Gum Swollen around One Tooth
When your gums are puffy, it can make it difficult to talk or even eat. If you notice that the swelling is mostly around one tooth, there are a few issues that could cause this. Your body uses swelling to bring white blood cells to an area and to help your body heal. If you notice that there is swelling around one tooth, your body is working to heal itself in that specific area. You may have an infection, an injury that is not visible to the eye, jaw bone problems, localized gum disease, or a dental abscess.
At Home Dental Care
If you are careful to brush your teeth with a soft bristled toothbrush in gentle circular motions, you should be able to remove any bacteria, plaque, and debris that has built up on your teeth and along the gumline. If these problematic particulars are addressed, then you are doing your part to prevent gum disease. In the event you are maintaining good habits at home and you still have swollen gums, you may have gum disease if you also notice consistent bad breath, pale gums, red gums, bleeding gums, swollen gums, wiggly teeth, a bad or metallic taste, or pus oozing from the gums.
Abscess
When you go too long between dental appointments and do not address weak areas on your teeth or developing cavities, the small opening in your tooth’s surface can allow bacteria to enter the inner layers of the tooth. Once the bacteria infects your tooth, you could end up with a cavity and an abscessed tooth. Additional signs that you need to see the dentist other than swollen gums are pain, swelling in your jaw, warmth in the swollen areas, and fever. If you are not motivated to address the infection in your tooth and the cavity in your tooth, you may end up with an infection in your blood or even your bones.
Risk Factors
Even if you are taking care to brush, floss, and rinse everyday at least two times a day between your twice yearly dental appointments, you may be at risk for gum disease or other dental issues. Certain health factors and habits can lead to an increased risk of gingivitis. Chronic diseases like diabetes and AIDS affect your body’s ability to prevent and heal from infection. When you are under high levels of stress and have increased levels of the cortisol hormone, your body is unable to address inflammation properly. It is important to maintain dental fillings you already have and to clean well between crooked teeth. People who regularly use tobacco products and people who take medications that cause dry mouth need to take additional measures to work against gum disease.
Home Remedies
When you have swelling in your gums that lasts longer than two weeks, you need to make an appointment with the dentist. Additional ways you can take care of your mouth before your appointment include rinsing with salt water, using tea tree oil, and applying turmeric gel.