Bump on my gums! What should I do?

Gums are healthy if they are pink, strong and do not bleed. But there can be condition when gums may bleed which can be a because of simple reasons like brushing too hard or serious conditions like oral cancer.

Bump or a mass on gums can be an indication of several conditions. A lump on gums can be because of a bacterial infection or abscess. In rare situations, gums can also be a result of mouth and gum cancers or tumor of jaw. Generally lumps on gums can also be because of some traumatic injury or cancer sores. Hormonal changes during pregnancy is also one of the reasons that cause bumps on or near gum line. Following are the main conditions which cause gum sores, lumps and gums.

• Irritation caused due to poor toothbrush cause sensitivity, waning gums and tattered enamel.
• Oral or mouth cancer which starts off with white patch that turns into mouth sore or lumps.
• Skin abscess is a red painful lump that ruptures over time and releases puss.
• Coxsackie virus infection is characterized by symptoms of cold and blisters in mouth.
• Gingivitis is a mild condition that causes redness, swollen and bleeding gums.
• Bleeding disorders and intake of blood-thinning medication can cause bleeding of gums.
• Periodontitis is a serious tooth disease that causes infection of gums and tissues surrounding teeth and reaches bone in advanced stage.

Diagnosis

If you see any abnormal bump growing on your gums then you should immediately see your dentist. The dentist will primarily examine the bump and area affected by it. He will also identify if the area has become tender. He will also check the adjacent tooth and nerve if they are still healthy basically by tapping the tooth. The dentist will take up dental X-ray to get the closer internal view of the area. However if the infection is small, X-ray will not show it.

Treatment

In most of the cases, the treatment includes draining away the infection and taking antibiotics. Next, the root cause of the problem is treated to ensure that problem doesn’t occur again. This is done mainly through root canal, periodontal treatment and dental extraction.

Smoking and consuming tobacco in any form greatly increases the likelihood of developing gum disease. Therefore anyone who frequently experiences dental problems should avoid smoking and tobacco. Apart from this, seeking medical care on a regular basis is a must.

If gum problem is due to non-cancerous infection then the lump can be treated with surgery. However if the lump is causing irritation since long then it can be an indication of cancerous gum lump. If this is the case then it calls for an attention and you should immediately seek dentist care.

If it is gumboil or bump on gums is accompanied byinflammation then extraction of tooth or root canal is the possible treatment. However in most cases puss in the boils is discharged on its own and doesn’t necessarily require medical attention.

As a general measure, to fight against bacterial infection it is certain to improve the immune system. Vitamin C supplements and lemon juice are the commonly suggested options to heal up infections, if any or strengthen immunity.