Swollen gums can be caused by situations such as gingivitis, wisdom teeth, tooth abscess and poor oral hygiene. Other symptoms that may also accompany swollen gums are bad breath, redness and bleeding gums, fever and loosening of the teeth.
Furthermore, swollen gums can also appear in babies, being caused by the birth of the first teeth, which usually happens between the child’s 4 and 9 months and can also cause other symptoms, such as irritation, excess saliva and lack of appetite. Check out all the symptoms of teething in babies.
It is important to consult your dentist so that the cause of swollen gums can be assessed and appropriate treatment can be recommended, which can include good oral hygiene, the use of antibiotics, dental cleaning or, in some cases, surgery.
Main causes of swollen gums
The main causes of swollen gums are:
1. Gingivitis
Gingivitis is an inflammation of the gums that causes symptoms such as swollen and painful gums, bad breath and bleeding gums when brushing teeth, flossing or eating harder foods. Learn more about gingivitis.
What to do: Treatment includes cleaning your teeth to remove plaque and tartar, brushing your teeth correctly and using dental floss. In some cases, the dentist may also prescribe the use of oral antibiotics and antiseptic mouthwashes.
In addition, some home remedies, such as a solution of warm salt water, warm water with tea tree essential oil and clove tea, also help to complement the treatment, relieving the pain and inflammation of gingivitis. See how to make home remedies for gingivitis.
Don’t ignore the signs your body is giving you!
2. Wisdom teeth
The birth of a wisdom tooth can cause symptoms such as swollen or red gums at the site of the tooth’s birth, pain and swelling in the face, pain or difficulty opening the mouth or chewing. Understand better how wisdom teeth emerge.
What to do: Some tips to alleviate the swelling and pain caused by wisdom teeth include applying a warm water compress to your face, avoiding hard foods, rinsing your mouth with warm water and salt, or taking painkillers or anti-inflammatory medications, such as paracetamol or ibuprofen. , which must be prescribed by the dentist.
3. Orthodontic braces
The use of orthodontic appliances, or dental braces, can cause trauma or injury to the gums, or encourage the formation of bacterial plaque and tartar, due to the difficulty in correctly cleaning the teeth, leaving the gums swollen, painful, sensitive and inflamed.
What to do: It is recommended to improve oral hygiene, using dental floss and correct and regular brushing, to avoid food accumulation. Furthermore, it is also important to consult your dentist to assess the need for maintenance of your dental appliance. See how to care for your dental braces.
4. Tooth abscess
A tooth abscess is a type of pocket filled with pus that can form in the tooth due to an infection, causing symptoms such as swollen gums, pain, tooth sensitivity, fever and bad breath.
Dental abscess is generally a consequence of a cavity, but some factors can favor its appearance are poor oral hygiene, uncontrolled diabetes, a diet rich in sugar and untreated gingivitis, for example.
What to do: treatment must be guided by the dentist and varies according to the cause of the abscess, location and severity, and it may be recommended to drain the abscess, to facilitate the exit of pus, and use of medications, such as antibiotics and anti-inflammatories, to relieve symptoms and prevent infection.
5. Better oral hygiene
Poor oral hygiene can lead to food accumulation between teeth, which causes bacteria to multiply in the mouth. Thus, bacteria become attached to the tooth, favoring the appearance of bacterial plaque and inflammation in the gums, which causes symptoms such as swollen gums, bad taste in the mouth, sensitivity to cold or hot foods.
What to do: you should brush your teeth with a brush with soft bristles at least twice a day, especially after meals, and use dental floss at least once a day. Learn how to brush your teeth correctly.
In addition, the dentist may also clean your teeth to completely remove plaque and tartar.
6. Gingivostomatitis
Gingivostomatitis, also known as herpetic stomatitis, is a type of stomatitis that is caused by the herpes simplex virus, which can cause symptoms such as swollen and red gums, fever, bleeding gums, wounds and sensitivity in the mouth, being more common in children.
What to do: treatment is carried out with antiviral medicines, in the form of tablets or ointments, such as acyclovir or penciclovir, which must be recommended by a general practitioner or dentist. In cases of severe pain, the doctor may also recommend the use of painkillers such as paracetamol and ibuprofen.
