiene habits such as brushing and flossing will save you the discomfort, time, and expense of treating an avoidable dental health issue.