Inflamed gum above one tooth
A swollen gum above one tooth can come from trapped plaque, a gum pocket, food trauma, decay, or infection around the tooth's root.
What can cause swelling in the gum above one tooth?
A swollen gum above one tooth can come from trapped plaque, a gum pocket, food trauma, decay, or infection around the tooth's root.
Which tissue or problem may be causing swelling above a tooth?
The tissue above a tooth may be gingiva over the root, the area between teeth, or a draining sinus from an abscess. The cause cannot be identified by appearance alone, so the dentist checks probing, tooth vitality, bite, and often an X-ray.
What can you do for swelling above one tooth at home?
Brush gently, clean the neighbouring contact, and rinse with warm water if food is trapped. Do not squeeze the swelling, place aspirin on the gum, or delay care while using leftover antibiotics.
Which signs of swelling above a tooth need urgent care?
Seek urgent care for increasing swelling, fever, facial swelling, severe pain, or difficulty opening the mouth, swallowing, or breathing. A small painless bump still needs assessment because a dental abscess can drain intermittently.
Is the swelling from the gum or the tooth root?
Ask whether the swelling is in the gum or from the root, whether the tooth responds to vitality tests, and whether cleaning, drainage, root-canal treatment, or extraction is indicated.
Frequently asked questions
Can this be managed at home?
Brush gently, clean the neighbouring contact, and rinse with warm water if food is trapped.
What will the dentist check?
Ask whether the swelling is in the gum or from the root, whether the tooth responds to vitality tests, and whether cleaning, drainage, root-canal treatment, or extraction is indicated..
Who wrote this page
This library is published by Dental Nation, a licensed dental group practising in the United Arab Emirates. Pages are written and overseen by the same clinical team that treats patients in our clinics, and are held to a fixed editorial standard for safety and accuracy.
This page is patient education, not medical advice, and cannot replace an examination. Anything urgent — facial swelling, trauma, uncontrolled bleeding or severe pain — needs a dentist or emergency care now.