To complete the gingivostomatitis treatment, you can also apply propolis extract to the wound to relieve pain and burning.
7. Periodontitis
Periodontitis is a chronic inflammation and infection of the gums, caused by the excessive multiplication of bacteria that destroys the tissue that supports the tooth, causing symptoms such as swollen and red gums, softening of the teeth, bleeding gums and tooth sensitivity.
What to do: the dentist can perform a scaling of the tooth root to remove plaque and tartar. The dentist may also recommend surgery and prescribe the use of antibiotics in some cases. Discover all the treatment options for periodontitis.
Furthermore, it is also important to avoid smoking, brush your teeth daily and floss, to control and help treat periodontitis.
8. Canker sores
Canker sores are white blisters or wounds that can appear due to situations such as stress, autoimmune disease and changes in mouth pH, causing swelling in the gums, pain, discomfort and difficulty eating and speaking. Learn about other causes of canker sores.
What to do: canker sores usually disappear spontaneously within 10 to 14 days. However, avoiding spicy, salty and acidic foods, drinking plenty of fluids, maintaining good oral hygiene and rinsing your mouth with warm, saline water, are some simple measures that help to relieve sores. canker sore symptoms.
9. Scurvy
Scurvy is a rare disease, which occurs due to a severe lack of vitamin C in the body, causing symptoms such as swollen gums, difficulty in wound healing, easy bleeding of the skin and gums and muscle pain. Understand better about scurvy.
What to do: treatment must be carried out by a general practitioner or nutritionist, through supplementation of 300 to 500 mg of vitamin C per day, for up to 3 months.
Furthermore, it is also important to consume more foods rich in vitamin C, such as acerola, strawberries, pineapple, oranges, lemons and yellow peppers, for example. See other foods rich in vitamin C.
10. Use of medicines
Some medications, such as corticosteroids, antihypertensives or antidepressants such as fluoxetine, paroxetine or nortriptyline, can decrease saliva production, which increases the accumulation of bacterial paca and the risk of periodontitis and tooth decay, causing symptoms such as swollen gums and bad breath. , difficulty swallowing, dry and cracked lips.
What to do: It is recommended to drink plenty of fluids, maintain good oral hygiene and inform your doctor about swollen gums, so that the possibility of adjusting the medications used can be assessed.
Furthermore, it is also important to consult the dentist regularly to assess the health of your gums and teeth, and if necessary, use artificial saliva, for example.
Swollen gums in baby
Swollen gums in babies can appear due to the birth of teeth, which usually happens between the child’s 4th and 9th month. Furthermore, other symptoms that may also appear when teething are irritation, excess saliva and lack of appetite. Check out all the symptoms of teething in babies.
To alleviate the pain of teething, you can massage the baby’s gums, offer breast milk popsicles or give cold teethers for the baby to bite on, as this helps to alleviate discomfort. See more tips to alleviate the pain of teething in babies.
Swollen gums during pregnancy
During pregnancy, a woman may have swollen gums, due to hormonal changes that favor the emergence of gingivitis, causing swelling and redness of the gums, pain in the teeth, bad breath and easy bleeding of the gums, for example. Understand how gingivitis happens during pregnancy.
Gingivitis during pregnancy must be treated as quickly as possible to avoid complications such as an increased risk of premature birth or low birth weight. The dentist will be able to clean the bacterial plaque and may also recommend the use of toothpaste for sensitive teeth and the use of extremely fine dental floss to avoid gum irritation and bleeding.
Home remedies for swollen gums
Some home remedies, such as hydrogen peroxide solution, warm salt water, tea tree essential oil or licorice tea, are good options to complement the treatment of swollen gums, as they have anti-inflammatory, analgesic and antiseptic effects, helping to alleviate symptoms. .
Furthermore, to prevent the gums from becoming swollen again, it is also essential to maintain a healthy and balanced diet, avoiding foods and drinks rich in sugar; brush your teeth daily with a soft-bristled brush and toothpaste, and floss; and avoid smoking.
